Review - Kevyn Aucoin The Liquid Fountain Pen

Kevyn Aucoin The Liquid Fountain Pen is a full-to-medium coverage lip gloss pen that creates a mirror-like shine. It also imparts a soft sheen which gives the appearance of fuller lips. $27.00

I have been a fan of Kevyn's for a long time and totally love this color, it's described as a sheer champagne shimmer. So in order for you to like this, you first have to like the really light pale colors. I do so I am in love with the color. I find that it gives just enough color to be there but not so much that it looks heavy. The shimmer is really pretty too, I think the best description is like a fairy's color, surreal and airy. I am not in love with the pen container; I feel like I get robbed out of product this way, sometimes I over click and get to much so I am wasting it, I wish it just had a wand applicator. It's not too sticky or tacky either but just enough for you to know when you need to apply more. For me this is the perfect winter color. I would rather play up my eyes and leave the lips nude and sheer. I know I complained about the container but I will re-buy based purely on the color and quality of the gloss itself..

Review - L'Oreal Sublime Sublime Bronze

A first from L'Oreal Laboratories, Sumblime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist gives you professional airbrush tanning results at home $9.99

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I love me a bronze body and even though it's the winter I do have some Christmas things to attend that I don't want to look to ghostly. This is a nice at home product. It's got a light mist, so you don't have to be worried about it spraying out and being to robust to control. It's easy to use and pretty easy to clean up after. I find that applying in the shower it the easiest and best way to control any over sprays. I can do most of the body myself but I do need help with the back side so I volunteer the hubby to help. They do say not to rub but I do give myself a little light pat here and there when I spray too much. The color is natural and bronzy, no orange or serious fake look to the color, it lasts about 3-5 days depending on if you are exfoliating or shaving also. The one thing that isn't all that pleasant is the fragrance. It is chemically but I will put up with it for a bronze body without the sun any day! I also wanted to mention that for the money, this is a great product, I have tried others that are much more and this stands up!

Review - Nars Lipstick

A pure, creamy lipstick formula for bold color. $24.00

I got this in Beautiful Liar and it's described as spiced coral color. I really couldn't say it better myself. I love Nars lippies, I find that they all wear really well, don't dry out the lippies and have great pigment. This is no expectation, it's a shimmery coral color that would suit me much better in the months that I do spray tans as it's a bit too summery for me right now. But all theSouth Beach babes could totally rock this in Dec or Jan. This color goes on smooth, stays smooth and wears till I eat. I do notice a little bit of feathering in the corners but no bleeding anywhere else. I have been a Nars fan for a long time and my favorite lippie of theirs is Sexual Healing! These are worth the $$ and once you try one you will surely go back and rebuy, great quality and always the hottest colors!

Review - Pevonia DE-AGING BODY BALM

Seductively rich and creamy, the De-Aging Balm awakens the senses with its delightful aroma and silky texture.
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This product is very rich and thick, perfect for the winter when most of us are parched beyond belief. The scent is a lovely light fruity scent. To me it has a light mango scent - sort of like a fruit salad. I am applying this right after showering to lock in the moisture.. It feels great and does absorb quickly. I am totally hooked on this. My skin is in much better shape since using this as I am moisturized and my skin isn't flaky or tight. This bottle is a little small for a body product weighing in at only 5 oz and once you try this you will want it in a 16oz tub. It is that yummy!

Review - Kiss My Face Olive/Aloe Natural Moisturizer

We've blended Olive Oil, used for centuries to care for the skin, and Aloe Vera, long acclaimed as "the healing plant" for its soothing properties, with a rich assortment of herbs & flowers renowned for their benefits to the skin $4.99

If you are in the market for a no nonsense moisturizer, meaning something that isn't a double duty, this is perfect. It's got a nice emollients that stay with my skin and is very comfortable on. I experience no greasy feeling and it absorbs quickly. My skin looks nourished and plump after use.. This doesn't have an SPF in it to I am loading on the Coola afterwards. I think this is gentle and can be used by people with all kinds of skin types. I think that for me it's a great backup from the heavier moisturizers I am using in the winter months. Really nice product!

Amanda S. Says: ohhhh Kiss my Face, how do I love thee? I have been a huge fan of this company for years and years and years. You all may already know this, but I'll repeat it for the unintroduced: I am a big animal lover, and flock to products that are cruelty free and environmentally friendly. Ever since I took the plunge to start using cruelty free products, the name Kiss my Face has been in the forefront of this movement, not only because of their ethic, but also because their products are consistently fantastic and of very high quality. Yearly for birthdays and holidays I buy friends their products.

This moisturizer is no joke either, I confess, it was great getting an extra bottle but I already had this stuff on my desk at work! It's smooth, fast absorbing, lasts forever. I have super dry sensitive skin too, and I have never had a problem with any of their products. (All of which you should try!)

Joyce says: I love the lightness of this moisturizer and the fact it works, even in winter. I brought it with me when I house-sat for over a week for my friend. It turned bitter cold while I was there, so you know I slathered this product on so often, I used it up . . . after every shower, every time I came in from feeding the outside critters (twice a day), and after the twice-a-day indoor animal feedings (1 big dog, 7 cats). It was the first time I house-sat and didn’t have dry hands (washed often because of tasks) or dry body. Awesome!

Review- Frais Hand Sanitizer

Frais Hand Sanitizer adds luxury to the smart practice of regular hand sanitizing. The 66% high grade eco-friendly sugarcane alcohol kills 99.9% of germs on contact. Les Huit, an elegant mélange of eight natural Australian blended essential oils conjures uplifting thoughts and leaves hands pleasantly moisturized. Frais contains only natural non-toxic ingredients.

The World Health Organization, CDC and the Mayo Clinic attest that our concentration of ethyl alcohol kills 99.9% of germs encountered in everyday life including influenza, the common cold, tuberculosis, bird flu, MRSA staph and many others.

Frais Hand sanitizer is recyclable, eco-friendly, cruelty-free and vegan. 1.7 oz. $7

This is a great example of paying a little more to get a higher quality product. This doesn't smell like any other hand sanitizer I've used. It is fragrant and citrus; if I could wear it as perfume I would. The bottles we got to try were really tiny 0.2 oz. and I initially thought they were made just as samples. But they are sold on the site for $3.50. I balked at first and then I tried the sanitizer. I squeezed out the usual amount I use when I use Purell. It turns out that is like 3 times the amount you need. You need only a pea sized amount to cover your hands front and back. I also have to say my reaction in the first second I had it on was not favorable. I thought "This stuff is going to stick my fingers together." I was totally wrong. It may feel sticky when it first comes out of the container, but it dries as if it was never there, leaving just the scent as a reminder. If you use a lot of hand sanitizer (I only use it when I ride the subway), I recommend investing in this product. It is just so much nicer to use than the average hand sanitizer and the smell olone is enough to make it worth your money. They also have a gift package available of 14 travel (o.2 oz.) sizes for $33.00 which would be great for a health conscious friend who is hard to buy for.

Sheba says: I second the motion!! First, I adore Citrus -- but it has to work and it cannot dry my skin out. The scent is positively gorgeous -- I would definitely wear it if they made this scent as a cologne. We know it works from all the accolades from the World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, etc. It leaves your hands feeling like you just put lotion on!!! All others have left my hands feeling clean but dry. Usually the alcohol does the job but dries the skin. I have been using a citrus scented hand sanitizer and I won't mention the name. I would have given it a decent review BEFORE trying this one. The other citrus is not a real citrus and it dries my hands. I thought they had to dry your hands out to work due to the alcohol. Now I have actually tossed the others. I keep one at my desk, the kitchen table and my bag. Those are going to be replaced with these. I do not mind paying a bit more for the quality I am getting. I will not pay more to get what I had been using. Believe me, your hands will love you for using Frais Hand Sanitizer. It is perfect for those times when you do not have access to soap and water. This is the best I have tried and I have tried many! Give your hands a real treat -- you can try the smaller version until you are converted. You will order the large size after your first use with it.

CitySlicker Says: Can I third the motion? This is a great product. I have been sick for over a week. I have been going to work so this has been a perfect product for me. I have been using it on a daily basis. I have been using the smallest amount and found that since using almost 2 weeks my paws haven't experience any drying. When I use the other brands that are sold at the local drugstores, I have found that with prolonged use my hands start to dry and flake - almost like a chemical burn. My experience with this sanitizer has been wonderful. My hands are not dried out in the least and I feel like I am not passing my germs on to all the innocents that I encounter. You really need only the smallest amount so this little bottle is something that lasts.. I would re buy in a heartbeat.

Maria says: I have to admit, I was thinking that this hand sanitizer wouldn't be any different from the various hand sanitizers out there - when they first came out at Bath and Body - I scooped a bunch up - but ended up being kind of underwhelmed as I felt my hands may have been sanitized but they were on the dry side. Frais does not do this. At all. And that's what makes it a must buy product. It's in my pocketbook and our IT guy at work has been, as Miranda Priestly would say, "an incubus of viral plague" in the office and he was at my computer trying to fix something the other day hacking all over my keyboard - so not only did I sanitize my hands with it, then I put some on a little tissue and wiped the keyboard down. Not only did my office smell like citrus, but I felt I was better armed at not catching whatever the heck that boy has. I love the ingredients - tangerine, ginger, lemon, grapefruit, etc. - The biggest plus for me is that there is absolutely NO dryness with the Frais. Your hands just feel clean and soft and there's not that weird chemical smell that I have found to be associated with most hand sanitizers. This is definately a repurchase. Love it.

Deedlejuse says: I again agree with all the ladies above. This hand sanitizer smells like essential oils to me, with ginger being the predominant smell, but it is beautiful and natural, very unlike most hand sanitizers. I am also amazed by the small amount you need for this to actually work. The .2 oz container is really more like a multiple week supply. There was not noticeable drying of my hands from the alcohol in the product, probably because it is less than 50% alcohol if I understood the lable correctly. Go home and check any other hand sanitizer you have, none of them will boast the reliance on essential oils instead of alcohol. Very well done and well thought out product! I'm in love.

Sheba says: Thanks, Maria. I was hesitant to admit that I use a drop of this on my phone at work after other people use it. One of our truck drivers is a cigar smoker who leaves an awful odor and I cannot even imagine the germs. I had been using those little alcohol wipes before discovering this. Now I am killing the germs, the odor, and enjoying the scent much more than rubbing alcohol. I was so glad to read that someone else uses it similarly. The tiny amount you need for your hands or phone or whatever -- is incredible. Other uses I have discovered are the keyboards to my work and home computers along with doorknobs. I read they are the top places for germs to find a home. So even without a coughing IT person -- I do need to sanitize my keyboards. Another use I have read about and found to work great is -- stainless steel appliances. It removes fingerprints, etc. while leaving them scented wonderfully if you use the Frais Hand Sanitzer. If you use another brand I cannot vouch for it as I won't be using other brands after using this. Frais Hand Sanitizer is so efficient for just a drop!!

Movie Maven says:
If you're a regular reader, you may have seen some of my other reviews of hand sanitizers - I don't like them, primarily because I don't actually believe they do anything terribly beneficial. If my hands are dirty, I wash them. Anyway: This predisposition aside, though, if I was in the market for a hand sanitizer, this one would be the one. As most everyone else said, the scent is lovely - citrusy and fresh, and not medicinal like some sanitizers you find. And it really does absorb SUPER fast and leaves your hands nice and dry, not sticky and gross (which is another beef I have with most hand sanitizers). So while I won't start using any hand sanitizer regularly, if I ever suddenly develop a case of germophobia, I will definitely start using Frais!

Amanda S. Says: I confess to not being a regular hand sanitizer user, mostly because I have a steadfast rule to just wash my hands a fair amount during the day and let the healthy bacteria on my skin naturally destroy the bad stuff, instead of messing with the balance. HOWEVER (and it's a big however), sometimes I do stuff that absolutely required some sort of sterilization of my hands / the kids hands around me (niece in particular) such as - accidentally touching something really gross in a public bathroom, touching yucky pet 'by products' (how do you discuss a litter box without sounding disgusting?) and definitely after holding our pet turtle because they carry salmonella bacteria that will wreak much unwanted havoc on the human digestive tract.
That said, this stuff is pretty special. It smells totally awesome, not medicine-like or like a doctor's office (which I don't like!). If you're going to use hand sanitizer, spring for the good stuff and use THIS definitely.

Amanda S. Says: Hillary knows I do not use hand sanitizers unless it's a serious situation (like 10 small children blowing their loses on my sweater all at once, coughing into my face), so I took to the streets with this bottle and tried it out on friends, family and coworkers who normally use these types of products anyway. The overwhelming opinion was that it was wayyyyy less drying to the skin and didn't cause the usual tightness, and it smelled really beautiful and not chemical. None of them contracted any horrible viral issues after use either, so it worked its magic for them!

Review - Healing Ointment by Aquaphor Ointment (1.75 oz.)

Aquaphor Ointment Healing Ointment: Daily therapy for cracked, dry skin and minor burns.
Description: This ointment helps to heal dry and irritated skin. Aquaphor is a favorite among dermatologists whenever severe dryness with chafing and cracking is present. Also works well on abrasions and mild burns.
Recommended Use: Clean the affected area gently with a mild, non-irritating cleanser. Apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment liberally to the affected area

$7.00 Usually ships in 1 to 2 weeks - Free Shipping!

I learned about this ointment from a friend who was involved in a car accident with cuts and abrasions to her face. Her dermatologist recommended using this on the healing areas as a means of limiting scarring. She doubted its effectiveness in that respect but was really surprised that she was left with no noticeable scar on her face. That was all I needed to try it. Since then I have discovered that it is wonderful especially when your skin becomes excessively dry. I recommended it to a co-worker who had cracked and bleeding skin on her hands from the cold. She was thrilled with the results. It compared with vaseline in her instance but without the really greasy residue. I find that when you rub it in gently it absorbs quite easily and does not leave any residue. To be honest you can get it at this website for no shipping but you will find it at just about anywhere they sell medicated products. The cost might seem a little high but the results will prove worth it -- especially if you are experiencing extremely dry skin anywhere. Personally I found the cost to be pretty reasonable.

Hillary says: Right now I would not want to be without Aquaphor. I only have a sample, but It is going to last me a while as a tiny bit of this salve goes a long way. Right now my skin is chapped and cracking from some acne medicine I used. It's only half as bad as it was last night since I used Aquaphor on it. The consistency is a lot like Vaseline, but it heals so much better. My skin yesterday was peeling and my makeup was stuck to all the dry skin. Today I'm practically back to normal. I highly recommend this salve.

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CitySlicker says: I agree with Hillary, I couldn't live without aquaphor either. This is one of my staples that I can't go without. This is probably my most cherished product. I use it on my lips, hands and sometimes under my eyes. It goes on and is one of the few products that stays on.. There is nothing else on the market for the price that moisturizes and heals like Aquaphor.. It's simply the best under $10 beauty find out there. I am like a baby with a pacifier, I can't sleep without lubing up my lips at night. I will wake up and look for it if I happen to fall asleep with out.. A little miracle worker! Love it!

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Review- Thymes Essentials Face Polish

Gently exfoliate with fine silica powder from sea algae to refine your skin’s texture as aloe vera and glycerin soothe and moisturize.

-No Parabens

-No Petrolatum

-No Animal-Derived Ingredients

This product is a face polish, not a face scrub, and is therefore lighter in consistency and less dense than a traditional scrub. It is also more gentle and can be used more frequently. This polish exfoliates with fine silica powder from sea algae, which is good because exfoliators with things like walnut shells can make small tears on the skin due to the shell's irregular shape. Not so with silica as it has an even surface. I find this polish to be the perfect skin pick-me-up without being overly stripping. It moisturizes with aloe and glycerin and leaves my skin glowing and not at all red or irritated. I will continue to use a microdermabrasion cream once a week, but for in between times, I'll be using this polish. It will be especially welcome in the coming dry winter months.

Amanda S. Says: Like Hillary, I will be using this religiously with my recently flaked out skin. Thank you winter, for making me more flaky than usual. I love the softness of this product, some scrubs feel like you're rubbing gigantic boulders over your face and scrubbing away every necessary oil in your skin to keep it alive.

Joyce says: I really like the finer quality of this product; I never like feeling I’m using “gravel” on my skin. The scent is so fresh I wish I had a bath product and a body crème scented like this. You can feel how natural and nurturing it is, and I didn’t feel it stripped my skin of anything that needed to be left where it was. Good as it is for flaky skin, I can imagine how awesome it is for summer use, as well.

Deedlejuse Says: I feel bad, I want to agree with everyone else, I really do. But I really don't like this "Face Polish". It is much too abrasive for my normally super-easy skin. It feels like it is taking of layers and layers, and after I'm done "polishing" my face feels really tight and dry. I also am not a huge fan of the cucumber scent. I find it super abrasive and icky, I love the scent of the lotion though, I think it actually might be the cleanser not the scent they used to cover it up. Regardless, it is a great all natural product, and apparently it works wonders for "flaky" and "oily" skin, but if you have normal skin you might want to try something else.

Sheba says: I guess you can say my skin is a real combination -- some sections seem normal, others dry, while the usual section for oily is oily. From Deedlejuse's description it sounds like she might have sensitive skin. I have met her on one occasion and recall her incredible complexion. This sounds like it is just too powerful for her skin. However, on my face it is terrific! It is very gentle, but not too gentle to get the job done. Thymes Essentials Face Polish does not have that very grainy feel that you get with many other products. I have used some that felt like I was sandpapering my face. This accomplishes the 'Polish' in its name very easily. It leaves all sections of my skin feeling very clean, soft, smooth, and hydrated (without making the oily section feel oily). I notice that my face looks more radiant when I am done-- rather than red. I will definitely continue to use this regularly. The scent is very light and does not overpower you as some scented products do.

CitySlicker Say:
My skin can be sensitive when using an abrasive scrub so I cautiously tried this one. I found that it does have some scrubbing power but not to the point where my face is on fire from the friction. I use less than a quarter size amounts for my entire face and neck. The scent is a little strong for me but nothing that is so overpowering that I would discontinue usage. I tend to like less fragrance – that’s just me! When I am done my face is clean and fresh feeling. The only thing I do notice is that my face is a little tight so I have been following up with an emollient moisturizer to compensate. This does a good job of sloughing away the dead skin and is a pretty good deal for the price!

Maria says: I think I may have gotten far too spoiled from Caudilie's lovely, lovely, scrub. (love). I think the Thymes is a little too potent for my facial skin - don't get me wrong - my face feels totally clean, but on the sensitive side - I immediately have to apply a moisturizing toner to soothe. It def. gives your face a great sloughing. I am going to use it more for the backs of my arms which tend to get little bumpies on them during the winter - I have a feeling this product will do a great job of keeping that little annoyance at bay.

Movie Maven says:
Yes, this scrub is lighter than most, as the other reviewers have mentioned. Perhaps, in my case, too light, because I felt like it wasn't doing enough scrubbing for my combination/oily skin, leaving it clean, but weirdly dry in places. So apparently I have industrial-strength skin compared to some of my compatriots. It should be noted, though, that this product isn't billed as a scrub, as Hillary pointed out, but rather as a "polish;" for me, I'm going to have to stick with a true scrub to get the job done. I did, however, enjoy the scent, which smells fresh without being fruity or overly sweet.