Best Buys at Sephora- from TotalBeauty.com

11 Best Buys at Sephora Right Now

We asked women walking out of our local Sephora to give us a peek inside their pretty black and white bags. See what's worth splurging on

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article There's nothing that gets us as giddy as a little girl on Christmas Day than spending an afternoon at Sephora. Their shelves are lined with new shadows, perfumes, and the latest products promising to make us look absolutely, positively amazing. But what's the stuff that's really worth the spendy price tag? We stalked Sephora customers to find out. See them

My January Birchbox

This month's January Birchbox, themed: Clarity, was definitely one of my favorite boxes. I loved every single one of the products in there and have been using them since I got the box. It also included a full-sized Stila eyeliner. (Squeals!) Here's what I got in my box this month: *Larabar- delicious! I ate this the day after I received my box- delicious! * Stila eyeliner * Origins Checks and Balances Frothy face wash * VMW Re-Everything Lotion * Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume sample * Bonus: Birchbox magnet

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

January GoGoGirlfriend Box

My latest GoGoGirlfriend Box has finally arrived!! Since they were on hiatus for a while (late November box and into December) I was quite excited to finally get mine this week. I actually saw in my member profile a few days ago the products I was going to receive so it wasn't a total surprise.. :)

As you can see, it's quite a full box which is why I am sticking with GoGoGirlfriend! As a premium member, I get this monthly box of goodies for $13 a month which is comparable to other monthly makeup boxes out there, such as Birchbox (which only has 4-5 samples). Last month's (see here)wasn't as quite full but this month definitely made up for it..

Here's what I got:
* Blossoms Lip Color Shimmer- Pretty red shade and super moisturizing bc it contains aloe
* Blossoms Lip Liner Pencil- Don't really use lipliner a lot but it's a nice red shade.
* Blum's Naturals Organic Exfoliating Orange Peel Towelette - excited to try this Towelette!
* Blum's Naturals Organic Pro Age Grape Seed Cleansing Towelette- excited to try this towelette too.. perfect for travel or on the go.. or may even after a gym session
* Comodynes Self Tanning Towelette Large- will probably try this on my legs?
* Floating Candle (1) - probably won't use this..
* GoGogirlfriend Natural Olive & Shea Butter Soap Sample- can' wait to try this sample
* RenuDerma Natural Cream Based Cleaner 4 gram sample- moisturizing cleanser.. pretty nice.
* Spa Terry Cloth Adjustable Velcro Headband- Using this daily when I wash my face and applying masks :)



Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub - Influenster prizepack

As one of the Influenster's DermaE badgeholder winners, I received this amazing package from Derma E- a full sized Microdermabrasion Scrub and samples of their other products. I got hooked the moment I tried DermaE's Very Clear Cleansing scrub from my Influenster Green VoxBox (learn how to sign up for Influester.com) Derma E's products are natural and gentle for my sensitive skin, so I was psyched to try their Microdermabrasion Scrub that is a salon-treatment alternative. They use a "crystal blend system to remove dead skin cells and absorb excess oils." After my first use, I immediately noticed a difference on my skin- soft, more polished and so smooth. No wonder this product has won so many beauty awards!

If you would like to get your own sample packets, they offer it for free on their website so you can sample at least 10 of their products. Check it out here. (You only pay S&H!)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

LaraBar Review

In my recent Holiday Voxbox from Influenster.com, I tried the Cherry Pie mini LaraBar. LaraBars come in many delcious flavors with minimal ingredients so you know exactly what you're eating. In my case, I had almonds, dates, and sweet cherries- in my Cherry Pie. All mashed together to make this bar, I had such a delicious treat! Since getting this, I've seen LaraBar pop into my other monthly boxes too! So many delicious flavors, these make great snacks especially when you're in the mood for something sweet in the afternoon. See ALL the other flavors here.

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

January's Fitness BlissMoBox

I recently got one of my fave monthly subscription boxes, BlissMo Box! If you've seen my previous box, the special one curated by GOOD, you'll know why I'm sticking with BlissMo.com. Their carefully selected products are from brands that make great ecofriendly products. I selected my January box's category: Fitness Foods since I've been on a fitness kick the past 2 months.

Here's what I got:
* 2 Orgain protein drinks in Chocolate Shake and Vanilla Shake flavors
* 2 PlatntFusion protein shake powders in Vanilla and Chocolate Raspberry flavors
* Kutoa health bar
* LaraBar - yummy!
* FoodsAlive crackers in flax seed
* Kopali Organics- dried mango- can't wait!

Overall, I'm excited to try another great box full of delicious snacks to eat after I work out. If you're interested in BlissMo boxes, check them out here!

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit

If you're looking for a smooth, straight, frizz-free hair, then I have to recommend to you the Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit. I received a sneak peek of this product back in December and I recently ended my 30 Days. Before using this, my hair was frizzy w/ many flyaways. Never having tried Keratin before, I was curious to see how it would work on my hair. I like that the kit doesn't contain formaldehyde but rather a Keralock Technology to infuse keratin protein for smooth, shiny hair for up to 30 days. My hair's usually slightly wavy but found that for the past 30 days, it has been wonderfully straight and with minimal frizz! YAY!

This at-home system was easy to use with three simple products- Smoothing Cream, Cuticle Seal Cream and Hair Defense Leave-In Conditioner. The Cuticle Seal Cream worked best on my hairtype because it helped eliminated frizz. And I will continue to use the Leave-In Conditioner as I found it worked well to protect my hair when blow-drying. So if you're looking for an affordable solution (less than $15!) to smooth your wavy, frizzy hair, here's your answer! :)

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

How-to: Give your Hair More Volume

10 Fastest Ways to Give Your Hair More Volume

Defy gravity with these hair-raising tricks

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair care article Does your hair perpetually stick to your head regardless of how many products you use or hours you spend teasing? These professional techniques will give you that instant volume you crave. See them now. Get volume

Makeup School Beauty Tips

10 Best Tips from Makeup School

One editor goes to makeup school and comes back with a notepad full of professional makeup techniques -- steal her tips

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article Makeup school is not only time-consuming, but it can cost up to $6,000 for just one introductory course. Becoming a professional makeup artist is no small feat, which is why we sent one beauty editor to three different makeup academies for you. Now you can learn how to apply your own makeup like a pro without spending the time or the cash yourself. You can thank us later. See cheat sheet

NYC New York Color

For my Influenster Holiday Voxbox last month, I received the NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine in Nude York City. This nude color is one that you can wear everyday..it's super glossy but not that sticky. I like that it lasts long and gives you a beautiful sheen on your lips. They're also really affordable at your local stores, including Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, for just $2.49. If you're looking to try different colors on a low budget, look no further!

Check out shades at: http://www.newyorkcolor.com

Montagne Jeunesse

When I think of Montagne Jeunesse, I envision handy masque packets sold in my favorite drugstores. These brightly colored packs are perfect for traveling as they give your skin a great pick-me-up when traveling becomes stressful. (Learn more about these masks at: http://www.montagnejeunesse.com)

In my Influenster Holiday Voxbox, I received the Strawberry Souffle mask sample. This indeed was a delicious treat for my skin. The scent of strawberries was divine and my skin felt smooth and holiday-ready! I had intended to save this for an upcoming weekend trip but couldn't wait! I just had to try it out to help slough off dead skin from the winter and get my skin super smooth!

These mask packets are easily accessible at your local Walgreens, Walmart and ULTA Beauty stores. The different flavors are:
* Cucumber Peel Off
* Passion Peel Off
* Dead Sea Mud
* Fruit Smoothie
* Strawberry Souffle
* Chocolate Mud



Check them out at: http://www.montagnejeunesse.com

Join Lancôme & Michelle Phan at NYC's Sephora- January 5, 2012

One of the pioneer and personal fave YouTube makeup gurus, Michelle Phan will be at NYC's Sephora (Fifth Avenue location) Thursday evening. She is Lancôme's video makeup artist and has a limited edition Glamour Eyes set, exclusively sold in Sephora. On Thursday, January 5, customers can meet the guru herself and get some tips on how to get this Glamourous look!

The exclusive set includes the following:
a new Color Design 5 Pan Palette, Chic by Chelle, and other of Michelle’s Lancôme favorites: Artliner and Hypnôse Drama Mascara.

Event details:
WHO: Lancôme video makeup artist Michelle Phan

WHAT: Glamour Eyes limited-edition set and makeover

WHERE & WHEN: Sephora, 597 Fifth Avenue (between 48th and 49th Streets), New York
January 5th, 2012, 6-8 p.m.


See you there! :)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

SoftSoap Coconut Scrub

In my recent Influenster Holiday VoxBox, one of first things I wanted to try was the SoftSoap 2-pack Coconut Scrub bar soap. Been hooked on exfoliating soaps ever since I've been using similar one so I was excited to try this in a yummy coconut scent. This NEW SoftSoap bar soap is filled with crushed coconut extracts that act as gentle exfoliants on your skin so you're bound to have ridiculously clean skin! It's gentle enough to use daily which is perfect! It smells fantastic and I can't wait to try out more SoftSoap products. I've also found their bodywashes really moisturizing when I used them in the past so I'm exciting to start using them again.

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Sneak Preview: Schick Hydro Silk™ razor for 2012

Not yet in stores until the end of January 2012, the NEW Schick Hydro Silk™ razor will give you the most closest shave ever! It has 5 blades- yes if they put any more, I wonder how large the razors will have to be, but these are patented curve sensing blades made for our skin! This razor, beautiful in design and less bulky than their Intuition razors, has a water-activated moisturizing serum so your skin also gets smooth and soft during the shaving process. This took about 2 years for Schick to develop and cannot wait to try this!!


Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Schick® Intuition® Naturals Sensitive Care® Razor Review

I'm a huge fan of the Schick® Intuition® razors so I was excited to try the Naturals Sensitive Care® Razor. Packaged in a brown 55% post consumer recyclable cardboard box with floral designs, the look and feel of it is au naturelle. The limited edition razor handle is still plastic though but has a beautiful design. It's easy to hold on to in the shower stall, and it has a rubbery grip so it won't slip! Like the other Intuition products, the 4-blade razor for a remarkably close shave is surrounded with a moisturizing solid so there is no need to use additional shaving cream. The sold contains 100% aloe with vitamin E so you'll have a moisturized shaving experience, perfect for the dry winter condition.

Each Package Contains: · Schick® Intuition® Naturals Sensitive Care® razor handle · Two refill cartridges in Natural Aloe with soothing Vitamin E · A shower hanger and convenient travel cap

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Beauty Resolution #1: Take care of my skin

As another year has gone by and I'm getting ready for a new start for 2012, it's important for me to set some goals. My first beauty resolution is to continue to take care of my skin. I'm already cleansing and moisturizing my face daily, but I need to continue to take care of the skin on the rest of my body. I discovered the perfect kit from Caudalie that will help me do just that for my body.

Say hello to "Once Upon a Vine"! (Valued at $71 for $38) This 4 piece set is perfect to exfoliate- with their Crushed Cabernet Scrub with crushed grape seeds and moisturize your body, hands, and lips! What I love about Caudalie is that they use ingredients that are gentle for my sensitive skin and has a sweet scent that smells natural. Oh and of course their products work really work too!

Their Crushed Cabernet Scrub is such a treat because it feels like I just left the Caudalie Spa at the Plaza Hotel in NYC. After using, my skin feels like new - with the grapeseed oil and seeds to exfoliate and moisturize. The body creams and hand lotions are also great to use with a slight citrus scent that leaves your skin feeling smooth and soft.

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Happy New Year- 2012 !

Want to wish you all a Happy New Year- It's 2012! I have lots of things to be thankful for since so many good things happened in 2011. (I like to focus on the positives here) and I am looking forward to an even more spectacular and beautiful 2012. :)

Stay tuned for lots more beauty posts! The holidays got in the way which explains my brief hiatus.. :D



Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com