Caudalie's new VINOSOURCE favorites

I recently attended a special preview of Caudalie's new VINOSOURCE collection. VINOSOURCE is meant to bring moisture back to your skin, because we all know that hydrated skin always look best! I got to sample the different formulas, from their creams to serums to fluids in this line.

My personal favorite is their SOS Thirst Quenching Serum because 1) it makes my skin feel moisturized and 2) it makes my skin feel silky smooth. Although my skin is oily, I still use this serum because I know I can't overdry my skin, which will cause it to become more oily. After using this product this past week, my skin has felt more balanced. I'm also loving the Moisturizing Matifying Fluid which helps give my skin a matte finish as well as help control my oilies throughout the day. Most of the ones I've tried always made my skin feel clogged, but this one felt light and moisturizing. (not pictured)

If you're not a fan of a serum or fluid formula, I recommend their Moisture Recovery Cream. It has a rich, velvety texture to leave your skin moisturized and silky. Caudalie offers different formulas and great products to help keep your skin supple. :)

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

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Get glowing with Jergens Natural Glow & Protect

I cannot believe it's May next week.. Almost four months have already gone by and before I know it, summer will be here! Want to get ready and not feel so untanned? It's time to get glowing with Jergens' new product- Natural Glow & Protect SPF20. This new product is a step up from their popular Natural Glow to give your skin a gradual natural tan (in 5-7 days). Glow & Protect gives you the additional sun protection that your skin needs while you're out catching some rays with an SPF 20 so it's a win-win! Beautiful color with daily sun protection. Your skin will stay moisturized with this lotion and it comes in two shades- fair/medium and medium/tan.

Also Jergens Skincare will make a two dollar donation to The Skin Cancer Foundation to help raise awareness about staying protected from the sun, for every Glow Story/photo book you submit. Check out more details here: http://www.jergens.com/placesyoullglow/Default.aspx We all love a glowing story, so share with Jergens and other fans how you glow with Jergens moisturizers. Disclaimer: I received product info from this company's PR agency to share with my readers.) Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

John Frieda- New Sheer Solution and Style Revival products!

Last month I attended a special dinner hosted by John Frieda where they unveiled their new products for this Spring, including Frizz-Ease Sheer Solution, Full Repair Style Revival styling spray and new Precision Foam hair colour. I also got to see Harry Josh, their International Creative Consultant who is absolutely brilliant! I had an amazing time so thank you to John Frieda for this! During dinner, we got to hear about these three revolutionary hair products and how they work to fix our hair problems!
The Frizz-Ease Sheer Solution is the hair product I have been look for! I've fine hair that also gets quite frizzy when it's humid so a week after I got these products to try, I used them non-stop when it was raining. I never used other frizz serums because they made my hair feel too oily and just felt too heavy for my hair. Now, with this Sheer Solution, it's lightweight formula helps control my frizz with no problem. As you can see, it's like half water half formula before it's mixed and once you shake it up, it is activated to help your hair fight the frizz. It also feels conditioning so you don't feel like you're using more icky product! This is a must-have on my vanity now :)

The Full Repair Style Revival Heat-Activated Styling Spray is here! Whew, what a long name. It's basically a spray to help your over-worked hair b/c if you're guilty like me, and blow dry/style/straighten your hair frequently, your hair can be quite damaged. The Full Repair line helps repair those broken hairs and flyaways that you get by protecting it with a special heat-activated complex. So you can keep using your favorite heating tools, just make sure to spray this to protect your hair! You'll end up with a smooth finish and protected strands! :)

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

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My December Birchbox

I was excited with my November Birchbox, so to see this month's, I was hoping there would be more holiday-goodness. The products they selected were interesting but the sizes of the samples were so small! (Maybe I need to practice minimalism?) Really hope the January box for the New Year will be spectacular!! Here's what I got this month:

1) Ageless perfume sample- smells pretty good. Updating my perfume sample in my bag for emergency spritzes.
2) EBOOST- it's a powder that if you add water, it becomes an energy/immunity drink. Saving this for.. after New Year's!
3) Benefit's the POREfessional- haven't tried this yet either but I am looking forward to testing this. My skin has been too dry in the morning to even use a pore minimizer/mattifier.
4) ShowStoppers- 2 black strips of tape. Haven't found the need to use this since I have clear tape already.. will use this next month though for a party dress. :)
5) Jouer & birchbox's hot pink lip gloss- super bright pink and festive for the holiday party.. Huge fan of Jouer products, so glad to see they made this special color just for Birchbox subscribers. As always, Jouer's formula is spot-on!
6) NUXE Shimmer Oil- this is my favorite in the box. It gives your skin an Oscar-winning glow and makes my skin look so sheen! loveee this! And a little goes a long way.. go shimmer into 2012!


Have you not joined Birchbox yet? Join today to get your monthly beauty box of goodies!

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November GoGoGirlfriend box

My second GoGoGirlfriend box has arrived! I had hoped to get this in November but due to the Thanksgiving holidays and influx of orders I bet they had recently, it was a bit delayed. They have even stopped accepting new customers, but hopefully soon after the new year they will be able to let new people join the program!! (Sign up to be notified here.) The products in this month's box were not as full as my first one but I am still content. There were 6 items in there, but I'm hoping they will continue to go back to their full-er versions! Here's what I got:

* Camille Beckman Mango 5-piece Gift set- This is actually 5 products in 1- so it was fun to try an assortment of products, such as their hand cream, body wash, etc. I had already received the handcream in the previous box so it was fun to get another one.

* ELF eye crease shadow brush- I already have a lot of brushes but another one wouldn't hurt. The value of this is only a buck though. Overall, their brushes are pretty decent for only a dollar.

* Dolve & Gabbana fragrance in Light Blue- A fragrance sample- they're great to have in your purse or on a night out. It's a nice fragrance, so I'm glad I have it.

* Crystal Essence Towelettes in Pomegranate- I haven't tried this but it's supposed to be a natural odor prevention/towelette. It's a one-time use, individually packed so great to use after a yoga class!

* Oluv Fresh Face & Body Scrub- This is one of my fave items in here! I'm addicted to scrubs/exfoliation products and found this scrub to be gentle even on my face.

* Blossoms eyeshadow- This green colored shadow is not normally a shade I would wear everyday, but it's subtle enough to wear on occasions. A little goes a long way with mineral eyeshadow so this full-size product will last a long time! Excited to add this to my collection!



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Smashbox Limitless Beauty kit

Smashbox has a new beauty kit called Limitless Beauty. All of the products were packaged together to help you achieve a daytime look and evening look. The looks will help you achieve a soft, neutral eye during the day and a smokier eye for night. Both eye looks are achieved w/ coral lips & pink cheeks.

Smashbox's Limitless Beauty includes:
• Blush Rush in Everlasting
• Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF 15 in ’Round the Clock
• Limitless Eye Liner in Java
• Travel Size Photo Finish Foundation Primer
• Limitless Beauty Waterproof Eye Shadow Palette & Brush

See more...
As you can see, the kit contains the essentials- except for the face makeup of course!

My two faves from this kit are the eye shadow palette, which contains romantic neutrals- beautiful shimmery taupes and golden highlights, and the Blush Rush cheek color! The pinky coral powder blush is so angelic! It is a bit sheer but the color is def. buildable to your taste.

Get your kit at smashbox.com here!

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

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NYC's Eye Love New York Collection

Eye Love New York! That's the slogan for NYC cosmetics (NYC standing for New York Color) bright eye color collection that is currently available at your local drugstores. These single eyeshadows are great if you're tired of your regular shadows and need some color- ranging from bright blue to a lime green. They also have neutrals to pair w/ the brights to create a smoky effect. Here are the colors I was able to test and some swatches.

These swatches are made with just my fingers. The little brush in each eyeshadow case are too small but good for using as an eyeliner, but definitely not as a shadow. The colors are not as opaque as I thought they would be. They're bright in the packaging but not so much when I wear them. (Note: I didn't use primer for these swatches.) They were also slightly chalky at first, but they're blendable and good if you're looking for just subtle color. If you're not looking for anything too over the top, these are a great affordable alternative. :) Check out your nearest drugstore for these single eyeshadows!



My favorite teal blue shadow from the collection.

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

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Thymes: New Bergamot Vert Collection

Spceialty fragrance brand, Thymes, has a new collection this summer. With a Mediterranean theme, Bergamot Vert is a blend of essentials oils to lift your spirits and make you feel like you're on vacation. (I'm already back from my Fiji trip, right? ;) I kid.) Bergamot Vert products contains notes of citrus, balsamic cypress, light jasmine and light musk. The paraben-free formula for its collection is perfect for the rest of this summer and into fall.

I tried the Bubble Bath, more as a body wash actually since I don't have a bath, and I felt so relaxed. The scent was extremely pleasant and notably zesty and musky which is a nice combination. The formula was rich and lathering (using my wonderful EcoTools shower pouf!) Thymes has done it again with another great scent, as I love their other scents that I have tried, including Agave Nectar & Kimono Rose.

These will also make a great housewarming gift for the summer, especially an assortment from this line. The products range from $12-$30, so they're affordable & chic! Enjoy the citrus.. :)

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

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July 4 Special: Beauty Products Made in America

Fabulous Beauty Products Made in America

This 4th of July, be proud to be an American with these home-grown beauty brands

This is a TotalBeauty.com beauty products article With our economy trying desperately to make a recovery, what better time than now to support the beauty brands that proudly keep jobs in the U.S.? Show your patriotism by supporting these made-in-America companies. See brands

Summer favorites from Tarte Cosmetics

This Summer, I am excited to get glowing with two of my favorite products from Tarte Cosmetics. (Of course, I will also be using the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful that I got from Meg's Makeup earlier this year.) They are the LipSurgence natural lip luster in Buff & the Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powder in Rose. :)

I first learned about the LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster at the NYC Beautylish Spring Trends event! They were doing mini-makeovers and I received this gorgeous Buff color- a natural-looking shimmery pinkish nude in our goody bags. Psyched to try this out, I have been using as my summer lip staple so far! This lip stain glides on smooth for a hint of color perfect for the hot summer days. Also adore that it looks like a chubby lip pencil but no sharpening is required! More reviews here.

Learn more about the Tarte's Shimmering Powder...

I received another Meg's Makeup gift package about 2 months ago which included the Provacateur Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powder. I got a few repeats in the package so I didn't do a separate post, but I was excited to try this out! If you're looking for a subtle glow this summer, try this in Rose. I am a bit pale, and this hardly showed on my skin, but it gives my skin a nice sheen & glow to it. (used this for cheek highlighting) Color is definitely workable and blendable so you can keep adding to it, but this won't be giving you a bronzed look if that's what you're aiming for.

Read reviews on the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush here.

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Caudalie Skincare products for the Summer

Love wine? I'm sure you'll love the benefits of the grapes and its skin even more once you learn that Caudalie skincare products are created using polyphenols from grapes and the vine. (Bonus! antioxidants within the vine & grapes are absorbed into your skin!) I was recently contacted by Caudalie to try some of their products in which they generously sent me a few for my skin type- combo/oily! I've only seen and heard of Caudalie before so I was intrigued! (Have you seen the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Beauty Plaza? :D)

Did I mention that their products don't contain parabens, mineral oils and artificial colorings? More reviews here! The packaging of the products are also great b/c it lists instructions inside so it's really using the entire box to give you more information! (ie. how to apply and where to apply on your face)

Here are my impressions of a few Caudalie products:
(ranging in no particular order, they're all fab to use!)

	1) Eau de Beaute aka Beauty Elixir- This beauty potion is literally a pick-me-up refreshing spray that I use throughout the day when I feel I have an additional layer of oil.. (I personally like to spray on a cotton pad and then swipe on my face.) My skin instantly feels cleaner and also smoother. The scent also smells really good (it's citrus!) and also contains a rosemary and peppermint oil!
	2) VINOPURE Purifying Mask- This clarifying mask is meant to for those with combination skin & slight blemishes. What I like best about this creamy white mask is that it instantly absorbs into your skin so you're not left with a thick mask just sitting on top of your skin. It contains grape seed oil which helps makes the mask application feel so smooth. It also contains kaolin to help absorb the sebum on your skin. My skin feel so great after each use and a must-have for my summer skincare routine.
	3) VINOPURE Matte Finish Liquid- I got a sample of this (perfect size to carry in my bag) and use this in the mornings. I would say it lasts about a few hours before my t-zone acts up again. I particularly like using this after my Beauty Elixir!
	4) VINOPERFERFECT Radiance Serum- This anti-oxidant serum with extracts from the grapevine stalks is intended to give you smoother, brighter-looking skin. My skin has felt smoother after application (in fact my skin has felt a lot better since incorporating Caudalie into my skincare routine) and two drops of this serum is all I need for my entire face. I have some unevenness in my skin- somewhat blotchy cheeks so it helps even it out.
	5) VINOSOURCE Quenching Sorbet-Creme- In this hot weather, the last thing I would think of is putting a moisturize on my skin. However, this is really what I need to help my skin control its oilies. This super light moisturizer hydrates my skin, so this prevents the sun from zapping out the moisture which would lead to my skin producing even more oil. Bottom line- it is key to moisturize even in the summer! (Use this after the matte finish liquid..)

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

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10 Best Homemade Beauty Products

10 Best Homemade Beauty Products

Those leftovers that even the family dog wouldn't eat are actually great ingredients for homemade beauty products

This is a TotalBeauty.com budget products article These bargain beauty tips will show you how to turn kitchen leftovers and more into everything you need to look great. Bonus: These tips all use natural ingredients. Get how-tos

Burt's Bees Essentials Kit Review

I'm a huge sucker for kits- must be the thought of trying different things all in one convenient packaging that gets me. :D I'm fond of Burt's Bees and have tried sampling their products before (Hello- $25 Holiday Grab Bag!). They now have several kits that make great gifts for friends, your mom (Mother's Day is coming soon!) or even yourself!

The Essentials Kit shown above contains an assortment of goodies for your lips, hands, face & feet:

* Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream 0.75 oz- This cleansing cream is great for my skin- deep cleaned it w/o leaving it oily after a few hours. I was rather surprised b/c it was a thicker cleanser than I normally would use. The bark is kinda interesting but it looks like it's doing its job well. Am definitely going to buy a backup of this!
* Hand Salve 0.3 oz - I already have this and like that it instantly gives my chapped hands, elbows, etc instant gleam and moisture. I've also discovered this for my heels too! Goodbye cracked heels!
* Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Lotion 1 oz- The scent (and formula) is completely soothing and moisturizing. Love the milk & honey combo - it's a bit different from my body butters or my citrus-y lotions.
* Coconut Foot Cream 0.75 oz-It's time to wear those peep-toe shoes and flip flops, so no more cracked heels. If you're like me, you will also use the hand salve for your heels and use this coconut foot cream for the rest of your feet. It smells really nice, like you're on a tropical island! Great for travel too.
* Beeswax Lip Balm 0.15 oz- This lip balm is great for moisturizing your dry, chapped lips. This is probably one of their most classic items and anything with beeswax protects my lips from the wind, cold, and even heat sometimes! This all natural lip balm is one of many lip balms that I have stowed in my makeup bags.

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

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Innovative Eco-Friendly Beauty Products

8 Innovative Eco-Friendly Beauty Products

You can help the planet and help yourself with these green products

This is a TotalBeauty.com beauty products article With innovative sustainable packaging and environmentally sound, organic ingredients, these products prove that you don't have to forsake beauty and get all crunchy hippie and dreadlocked to be eco-conscious. See products

Dr.young's Beauty Products Review at The Plaza Beauty

At the end of January, I got to meet & greet and learn more about Dr.young skincare products at The Plaza Beauty, located in the lower level of The Plaza Hotel in NYC. An Asian beauty brand, Dr.young's products are formulated to make your skin look younger look so it actually stays young. For the past two months, I have incorporated several of their products into my skincare routine, including their new Sugar and Cereal Facial Scrub. :)

1) Camellia Deep Cleansing Oil ($65, Anti-Dryness collection)- One of two cleansers, this is the oil-based formula that is extremely gentle and surprisingly working well for my oily skin. It contains 98% botanical oil, so with no harsh ingredients and absolutely no mineral oil in here, it removes any facial makeup and residue to leave my face feeling soft and clean.

(Dr.young's Sprinkling Gel Cream & BB Cream)

See more products here..

	2) Sprinkling Gel Cream ($70, Anti-Dryness collection)- This is an oil-free moisturizer that I use after cleansing and is formulated to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. Why? It contains cactus extract, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera extract to provide the moisture and locks it in. On days that I didn't use this, I felt a difference in my skin- saw dry patches. When I did use this, my skin looked smoother and didn't feel super tight.
	3) B.B. Blemish Base SPF35 PA++ ($35, Protect/Prevent collection)- This is the first BB cream that I have tried and they're basically a concealer with SPF in it. This is incredibly moisturizing & lightweight. Its color is made for light-to-medium skintones, so it was a perfect match for my skin. Although this is "SPF" and I avoid those at all cost b/c of my sensitive skin, this contained titanium dioxide only, so I was fine. :)
	4) Sugar and Cereal Facial Scrub ($45, Anti-Dryness collection)- This gentle facial scrub was non-abrasive and left my skin looking brighter. I'm not exactly sure why, but I felt like it "whitened" my skin or left some kind of whitener behind.. My skin is already pretty light, so to see this, was a bit strange, no? Overall, I did like that the scrub itself had lots of sugar in it, so you felt like every inch of your face was being exfoliated. (Note: this contains mung beans, black soybean, oats, coffee bean powders.)

There's also an Anti-Blemish line to heal your blemishes and an Anti-Pore line too!

See more Dr.young at The Plaza Beauty in New York City!

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

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New Anti-Aging Beauty Products

New Products Alert: Anti-Aging Goods

Short of building your own time machine, these anti-aging technologies are the newest innovations in fighting those stubborn lines

This is a TotalBeauty.com anti-aging skin care article When meeting a certain age (which shall remain numberless), time becomes the enemy. But, that doesn't mean you can't fight back. To help you in your war, we're here to share the latest anti-aging innovations. See products

Heart Healthy Foods with Beauty Benefits

8 Heart Healthy Foods with Beauty Benefits

See how these foods affect your beauty from the inside out

This is a TotalBeauty.com health and beauty article To get the full scoop on precisely which beauty bonuses we can expect from eating the top 8 heart healthy foods (February is heart health month, FYI), we talked to three experts in the field. Find out what they had to say … See foods

Simple Skincare: Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash

Looking for a simple kind of skincare? I recently tested the Simple Skincare Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash. Simple Skincare is a UK based brand whose products are aimed to simplify your facial skincare needs. They even have an expert panel where you can chat with them live on their site here. It's still brutally cold out here, so I was looking forward to test a product with moisturizing, beneficial ingredients for sensitive skin. This cleanser contains vital vitamins such as Pro-vitamin B5, Vitamin E, and Bisabolol to help improve the overall complexion by smoothing, soothing and calming your skin.

For the past year, my skin has been almost breakout-free. I have gone through many ups and downs with my skin, trying different regimens to get clear skin. I have been consistently taking good care of my skin by washing every morning & night and moisturizing almost daily. :) I get a few breakouts here and there but nothing crazy which is good! But I'm always looking for a product that combats my oiliness, moisturizes and brightens!

My thoughts on Simple? This is a keeper! I found the facial wash to work quite well on my combination skin. This clear gel doesn't dry out my skin which is what I look for, especially in the winter. I also like that it leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh with a nice scent too. It's a 100% soap free and very gentle. If you're looking for a no-fuss facial wash that is plain simple, check this out!

Where to find this? They have a range of products available in Duane Reade drugstores in NYC as well as their website at http://www.simple.co.uk

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

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Skin care products you don't need!

9 Skin Care Products You Don't Need

Some beauty products are just a waste of money. Which ones, you ask?

This is a TotalBeauty.com skin care article We gave dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer a ring to help us figure out which skin care products (general product types, not necessarily specific products) for our face or body are totally unnecessary. With so many gimmicky things out there, we should at least be able to knock a few off our list, right? See the products to ditch

Getaway Kit from Sephora

Right now Sephora is offering this Getaway Kit with online purchases of $25 or more! It comes with a TSA friendly clear zipper-pouch with 10 samples. I was interested in getting something at Sephora so this was a great bonus. Plus I was interested in trying the samples and hoped I would get everything in there.. Alas I got mostly everything. Can you see the difference between mine and theirs?



What I bought at Sephora...


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