July Favorites 2012

Whoo! as we all say another month as come and gone. I'm still trying to get these out in a timely manner but, no matter how hard I try something always comes up. So I guess it doesn't matter when the favorites come out. What counts is that they do. So without further adu here are my July faves.



1. Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup Foundation- 220 Nude. (0.8 Fl. oz.) Now the reason this foundation is my favorite is because of the staying power. This foundation holds up very well to the hot Texas heat and humidity. I was at first skeptical on using this because I had such a bad experience with the original one. For starters the original Colorstay was terrible smelling almost like a chemical floral smell. Also the coverage was awful it was just too thick no matter how I applied it or sheered it out. So when this one came out I thought great I wonder how this will compare. Well I'm happy to share that this stuff is awesome and holds up well. It is a great summer foundation for oily skin gals like me. The longest I've worn it was 18 hours and it held up all that time. Through sweating and searing heat and humidity also I didn't even use a finishing powder with it. Which was great and also no touch ups needed. I also did have a hard time finding the best way to apply this foundation. I tried so many brushes so personally for me fingers work the best and also the next item to make my favorites worked the best. So the only cons are that the price is a little more than the original one and also that you don't get as much product as well. I do like the look of the glass jar but, being that I have carpal tunnel it is quite heavy for me. Other than that I'm so happy to be able to use a Colorstay product. As for smell it does have a faint smell but, nothing my sensitive nose can't stand. So this product is definitely a keeper. I will have to see how this holds up to winter weather. I got this at Target and paid $8.99 with a $3.00 off coupon. It sells for $11.99 at my local Target and Walmart also sells it for $10.99. Walgreen and CVS also sells this but, the prices were significantly higher.

2. Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush #45 $26 - Well I got this brush as I have all my other foundation ones to see if this one really worked like people claimed. Well for starters it's a great liquid foundation brush. I know it says it's for powder but, of all the reviews on Sephora website many are using it for liquid instead of powder. So I decided to give this a whirl. This works great for many of my liquid foundations. This brush for me worked the best with the Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation. It left my skin looking and feeling great. A quick alternative to using your fingers if you don't want to have to take the time to get all the product off if your in a hurry. This brush is made with synthetic fibers which are also micro microbial and won't irritate your skin. This brush is a keeper. Just beware that when you deep clean it. It will take a while to dry like two or more days so make a note of that.

3. Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Base Coat $8 - This is a great base coat for my nails which sometimes get dry and peel. This base coats also fills those areas so that your nails are as smooth as possible. Which is great because I can't really wear those metallic polishes all too well. When your nails are either pitting or peeling those metallic polishes don't look good on and make a manicure look terrible. So if you suffer like me with this problem then this base coat is worth trying.

4. Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle 001 $6.49- I love this color it is a pretty wine color and I love the formula of the lip butters they are so moisturizing and non drying my lips. So far I haven't had any problems with any of the colors. I own like 7 of these.

5. Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover $20-7.5oz

I know that the original Purity Made Simple cleanser is pretty popular, but this new version is way, way better.You can use a bit, lather it up, and use it to remove your eye makeup, followed by putting some on your Clarisonic and finish cleansing your face. Your face will be super clean and feel soft. My face has an oily zone on my cheeks, my nose, and my chin. This cleanser works wonderfully and I love how clean it feels. It won't strip your skin. I like that it suds up more than the original Purity and overall, this gel formula is more effective than the original. I hope this product is always available, as it is superb and a fantastic improvement on the original.

 

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Beauty Box Five May 2012

I have been subscribing to this box for the last 3 months. So of course the first month I was with them was great then every box after this has been ehhhh. I may not be staying with this service for very much longer. This months box was not any better than last months.

For starters I got my box really fast this time. Which is a plus. I guess.

I wasn't really happy to be receiving sample packets again with not more than probably two uses. I was thrilled to see a decent sized body butter and deluxe sample of a face mask by evie evan whom I've never heard of. Then 3 small packets of Moonlight Radiance Night cream from a company named Merlot. Which makes natural grape seed skin care. They claim this cream promotes thicker skin and better skin tone. Helps to reduce and reverse deep lines and wrinkles. It is made in the USA and doesn't test on animals. So I guess I should be happy to get three packets instead of one to try.

Then I received from It's a 10 a sample one time use of their Miracle hair mask. Which claims to do ten things. Detangle, restore moisture balance, restores elasticity, softens, smoothes, imparts luminous shine, enhances natural body, nourishes, de frizzes, and finally improves color vibrancy. So after shampooing work in to hair and leave on for 1-3 minutes. For a deep conditioner use for up to 5-15 minutes, then rinse. Their Miracle styling serum which is alcohol free claims to do ten things as well. I won't get in to that again. The ten things are somewhat different than that of the hair mask. As for the serum you just apply after washing and before styling.

The last packaged item was from Comodynes it a Beauty Flash Lifting effect- Instant Beauty Spray. This spray claims that a concentrate of plant extracts will tighten skin and reduce wrinkles and pore size. In one minute the skin will be smoother, brighter, and toned. 8-Hour lifting effect. Apply on clean, dry skin prior to make-up. For all skin types. 1 spray=2 applications in sample. So OK a spray that makes those claims seems crazy. I'll try this out later then let you know what happens if anything.

In this really weighty glass jar was a Mini Purity Masque. This masque had the traditional spa smell. It wasn't overpowering or harsh. Just a nice clean scent. It says on the card to Apply masque to a clean, dry face. Let sit for 10-20 mins. Rinse with warm water. I too will try this and give a report later.

The next item was a Shea body butter in Hawaiian Kukui by Tree Hut. I too have never heard of this brand as well. It says it's certified organic Shea butter. Not tested on animals. This was a 2 oz size which will be enough to tell if I will like it. It does have a heavy coconut smell which I'm not a fan of. The cream is very thick and smooth and makes the skin feel soft. It does absorb quickly which is a plus. This does make you feel like your in the tropics just from the scent alone. So that's great for scent to suddenly whisk you away to an island paradise. All while still sitting at your desk.

I'm still on the fence about this box. I'm not sure on overall value of this box. I do know it was not worth the $12 it costs. Have you tried this box before? Or have you thought about it? If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.