August Beauty Bar Sample Society with Allure box 2012

• Phyto/Phytonectar Treatment Oil- This is an ultra nourishing oil treatment for the hair containing 98% botanical ingredients. You apply this from roots to ends, massage to facilitate penetration. Leave on for minimum of 15 minutes. Then you rinse then shampoo. This should be used once to twice a week, for 5 consecutive weeks.

• Deborah Lippmann/Nail Lacquer- This was a full-sized polish in Private Dancer. Which ironically is my favorite Tina Turner song next to We don't need another Hero (Thunderdome). Any who this is a beautiful purple mirrored chrome finish which looks like many different colors depending on the nails angle and the lighting. I really like it and was worth the box.

• Jane Iredale/Longest Lash Mascara- This came in the color Black Ice it is a thickening and lengthening mascara. I can't say much about this because I haven't used it yet. I have so many mascaras as of late and haven't even gotten to them all. Plus, I haven't had great luck with her products. I was sent a lipstick sample from her not to long ago in another box. Well I hated it for starters the smell was overwhelming so I never tried it.

• Elemental Herbology Skin Care/Facial Detox Purifying Facial Mask- I have never heard of this brand before and yet another mask. I have sent so many in recent months. I just haven't been able to try them all. So I think I'm set for life. This mask is made in England and what you do is apply to clean dry skin leave on for 10 minutes then remove it with a warm face cloth. Splash cool water and pat dry. They also say to use this tri-weekly for oily skin or otherwise use weekly. For combo skin to only use on congested areas. So we will see how this mask works.

• Arcona/Cranberry Toner- This 3 in 1 cranberry milk toner cleanses, tones and hydrates, infusing skin with protective antioxidants to leave it glowing and refreshed.  Removes dirt, oil and make-up. Protect and clarify skin with antimicrobial cranberry, containing vitamins, phyto nutrients and essential fatty acids. Neutralize free radicals with vitamin E tocopherols and tocotrienols. Nourish and restore skin with omegas 3, 6 and 9 and rice milk. A lot to say for such a little bottle of toner.

• Malin+Goetz/Vitamin E Face Moisturizer- Wow this is a super small special bonus. A sachet with a sample of this moisturizer. Which should be called a foil pack. This is for all skin types with fatty acid absorption technology. This residue-free moisturizer is scientifically synthesized with soothing vitamins E and B5 to gently and effectively hydrate and balance all skin types. Absorbent fatty acids and fatty alcohols, unlike traditionally greasy, pore-clogging oils, are blended for an intensely nourishing treatment to reduce epidermal irritation. Natural fragrance and color. Easily integrated into daily maintenance and prevention regimen. Another wow all this on the back of one tiny packet. This also claims it's concentrated and to use a small amount avoiding eyes, oily areas, and over-moisturizing. Increase application for dryer areas. I have oily skin so I guess I should avoid using this at all.

Clarins Skincare Review

I have over the years been using many different skincare products as I age. Some I really liked and others I didn't. So far I have been liking my latest find. These products have been working really well on my skin. I haven't had any reactions and so far they do what they say. Which is control oil. I have very oily skin and that hasn't changed yet. I seems as I get older the more oil I produce. Weird. Well any way this is a review on the products that I bought that have worked wonders for me so far.

 I have really oily skin with few breakouts. Just the occasional white or blackhead. I had been blessed all my life so far. Knock on wood. With pimple free skin. I do however have rosacea, large pores and uneven skin tone.With some hyperpigmentation just under my lip on my chin. So with that being my skin issues. I decided to try Clarin's skin care products. I had been a die hard user of Clinique products in my 20's. Then in my early 30's I changed brands. That was because my skin had changed as well. Clinique wasn't working like it used to. So I began using the Philosophy brand of skin care. This was a brand that I knew of well but, had never tried. Until my sister turned me on to the brand. She was and had been using their products for quite some time and liked them. So I started using them for the first half of my thirties. Then upon my mid-thirties I was just using anything new to find a Holy Grail product since I'm getting older and still just as oily.


On my latest shopping trip earlier last month. I found myself at Macy's and passing by the Clarins counter. The lady there politely asked me if I had used Clarins before. I had told her yes but, only their Soothing face primer and their lipsticks. I had never used their skin care before. So she showed me what I needed to do to get my skin back in shape. I purchased the items she recommended. I only got the three that I thought I needed right away. I was going to wait on the facial creams. Particularly the day and the night moisturizers because I want to finish my current ones. Plus I like to research those before I buy them since they are so expensive. 

The items I purchased were their Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind and Micro-Pearls for Combination or Oily Skin. 4.4 oz for $21.

Toning Lotion Alcohol-Free with Iris (aka Toner) for Combination or Oily Skin. 6.8 Fl.Oz. for $21

Pore Minimizing Serum that refines and smooths skin texture. 1Fl.Oz. for $49.

When used all together they really work. I have had my oil production almost cut in half since I've been using these. My skin looks great and more even and my pores seem somewhat smaller. Since using the serum. Only time will tell since I've been using these three products for over a month. The toner and the cleanser work well I love the way they smell and feel on the skin. I really think that I may have found my HG face trio. If you want more information on these or any other products go to www.clarins.com