Product reviews for trendy Moms & Dads, their children & pregnant moms
Love this Sheer Cover Make-Up Kit that’s currently on sale 50% off. Get it for $29.95 with free shipping. There’s pretty much one of everything in here including foundation, eyeshadow, lip gloss and more.
I’m a big fan of mineral makeup – I don’t like a lot of cream based makeups and I always think mineral makeup gives such an even look. This is a great starter kit or gift!
One of the many benefits of living is Southern California is that “winter” – which usually consists of having to wear long-sleeves when you go out – only lasts a few weeks. I know many of you are still digging out of snow and hoping to see temps in the 40s, but here in SoCal, we’re enjoy days in the low 70s. Sorry, I won’t rub it in. But needless to say, spring and summer skin is on my mind. I can put away my heavier winter moisturizer and look forward to lighter make-up.
I recently had the chance to try out philosophy’s new hope in a tinted moisturizer ($38). This 4-in-1 multitasking product combines moisturizer, SPF 20, antioxidants and sheer color in one easy-to-use airless pump dispenser. I’ve tried a number of tinted moisturizers in the past but they rarely have provided enough moisture or enough coverage for me. But hope in a tinted moisturizer is different.
Available in eight different shades, hope in a tinted moisturizer goes on smoothly, blends seamlessly and provides excellent coverage – a bit more than many tinted moisturizers though not as much as a liquid foundation. I also love that it saves time by combining four products in one – welcomed news to any mom.
Remember that warmer temps are just around the corner and add philosophy’s hope in a tinted moisturizer to your spring skin list.
Also check out two other new releases from philosophy – the limited edition Valentine’s Day oh lolli lollipop lip shine duo ($18) and miracle worker miraculous anti-aging eye cream ($60) available now at www.philosophy.com and other fine retailers.
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Disclaimer: philosophy sent a sample of the product to facilitate the review.
Use coupon code BCGHAPPY to receive $5 off your order of $25 or more at e.l.f Cosmetics through 1/25. I love e.l.f and use their products daily.
I’m a big fan of the Minerals line – especially the eyeshadows and boosters. Where else can you get eyeshadow for only $3 and the Mineral Booster is the best.
Exclusive for attendees of the Getting Gorgeous Event in New York City last night and our readers (that’s you!) - Enter Code TAKETWENTY at checkout on the e.l.f website for 20% off all makeup for a limited time. Offer valid on purchase from 8/16 to 9/16 only.
Love e.l.f. and wear some of their products daily – it’s affordable make-up. (Many items are only $1!)
3 DAYS ONLY: Get FREE Shipping on all orders at Sephora.com. Enter code SHIP4FREE at checkout. Offer is valid November 28th through November 30th.
Get 20% off Bare Escentuals Foundation Kits at Sephora.com. Offer valid now through December 1st. No coupon code needed.
Get a free floral clutch with 8 samples inside when you purchase $25 worth of product. Enter coupon code CLUTCH4U to receive your floral metallic clutch. Can’t be combined w/other coupon codes.
I can’t tell you guys how excited I am about this one. Although I’ve been hearing about e.l.f Cosmetics for years (Mariana, one of our first product reviewers first blogged about e.l.f on Mommies with Style back in 2005), I hadn’t actually tried any of the product until this summer. I attended an e.l.f cocktail hour at BlogHer back in July. e.l.f gave me a nice little swag bag of goodies to take home.
I’ve been playing with a bunch of their make-up since then – my personal favorite has been the Mineral Booster, which I have to say is as high-quality as any other booster I’ve tried. And you just can’t beat the price. ($5 for small; $8 for the large)
So I was thrilled to hear they were coming to Target. From the press release, “The initial 3 ½ foot endcap in the Cosmetics section will feature $1, $3, $5, and $10 products, packaged in sleek black packaging for Target Stores.
The Holiday shipment will be products from the $1 line.”
Can you say, stocking stuffer? Hint, hint Dads – this one is a winning purchase.
Earlier this month I had the privilege of hosting one of the very first E.L.F. MUAH or “Make Up at Home” parties. This new program from Eyes Lips Face allows you to see, touch and feel their cosmetics before you order. It’s also a ton of fun.
When was the last time you sat around with your girlfriends and tried on makeup for the sheer fun of it? Went all out for new look inspired by a celebrity or the fashion runways? If you are like me, probably right around your 13th birthday.
Well guess what? Playing with make up is even more fun now that you don’t have to worry about being caught by your mom and told to wash your face!
For my party, I had ten friends come over. ELF supplied a bounty of cosmetics in a range of skin tones for us to play with. The selection included picks from their fabulous mineral line, their studio collection and their classic line. We also go a bunch of their excellent make up brushes so that we could apply the cosmetics like the pros. I had each of my friends bring a picture of a celeb look to replicate, and then the fun began!
My friends and I were all blown away by the quality of the cosmetics. ELF products are almost unbelieveably inexpensive. This is due in part to the fact that they are sold primarily online. Seeing the products firsthand and playing with them was a real eye opener for us all. My favorites include the Mineral Line eyeshadows, Studio Line Eyeliner/Shadow Combos and Nailpolishes.
At the end of the evening my friends got to take home some of their favorite products and a list of what they wanted to order in the future. Even the die hard high end $$$ cosmetic divas were rethinking their ways and excited about saving $ by buying comparable ELF products for pennies on the dollar.
ELF MUAH parties are coming to a town near you. Want to see all the pictures from my party, and how much fun my friends and I had? Check out the Whrrl story we did!
With the start of school, I’ve been reminded of how little time there is in the morning and how much there is to get done. This is part one in a series of three posts called “Speed Up My Morning” where I’ll be sharing with you a few products I’ve come across that will shave time off your morning routine. First up – the face.
1) ROC Multi Correxion Skin Perfecting System – My skin is pretty tempermental and so I’m always a bit nervous trying out a new skincare line. But I’m happy to say that both my skin and I have become big fans of this new trio from ROC – and it’s definitely saved me some minutes on my morning and night skin routine. The Multi Correxion Skin Perfecting System comes with three 
time-saving products – the Daily Perfecting Cleanser, Daily Perfecting Creme SPF 30, and the Intensive Night Concentrate for Face and Eyes. The Perfecting Cleanser removes make-up easily and includes gentle exfoliators that help smooth rough skin (cleanser + exfoliator = time saved). The Daily Perfecting Creme is one of my favorites of the set. Although it includes a broad spectrum SPF 30, it isn’t greasy and doesn’t leave me shiny. It provides good moisturizing and is a good base for makeup (moisturizer + SPF 30 = time saved). Finally, the Intensive Night Concentrate works for both face and eyes (no separate product needed) and includes antioxidants, retinol and Vitamin C to help skin look younger, smooth wrinkles and improve tone – basically a do-it-all night cream. Click here to get a $10 off coupon for this system and find a list of locations to buy.
2) Ame Cosmetics Lip Nouveau – Ame Cosmetics was a new line to me, but I’ve been excited about their Lip Nouveau product – a 2-in-1 lip liner and lip creme. There are actually two separate products here – a color-packed lip creme and a coordinating liner in the lid of the the lip creme – brilliant! No more searching and digging for matching liner and lip color. Lip Nouveau is currently available in 13 shades ranging from peachy Cozumel to shimmery pink Beverly Hills. The creamy liner goes on easily and lasts for hours, and the lip creme provides highly pigmented color without the weight of lipstick. Kudos to Ame Cosmestics for their great time-saver and their commitment to provide cosmetics for women of all skin tones.
3.) Revolution Organics Freedom Glow – Every mom, heck, every woman needs one of these do-it-all color sticks in her purse or desk. In just seconds you can add a fresh glow of color to your lips, cheeks and lids with a few swipes. Talk about a time-saver. Freedom Glow is available in three colors (Blushed, Sunkissed and Bronzed) and provides great color with just the right amount of dewiness to liven up the skin. Almost as good as what Freedom Glow brings, is what it’s lacking – chemicals, synthetics, and artificial ingredients as this Revolution Organic product is made with only 100% natural and organic ingredients.
4) Lauren Hutton All Natural Face Palette – You know her signature tooth gap, but Lauren Hutton has made a name for herself in the make-up world too. Her face palettes have been around for a while, but this new All Natural Face Palette is made from 95% natural ingredients and bears the Natural Products Association seal of approval. Hutton has created these goof-proof palattes that are color-coded to match up to an included face map as well as to her 7-piece brush set (not included). The palette (which is bigger than it looks – about the size of your outstretched hand) includes 1 sheer concealer, 4 shades of spot concealer, 1 pooch/nose shader, 1 contour shadow, 1 eyebrow color, 1 wet/dry liner, 1 blush/lip tint and a lip balm. The palette comes in 4 skin tones – yellow, pink, olive and brown (click here to determine which shade you are). The yellow palette was the best fit for me and I’ve loved the convenience of having just about everything I need to put a face on in one palette. For special occasions it doesn’t offer enough variety, but for a daily go-to look, it’s been the perfect fit. Right now on the website, when you buy the palatte, you also get a free lipstick, mascara, dual-sided eye pencil, loose powder and a quilted cosmetic case for $49! And there’s free shipping!
And finally….
I can’t truly say that this next product has proven itself a time-saver, but every night I use the Reversital 3-in-1 Microdermabrasion Stick my skin looks better in the morning. It claims to save time by cleansing, resurfacing and moisturizing, but you wouldn’t want to use it on your eyes to get off eye make-up and while it is moisturizing, most people would still require an additional moisturizer after using it. But I’m still a fan. Plus, it comes in a solid, roll-up stick. You wet the surface of the stick, wet your face and gently massage your face with the stick for about 10 seconds. This packaging makes it super convenient to take traveling, and the company claims it’s better for your skin to have the resurfacing crystals embedded instead of free-flowing. At $80-$90 a stick it’s definitely pricier than your drugstore exfoliator, but I’ve been using it 3-4 times a week for the last month and have barely made a dent in it. Plus, you can’t argue with results.
Next up…Speed Up My Morning:Hair.
