Garnier Ultra Lift 2-in-1 Wrinkle Reducer Serum + Moisturizer Follow Up

About a month ago, I reviewed Garnier's new Ultra Lift 2-in-1 Wrinkle Reducer Serum + Moisturizer, and I was really happy with the immediate wrinkle-plumping effects- it made them disappear!  However, the next morning, they were back.  So I wanted to see if it actually reduced wrinkles over time.
I've used it twice a day since I got it in the beginning of January, and I'm happy to report that my wrinkles have softened quite a bit! 
The pictures below have not been retouched at all, and both were taken right after washing my face before putting any skincare products. 


So here's my before: 

And here's my after ( the wrinkles are barely visible now!) : 

So needless to say, this has worked amazingly well for me!  My skin is also smoother, more even toned, and more moisturized, even after cleansing, so I'm really really happy with this product!  
Skincare products always take at least 4 weeks to work, so don't give up if you don't see improvement after 2 weeks.  I really didn't see much of a difference until the very last few days.  


To see my original post, click here. 

New Dove Style + Care Line plus Lea Michele's Sag Awards Red Carpet Look

I just got word that Dove will be launching a new hair line in March 2012 called Style + Care.  It includes a dry shampoo, which I'm really excited about. 

The products left to right are: 

Nourishing Amplifier Mousse- Gently nourishes with added volume and bounce

Nourishing Curls Whipped Cream Mousse- Nourishes for well-defined, touchably soft curls

Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray- All day hold and enhanced luminosity

Strength & Shine Flexible Hold Hairspray- Flexible hold and enhanced luminosity

Invigorating Dry Shampoo- Refreshes and revives hair between regular washes

Nourishing Dry Ends Serum-Nourishes dry ends for smooth, healthy looking hair

Frizz Free Shine Cream-Serum- Nourishes to smooth away frizz and boost shine

Thermal Replenishment Spray-Works with heat to nourish and protect

Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray-All day hold and enhanced luminosity

Nourishing Curls Defining Gel-Nourishes and protects hair for long-lasting style (not pictured)

And speaking of Dove's new line, Lea Michele's tousled soft wave look at the Sag Awards the other night was created with some of these products. 

 Celebrity stylist Mark Townsend shares his tips on how to re-create the looks at home:
"I was so inspired by Lea and her Atelier Versace gown and wanted to give her a hairstyle that was soft, sexy, and touchable. I started by applying a large dollop of the new Dove Style+Care Nourishing Amplifier Mousse to Lea's damp hair and blow dried with a large round brush for volume. Next, I took a dime-size amount of the new Dove Frizz-Free Shine Cream-Serum in my hands and rubbed them together to warm up the product, and then raked my hands through her hair. I am obsessed with this cream; it gives the hair amazing shine and separation, and also nourishes the hair too so it's like having a styling product and a conditioner in one bottle. I pulled her hair into a loose bun while Lea had her makeup done to set a loose wave in her hair. Then, I let the hair down and sprayed Oribe Après Beach Spray all over to give the hair that great sexy "second-day" hair. Just before Lea left for the red carpet, I finished her hairstyle by spraying the new Dove Style+Care Extra Hold Hairspray all over to keep her hair in place without it looking stiff or crunchy."

Ok, her style is making me want long hair again- it looks gorgeous! I'm excited to try several of the new products, including the dry shampoo, amplifying mousse, Cream-serum and thermal replenishment spray.  Which ones are you most excited to try? 

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter Review and Peach Parfait Swatch.

I've been meaning to review Revlon's lip butters for a while now, but I'm just now getting around to it.  The shade I own and use just about every day is Peach Parfait.  Don't let the name fool you- I wouldn't call this peach...and yet it's not pink either.  I'd say it's a good blend of the two, and makes for a good "your lips only better" shade.  

This color has shimmer in it, but not all of the shades do.  Honestly, I wasn't really looking for one with shimmer, but I liked this color, so I ended up getting it anyway.

My overall impression of this is great- it's really moisturizing and "lip butter" is the perfect way to describe it, because it's very thick and rich. It's also very pigmented for a balm- it really packs a punch when it comes to color, so if you're looking for a very sheer, hint of tint, you might be surprised by how much color this actually adds to the lips.  It also has a glossy finish, and isn't sticky or tacky at all- it has the feel of a balm.  

Really, it's like a cross between a lipstick, lip gloss and lip balm- it has elements of each.  

My one complaint is the shimmer- it feels a bit gritty if I rub my lips together, but it's not that big of a deal to me.

Here's my before and after shots: 

I'll definitely pick this up in more shades.  Even though I'm a little intimidated by red lipsticks, I was thinking that maybe I'll try one in Candy Apple or Red Velvet because these a little more sheer and easy to wear than a lipstick. Maybe it'll be my "gateway red".   I'll keep you posted!


What's your favorite Colorburst shade?

Victoria's Secret New Bombshell in Love and Simply Gorgeous Perfumes plus Free Lotion

I heard that Victoria's Secret had launched two new fragrances for Valentines Day, so I headed over to the mall to check them out, and I took my husband with me to get a guy's perspective.  

The first fragrance, Bombshell In Love, is a new twist on the original Bombshell, with notes of pink grapefruit, peony and sandalwood.  To me it smells similar to the original, but a little more citrusy because of the grapefruit.  I might like it better than the original.  My husband just shrugged when he smelled it and said, " It's not bad.  Kinda fruity."  Ooo-kay...next one!

Next is Simply Gorgeous, which comes in a fantastic bottle complete with atomizer.  It's a blend of Crimson Apple, Sunkissed Petals, and Velvet Amber.  To me, it smells really similar to Hermes Eau Des Merveilles, with a touch more sweetness. It's weird because they don't have the same ingredients, except for the amber, but to me, it's very close. 

 I was immediately drawn to it, as it's a warmer scent, but it's not food-y.  It's really difficult to find a warm, sexy fragrance that isn't loaded with vanilla or musks. My husband even liked it, and he's really picky about scents.  I loved it so much, I bought it right away, and it didn't hurt that until Feb. 14th, Victorias Secret is giving away a free lotion with the purchase of either of the new perfumes.  If you get a chance to smell this one, I recommend it- it's really different!

Both eau de parfums are $49.  

NYC Cosmetics Big Bold Ultra Volumizing Mascara Review

I'm always up for testing a new mascara, so when I saw this new NYC Big Bold Mascara at CVS, and saw that it only cost $3.99,  I had to get it.  I had $2 in extra care bucks from purchasing Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle repair serum ( review coming this week!), so this only cost me $1.99.  

The packaging says: 

"Volume transforming complex for up to 15X lash volumizing effect.  The unique mega brush is our biggest plastic brush ever, making every little lash bigger, fuller and more dramatic! Lash fortifying formula gives an instant lash darkening effect while the 3D Aquanet system leaves lashes soft and supple."

So they weren't kidding about the huge brush- it's very chunky.  Here's some pictures:

Here's what the brush looks like next to Cover Girl's Lash Perfection (center) and Maybelline's Lots of Lashes (right): 

I was a little worried about the giant brush, and immediately flashed back to Rimmel's Scandaleyes mascara I reviewed a few weeks ago.  That brush was also huge and I kept getting product all over my eyelids.  

So my first attempt with NYC's Big Bold didn't turn out so well.  Maybe it was because it was the first time pulling the brush out of the tube, but it was kinda gloppy and my lashes ended up looking a little bit clumpy and spidery, like this: 

So I decided to give it another shot on my other eye, this time, wiping the brush off a little bit with a tissue.  

And here's the after shot: 

I really love the result I got the second time around!  It darkened my lashes really well, lengthened, volumized, and even added a little curl.  Even though the brush is big, it was easier to control than the Rimmel Scandaleyes, I think because the wand on this one is shorter.  I didn't get anything on my eyelids, and it was easy to build up several coats (I did a bunch of comb throughs with the wand, zigzagging it back and forth).  

So my only real complaint about this mascara is that not enough product is wiped from the brush when pulling it out of the tube, but that's an easy fix, by blotting it with a tissue.  So I'm totally sold on this one- great results for the price! 

What do you guys think?  Any thoughts?

Spotted at CVS- New Milani Illuminating Face Powder

I spotted new Milani Illuminating Face Powders at CVS today, and they're a combination of blush, bronzer and highlighter.  According to Milani's website, it's supposed to give the skin "a lit from within glow".  The wesbite also shows tips on how to apply this powder to achieve different looks.

As someone with pretty fair skin, I tend to like this type of blended blush/bronzer combo instead of regular bronzer which can look muddy on me.  This one also comes in three colors, depending on the level of color you want to achieve.  I really want to try the Amber Nectar.  I think it's going to give a pretty rosy glow to my skin, with a little boost of bronze.  Hermosa Rose might be a good option in the summer when I have a little more color.  

I also saw that Milani is coming out with a lot of new products that look interesting, including felt-tip brow pens, full coverage lip glosses, and Runway eyeshadows that are supposed to be really pigmented.  If you'd like to check them out, click here. 

Spotted at CVS! Nailene SensatioNail Gel Nail Polish Kits

Update!  Visit our forum to win a SensatioNail starter kit worth $60!!!  Find out more under the Contest post in our brand new forum.  (Contest ends March 1)


Today during my drugstore rounds, I spotted new gel nail polish kits by Nailene.  This is the first time I'm seeing true do-it-yourself gel nail polish.  

They offer a starter kit (large boxes in the photo above with the red nails on them) that contains an LED drying lamp to flash-cure your polish, a cleanser, primer, gel color, and then a base and top coat.  You only have to buy this kit once, thankfully, because it's close to $60!  

Next on the shelf (with the picture of the white nail on the box) is the essentials kit, which replenshes the cleanser, primer and base/top coat when you run out.  

Finally, there are 12 shades (bottom row, small boxes in the picture above) that are supposed to last a full 2 weeks without chipping, peeling or fading.  

The total range costs between $12 and $60.

Here are some pictures I took of the starter kit box: 

Would you spend the $60 for this?  Do you think it's worth it, or would you rather just go to the salon?  Or use regular nail polish?  

Yes To Carrots Color Balm Review- Rosy Bloom Swatch

There are a lot of new color balms on the market, and I'm definitely a fan of them, but what separates this one from some of the others is that it's 100% natural. Here's the ingredient panel- it has some really moisturizing oils and butters in it. 

There are three colors: Peachy Keen, Rosy Bloom and Soft Plum. 

When I opened the tube of the Rosy Bloom shade I bought, I was a little taken aback by the color- it looks like a rust orange color, yet the tube is pink. I was a little worried that it was going to look orange on my lips.  

The color is actually very subtle on my lips, and it is definitely not orange!  It gives just a hint of rosiness, and has less color than Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butter or L'oreal's Color Riche Balm.  The wonderful thing about this balm, compared to the others, is that it literally has no scent whatsoever.  You know how some unscented products still have their own scent, like a sort of waxy smell?  This one doesn't- it's truly unscented. 
Also, I would say this one is more moisturizing than the other tinted balms I've tried, but without being heavy at all.  It's also a little more matte- it just melts right into the lips, and feels amazingly moist and smooth. I've been using this non-stop for two days, and I just love the feel of it.


Here are my before and afters: 

I'd love to try the Soft Plum color also- it looked a bit darker in the tube, but now that I know these aren't that pigmented, I'd be willing to try it.  
If anyone has tried these, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Spotted in Stores! Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Foam Hair Color.

Today at Rite Aid, I spotted new Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Foam hair color. A lot of brands are putting out foams now, which I'm so happy about, because I hate drippy haircolor.  I find foams much easier to work with.  I'll have to try this one next time I need to color! 


Here's some shots of the box: 

Spotted in Stores! Simple Sensitive Skin Line

 Lately, I've been seeing the new Simple sensitive skincare line in drugstores like Rite Aid and Walgreens, and while I don't know much about the products yet, I'm glad to see a full line of products without perfumes, dyes or irritants.

The line consists of 2 moisturizers: Hydrating (a light moisturizer) and Replenishing (a rich moisturizer), 2 different cleasing wipes: regular and exfoliating, A moisturizing facial wash, and a smoothing facial scrub.

Although I don't have sensitive skin, my skin does still act up once in a while, so I'd love to try this as an alternative to using products loaded with chemicals.  

Has anyone tried any products from this line?  If you have sensitive skin, would you try the Simple line?

Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Polish Review- Rich Raspberry Swatches

Revlon's new Colorstay Longwear Nail Polish has been in the drugstores for the past few weeks, and I've really been wanting to try it.  The color range is extensive and the ads say that it's "shatterproof for up to 11 days".  Pretty impressive!

The color I chose was Rich Raspberry- a really pretty rosy pink.  

I'm really happy with this nail polish so far!  It glides on with almost a gel-like consistency, and dries to a super shiny finish without a topcoat.  It almost looks like vinyl on my nails.  The picture below shows some of the shine, but in real life, they look even shinier. 

I'll have to see if it lasts 11 days, and update the results here.  When I went to Revlon's website, there was an asterisk next to the "11 days" claim, and it says "when worn with Colorstay base and topcoats", so it sounds like it's not going to last that long on its own.  
But either way, I'm really happy with this- it performs better than much more expensive salon brands.  
Has anyone tried this?  How long did it last on you?