Makeup Tips --> Skincare

Philosophy’s Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash Review

01/02/2012 By 3 Comments

Happy New Year beauties!! With the new year in it is always good idea to start off fresh with a skincare regime so that you can have healthy glowing skin during the harsh cold winter months. During this time our skin tends to be more dry with flaky patches so it is a good time to always keep the skin hydrate internally with water and extrenally with moisturizer. However, there are times when our skin’s cell turnover is slow in some areas of our face when it may need a little bit more help to release dry dead cells that cling on to the skin and look like flaky patches of skin to the visual eye. When that happens that is when the Philosophy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash comes into play!

If you are subscriber to my youtube channel you may have already seen my last haul video of the year were I picked this one up in a gift set at a great value price, right? If not you can check out the video here and go to my (youtube.com/nhop76) channel and click the subscriber button to see more beauty video in this new year of 2012:

I picked up this product because of what the brand claims which is:

  • A mild, exfoliating facial cleanser.
  • Designed to effectively cleanse the skin while providing resurfacing benefits.
  • Gentle enough to use daily
  • The product is sulfate-free and formulated with ingredients designed to replenish and protect the skin with topical antioxidants as it helps condition the skin and retain its moisture level.

I have been using this product ever since I posted my haul video and I have to say this product is wonderful!! And, I always ask myself, why did I wait so long to try this? I have never used an exfoliating wash that was safe enough to use daily that would leave my skin feeling this silky  & smooth and not dried & inflamed from course exfoliating beads. All it takes is a small quarter size of this product to cleanse you face. I also like the fact that this product does not have a fragrance. This is great for someone who can be allergic to skincare with fragrance in them. The exfoliating beads a gentle which is a plus too! The other added bonus is that if you own a clarisonic, OMG, your skin is going to feel smooth as a baby’s bottom and look amazing without makeup on with using the microdelivery exfoliating wash with it!

If you are looking for a new cleanser/exfoliator for the new year I would definitely recommend this one for you to try. You can find this amazing cleanser at Sephora.com, Nordstrom.com & Beauty.com – the world of beauty online as well. This wash is also available in the following two sizes:

  • 8 oz $25
  • 16oz $32

I hope that you all enjoyed this review of the Philosophy microdelivery exfoliating wash. I also hope that  this post inspires you to get your skin in it’s best shape yet in 2012. Until next time!

Xoxo,

Tasha :)

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Diaries Of A Lush Junkie: Lush Haul Time

09/04/2011 By 1 Comment

Yes, I am calling this post the Diaries of A Lush Junkie! I am so addicted to this wonderful store that I went back for a third time to get more of my favorites and some new things during the first week in August. Now you all know I love my Lushies in Austin for sure, but this time I decided to visit another store. You may be thinking why did I cheat on my Lushies in Austin, right? Well. . .Here is my story, lol. My family and I was on a road trip to Allen, TX during August 5-7th for my very first ATA tournament ever! On the first night there we were just looking around enjoying the venue until I noticed some awesome shopping right across the street from our Courtyard Marriot hotel that we were staying at. So, I thought to myself humm. . . I wondered if there was a Lush store around, so I googled and was happy to find a Lush in Macy's at the Fairview Heights Mall across from our hotel. You can imagine I was in HEAVEN.

I had my hubby and son come along for the experience and then they left me to explore which was a big mistake because I can shop like crazy, hee hee. While I was there I was working with Luceile, who totally rocks! She welcomed me to the store and recongnized who I was from youtube, so I was excited!! She gave me the most wonderful hand message and show me new things to try out and of course purchase. I had such a great time!!

 

Thank you Luceile for such a wonderful experience!! If any of you live in the Allen/Fairview area you can check them out on twitter @ Lush_fairviewTX and on facebook you can "like" their page which is: http://www.facebook.com/LUSHFairview. Otherwise just visit them at Lush inside Macy's at Fairview heights Mall. Now back to what I picked up!

My Goodies I love:

  • Honey I Washed The Kids Soap: This time I purchase a 1/2 pound in order for me to slice it in smaller pieces.
  • The Sultana of Soap Soap
  • Vanillary Perfum Solid
  • Heavanilli Massage Bar
  • Two Butterball Bath Bomb
  • Dorothy Bubble bar
  • Ickie the Robot
  • Samples: Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (amazing! Your feet or hands will be super soft after using this!!), Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub, and Coco Lotion Hand and Body Lotion. I like the packaging of the samples too! I think I will keep the sample jars for refillable travel containers. In addition to that I also got a sample of the dream lotion and the dream wash shower smoothie too! I think I will be picking most of the full sizes when I go back to my Lush store in the Austin area!

When it comes to my soaps I decided to pick up 1/2 pound sizes of my favorites. I figure this will reduce the chances of me running out for quickly. I can slice of a piece and wrap up the remainder for later. I totally recommend that!

My favorites!!

 

Overall, I am happy with my purchases again! And, trust me I can not wait to have another haul too because the samples above will be on my next list. Alright, now I know I can not be the only lush addict out there. How about you? What are you favorites that you absolutely can not live without? Leave your comments below because I would love to know!!

Diaries of A Lush Junkie Video

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Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Haul #2 & Forever 21 Haul!

08/04/2011 By 1 Comment

Hey my beauty chameleons!! How are you all doing this summer? I hope you all are having fun sporting some of your new looks while enjoying this summer with your friends and family. I know I am having fun with my family with mini vacations here and there and at the same time I have been hauling and experimenting with news things that I can not wait to share with you all in the next coming weeks.

In the meantime, I made another trip to the Lush store here in Austin and decided to pick up a few things for me and my son too! I have to say we had a great time at the Lush store. This time around I took my son with me so that he can play and check out some soapsand  colorful bombs that he could try during bath time as well! Let me tell you, the associates at the Lush store is soooo amazing! They made my son's experience a fun one. They showed my son how to create a bubble bath with the bath bars and after they created the bath the sales associate told my son to place some bubbles in his hands and give him a bubble high five and OMG. . . my son was in heaven!! I though that was so cute! Needless to say he ended up with a few finds of his own and left with his own Lush bag and we even snuck over to Amy's ice cream for a treat afterwards too!

Anyway. .  so what did I get? Let's get started:

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar,$7.25 This is still my favorite bubble bar!! It smells sweet and create big frothy bubbles to soak in when you need that nice spa feeling from a long day at work. This sweet, pink,heavenly treat smells like a vanilla candy and is sure to make you smile. It smells delicious and contains cocoa butter and almond oil for supremely softened skin.

Dorothy Bubble Bar, $5.95. I got this one for this my son because he loves rainbows and this bar had a nice fresh scent to it and did not smell feminine. So this one is safe if you have little boys that love bath time. If you love our Figs and Leaves soap, you'll love Dorothy. You can lounge in the blue waters and inhale the scent of orange blossoms and fresh fruit.

Ickle Baby Bot bath bomb, $3.95: This is another item I purchased for my little man. He loved what this one dissolve. During bath time my son would say mommy this robot is shrinking, lol. Lush says, drop it in the bath with baby bots to calm them down. They'll soon be dreaming of electric sheep with a sleep-inducing combination of lavender and sandalwood oils.

Butterball Bath Bomb$4.95:If you want hydration this is the bomb to get! It is not very decorative, but it smells wonderful and delievers supreme moisture with the chucks of cocoa butter (not shea butter, I mentioned in the video.Opps!). I use this one after a long day of work and working out!

Pink Bath Bomb $4.75: This one is fragranced with tonka bean's edgy aroma and the sweetness of vanilla absolute. I believe this one also produces little pink hearts when it explodes in the tub! It's kind of cool to see the heart float around in the water!

Creamed Almond and Coconut Shower Smoothie, $19.99: I was given this as a sample and at first I thought it was a scrub, but to my surprise it was a cleanser that is great for someone with dry skin. According to Lush the Creamed Almond and Coconut is for days when your skin is in need of care and attention. We like it best for the shower, but if you haven't got one, you can stand up in the bath to smooth the fluffy, moisturizing and creamy soap all over you.

Honey I Washed The Kids Soap $7.95: My constant favorite.

Sultana of Soap Soap $5.95: I truly, truly love this soap for the days I want to smell clean and powder fresh! I just ran out of this soap and I am heading back to the Lush store this weekend to purchase more of this more for sure!!

Vanilla Puff Powder Dusting Powder, $9.95: This is a new purchase for me! I have to say I love the scent of this layered over my heavenilli lotion bar. And. .  my skin feels so silky smooth!!

Heavanilli Massage Bar $9.95: My absolute favorite and will never stop getting this one! The smell is just fabulous and my hubby loves this scent on me.

I can't believe I found a new addiction like this other than makeup! I swear when you need somethings to give you that spa experience at home Lush is definitely the spot to go to for that. It is a little pricey, but is totally worth it in my book. Anyway, stay tuned I have so much I want to share with you, but it is looking like I may have to wait until my kiddo is in school in order for me to have more time to film and blog.

Everyone have a fabulous day!

Tasha :)

Oh yeah! At the end of the video I will be sharing with you a few things I picked up at Forever 21!! Help me out with a belt decision in the video. What kind of belt should I get?? Send me some links for ideas!

 

Lush Haul & Forever 21 Haul Video

 

 

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Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics: My First Lush Haul

04/26/2011 By 2 Comments

Hey divas! How are you all today? I hope well and fabulous! Well. . . If you all follow me on facebook and twitter you all now that I recently went on my first ever Lush haul since they opened a new Lush store in the Austin area!! Yes, that's right my Austin Chameleon's there is a Lush store in our area it is located at:

Lush Fred Handmade Cosmetics, 1012 W. 6th Street, Austin, TX 78703, Phone: 512.524.4459

Otherwise if you don't live close to a Lush store you can shop LUSH Cosmetics by clicking the link provided. Some of you may ask what is Lush? Well Lush is a company the that creates Fresh Handmade bath and body products that are from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables. According to Lush they stand by the following:

We believe in making effective products from fresh, organic* fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.

We invent our own products and fragrances. We make them fresh by hand using little or no preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell you when they were made.

We believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans.

We believe in happy people making happy soap, putting our faces on our products and making our mums proud.

We believe in long candlelit baths, sharing showers, massage, filling the world with perfume and in the right to make mistakes, lose everything and start again.

We believe our products are good value, that we should make a profit and that the customer is always right.

**Source Lushusa.com

I was first introduced to Lush from Youtube. I am subscribed to Makeupdoll and MakeupbyTiffanyD and when I saw there video hauls on the amazing Lush I totally wanted to give them a try, but there was not Lush in my area at the time and when it comes to smell goods I have to see it touch it smell it before I buy at times. Later a few years back My hubby and I went to Vegas and there was a lush store there and let me tell you I wanted to go in and try and play, but my hubby's allergies was killing him, so that was a fail too!

It was not until recently, that I was on Facebook earlier this year and Lush announced that they were opening a store in Austin this spring. When I read that I was on cloud 9 which lead me to this amazing haul!! I went crazy and I did not mind too because the customer service was out of site!! The lady that helped me out was so kind and very informative. She gave me a tour of the store and honed in on what my favorite scent were and helped me find the perfect match for me.

My favorite scents are: Vanilla, Honey, Caramel, Gardenia, Jasmine, and anything sweet scented, so with that said I picked up the following:

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  • Butterball Bath Bomb: The Butterball is unassuming, but it's an all-time favorite with customers and staff alike. It smells of vanilla and delicious custard creams. It also has chunks of cocoa butter that melts in the water and moisturize the skin as you bathe. This one try does! It tested one with my son, he has very dry skin around his calf areas of his legs and when I placed this in the water there was an explosion of excited from my son when he say the bomb fizz up and the chuck of cocoa butter did melt and moisturize his skin! Even my hands and arms felt soft and hydrated too. This bomb sells for $4.95 and I purchased 2. One for me and one for my little man.
  • Mrs. Whippy bath bomb, $4.95: I can not believe that I kept calling this one "Mr. Whippy" in the video, lol.  But this one is described as powdered soya milk in the middle, so the water becomes extra softened when the Bath Bomb fizzes down to the centre. Jack Constantine created this one for his wife; he wanted a soothing, creamy bath that would relax her and leave her skin as soft as a vegan alternative to silk. Although she looks shamefully like a whipped strawberry meringue, Mrs. Whippy would be none too pleased if you took a bite! Instead, drop her in your bath water to fill your tub with delectable strawberry ice cream scented foam. Mrs. Whippy is a bit slow at fizzing, so she`s best for long indulgent soaks. Caution:This bath bomb is very fragile and could crack or crumble during shipping. But their performance in the bath will be as good as ever.
  • Vanilla Fountain Bath Bomb, $6.25: Vanilla Fountain is a decadent desert bath made with vanilla absolute (the posh stuff made from pods) and rich tonka absolute. Inspired by lavish English deserts, it's comforting and deeply sweet, with notes of burnt caramel that last on your skin and waft through the house so you can enjoy it for hours. Simon Constantine invented this delicious new fragrance; we loved it so much we just had to have an entire fragrance line, and we got what we wished for! Layer on the vanilla! This is another bomb that explodes in the warm water and smells so yummy!!
  • Honey I Washed The Kids Soap, $7.95: Once you've unwrapped this mouth-watering toffee scented soap, you'll immediately want to wash yourself all over with it – and then wash your honey, and then the kids and maybe even gran if she's lucky. With masses of honey and aloe, this delectable bar is perfect for washing the whole family, even those with sensitive skin. Topped with a slice of beeswax and infused with bergamot and sweet orange to lift spirits right up into honey-heaven. I love this one and I will definitely be purchasing this one again. I am almost out of this lovely!
  • Bohemian Soap, $7.50: The lemon essential oil in Bohemian serves many purposes; it clears and refreshes your mind in the morning to help wake you up, it cleanses and tones skin (so it really keeps artistic types clean even if they can't afford a hot bath very often), and it is said to help inspire creativity. One of our simplest, yet most beautiful creations, this is one of the first soaps LUSH ever made. Man! Do I love this one too especially when I want that lemony fresh feeling! It almost smells as yummy as a lemon custard pie. Hummm. .
  • Creamy Candy Bubble Bar, $7.25: For fluffy white mountains of creamy, candy-scented bubbles, crumble a Creamy Candy Bar under running water and climb in. This sweet, pink,heavenly treat smells like a vanilla candy and is sure to make you smile. It smells delicious and contains cocoa butter and almond oil for supremely softened skin. If you need a pick-me-up, you're sure to be delighted by Creamy Candy. If you love Juicy Couture's Viva La Juicy you will love this one. I love the fact that when I broke this bar apart and dropped it into the running water the most beautiful and frothy bubbles were created! This is also next on my list to buy again. I will also have to find a bubble bar for my son! He would love to see how this bar create bubbles!! Science!
  • Heavanilli Massage Bar, $9.95: Lush loved the smell of Vanillary so much we just had to put it in everything, and the thought of rubbing a cocoa butter Vanillary scented massage bar all over ourselves got us quite excited. So we infused the bar with sweet and seductive vanilla and tonka bean absolute for a rich and sexy massage. We like to rub this all over ourselves, dust with Vanilla Puff duster and walk around sniffing our own arms and legs; you've been warned, it's what Vanillary does to you. I love this bar because my body is drier than my face however if you have oily skin you may want to buy the powder that goes with this one for a semi matte finish to your skin!
  • Sweet Lips lip scrub, $8.95: Sweet Lips is the lip scrub for chocolate fanatics. It smells like a bar of creamy milk chocolate. Vanilla extract keeps your lips moisturized, castor sugar gently exfoliates, and the rich, deep fragrance of cocoa absolute gives this an irresistible flavour. It's meant for exfoliating and softening your lips, but it's rather tasty too. Rub it over your lips when they're feeling the need for some chocolate and sugar. They are not kidding when they say this scrubs is tasty! When I exfoliated by lips and tasted it man does it taste like a chocolate candy! Makes me feel like I am cheating on my diet, lol.

Overall!! I enjoyed my haul and experience with the Lush store in Austin and I totally recommend for you to experience it yourself. This would totally be a great girls afternoon out on the downtown Austin for shopping and such! I know I will be visiting the store again in May to replenish my favorites and maybe try some new ones too!!

My First Lush Haul Video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Boscia Skincare: My Winter Skincare Routine (Part 2)

02/22/2011 By Leave a Comment

Good morning my beauty chameleons! Today I will be sharing with you all what I use on my skin. Many of you here and my subscribers to my youtube channel NHOP76 have been requesting and wanting to know what it is I use. And, now I will tell in a bit more detail. In this video I will show the products I use and why I love to use them in hopes of helping you get your skin to the best it as ever been or keep it is the best shape possible. Just remember, in addition to having a great skincare routine, diet is also a key factor in taking care of your skin and hydration topically and internal with water. Once you have those key factors you will have the amazing skin you always wanted. If you would like detailed information on the products I used in this video please check out my previous blog post " Boscia Skincare Review: My Winter Skincare Routine" by clicking "HERE". Otherwise for a list of products and where to purchase them click on the links below.

Products Mentioned In Video:

 

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Boscia Skincare Review: My Winter Skincare Routine

02/04/2011 By 5 Comments

Hey beauties!! Many of my beautiful youtube subscribers to my channel NHOP76 have been asking me what skincare I use to keep my skin at its best. I have to be honest with you, I have tried many brands from drugstore products like OLAY, Granier Nutrioniste to department store products like Philosophy, Ole Henriksen, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Bliss and many more over the years. However after using the mentioned products some were fabulous and not so fabulous, but my skincare always love Boscia Skincare. I started using Boscia skincare back in 2007 and loved it, but knowing the beauty junkie in me I always want to try new things however when I try the new skincare for a while my skin loves it and then it turns on me. My skin is like why are you depriving me of what I really like?? And, when I do that my skin freaks out on me. So it never fails when I go back to using Boscia my skin is at peace with me, lol.

Who is or what is Boscia Skincare?

Boscia's beginnings were inspired by a problem in need of a solution. In the case of Boscia's founder, Kenji Ikemori, his predicament hit close to home: it was his wife's complexion imperfections. After years of extensive research, Mr. Ikemori discovered that the use of preservatives in commercial skincare was causing adverse reactions on his wife's skin, in the form of blotchiness, breakouts, and redness.

 In 1979, taking a holistic approach, Mr. Ikemori worked with a chemist to create the world's first preservative-free skincare. Created as part of his Fancl Corporation (now a $900 million Japanese cosmetic business), this innovative suite of products launched an entirely new category in beauty.

Boscia has long believed that stress, sun damage, lack of sleep, diet, exercise, and hormonal fluctuations all tell a story that comes to light on the skin. Therefore, they strive to help clear the picture and reduce the need for makeup to cover flaws. If the goal is healthy, eye-catching skin—the kind that's luminous, dewy, and naturally even-toned—then the conduit should be equally healthy skincare. Using a patent-pending combination of botanicals, Boscia's preservative-free formulas function with this healthy objective in mind.

They have long-lasting antibacterial properties that rejuvenate chemically fatigued skin to bring back its natural glow, while combating aging in the most gentle, proactive way possible. Among the many stars, Boscia features two unique ingredients in every product: organically-grown jojoba leaf, which acts as an antioxidant to help fight free radical damage caused by environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, and cigarette smoke; and willowherb, an anti-inflammatory which soothes and calms skin troubled by harsh chemicals, stress, and other icky irritants.

The preservative-free products not only free your skin of chemical irritation, they also reverse the symptoms that preservatives have been known to trigger, like acne, redness, and inflammation. Perhaps the most refreshing element of Boscia is that it delivers more beautiful skin that you can feel and see right now, along with healthier skin that will last a lifetime. After all, the idea is to preserve your skin—not your skincare.

-Source BosciaSkincare.com

So now that you got a little history about Boscia I will show you what I use and why I use it! My skincare regimen is a mix bag from Boscia you will see products that will cater to problematic skin since I do get occasional breakouts that are hormonal driven. (Tasha will be turning 35 years this year, OMG!) You will also see anti aging products in my routine too because now that you know that I will be 35 this year I need to protect and keep my skin firm and clear at the same time. So my routine is not typical.

First of all my skincare type combination to oily with some occasionally problem areas for breakouts are my forehead and upper jawline for the time of the month or when I am stressed. In addition to that I have visible pores which is typical of my skintype, so in order to help with ridding my skin of bacteria without drying it out and keeping my pore tight I use the clear complexion cleanser with my Clarisonic (I love my Clarisonic with Boscia) and the clear complexion tonic for that reason alone.

The Boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser with Botanical Blast, $26   & Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic with Botanical Blast, $24 contains the following:

• Sasa Kurilensis Water, derived from bamboo, neutralizes blemish-causing bacteria and helps the skin’s natural ability to regulate sebum production.

• Willow Bark Extract, a natural Beta Hydroxy Acid (Salicylic Acid) derived from the Willow Tree, gently and effectively exfoliates to unclog and purify pores, and helps minimize dark spots from previous breakouts.

• Rosemary Leaf Extract, an effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps to firm skin and visibly reduce the appearance of pores.

When it comes to treatments since I am focused on maintaining my skincare resilience and youthful glow I use the following treatments to treat any breakout with the willow bark treatment. This product is wonderful since willow bark is another beta hydroxy that will penetrate through the skin's surface and clear out any bacteria out of my pores without drying out my skin. I use this treatment occasionally when needed, but not everyday. The texture of the treatment is gel like and fast absorbing through your skin leaving the skin not feeling sticky. The other treatment I use is the Intensive eye treatment for winter only because it can be very rich for combo skintypes. My eye area seems to be drier at this time of the year and this keeps moisture topically and looks beautiful when makeup is added. There is nothing like a smooth and hydrated eye vs. an eye area that is dehydrated and looks cakey when makeup is applied to a dry surface, right. Another treatment I would love to add and try is the Boscia Restorative Amino-3P Firming Treatment, $48t!! It has great anti aging ingredients like retinol, peptides and provitamin B5 are awesome ingredients to have from any skincare routine.

The Boscia Willow Bark Breakout Treatment $15 to go Contains:

Botanical Willow Bark gel helps provide relief from breakouts effectively and safely for sensitive skin.

  • A unique anti-irritant, Willowherb, calms inflammation,
  • while Soapberry Peel, rich in saponin, cleans and purifies.
  • The combination of Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other effective ingredients helps reduce redness, control oil, maintain a clear complexion and combat free radicals.

The Boscia Intensive Eye Treatment, $48 Contains:

An intensive eye treatment that provides exceptional moisture and cutting-edge ingredients to lift, firm and brighten the eye area.

  • Rice Bran Oil offers a lifting effect,
  • Ivy Extract helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • combined amino acids Alanine and Glutamine provide powerful hydrating benefits.

Finally I feel these two products are essential in any skincare routine. It is important to moisturize at night because your skin is resting and not exposed to harsh lighting and free radicals from the outdoors hence better cell turnover at night for softer beautiful skin in the morning so I use the Restorative Night Moisture cream (new product), Yay!! Now like I said in the beginning my skin is combination but in the winter months I like to use a cream at night time because my cheeks can be a little drier this time of year and I also feels this balances out my skin. I also use this creme for other reasons too because it is packed with wonderful ingredients to helps with firming, discoloration and moisture. The cream is very light weight and non greasy which is a plus to me, and at the same time during the day I use the Vital Daily moisture SPF 15 because it maintains my moisture during the day and protects all of the wonderful treatment I did at night during the day time too. The moisturizer also wears beautifully under make-up since it is also light weight and absorbs quickly. I think it is important for all skintype and color to protect your skin against premature aging and cellular breakdown of your skin from our sun and the environment we live in.

The Boscia Restorative Night Moisture Cream 1 oz $48:

Typical for normal to dry skin this cream is a  rich hydrating cream that delivers high levels of intense moisture overnight while it helps diminish the appearance of uneven skintone, dullness and fine lines.

  • Palmitoyl Penta-Peptide, an effective amino acid, minimizes the appearance of fine lines.
  • Magnolia Bark Extract improves skin elasticity and firmness.
  • Mulberry Extract reduces the appearance of age spots.

Boscia Vital Daily Moisture SPF 15 1.4 $36oz:

A vital daytime moisturizer fro normal to dry skin and combination.

  • rich in Rice Bran Oil, strengthens the skin and provides essential moisture.
  • Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, prevents sensitivity
  • Wine Yeast and Marine Complex combat against environmental damage. Combined UV active ingredients offer wide spectrum UV protection.
  • Powerful antioxidant, Jojoba Leaf, and select ingredients, together will nourish and protect your skin to prevent premature aging. Also creates the perfect base for makeup.

All in all I love my Boscia skincare and would recommend it to anyone that wants a skincare regimen free of preservatives and filled with healthy ingredients in the skincare. Now, Boscia's skincare is moderately priced which is great because it is affordable compared to other brands out there in the skincare market. And, if price is an obstacle start off with a gift set from Boscia which starts from Boscia Clear Complexion Kit, $48, Boscia Normal To Dry Kit ($61 value) $45, Boscia Normal To Oily Kit ($58 Value) $45, and many more. All of the products I mentioned here I purchased with my own money and let me tell you it was well worth my purchase and will be my skincare routine I rock for 2011 for sure!! I hope this helps you determine what is best for your skin and if you have any questions please feel free to leave your comments below. Until next time have a fabulous day!!

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Skincare 101: 6 Steps To Beautiful Skin

08/23/2010 By 10 Comments

Everyone wants the have beautiful glowing skin, right? Just like the beautiful celebrities like Halle Barry, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashion, and many more. Most people will run to the nearest sephora or drugstore to find that perfect foundation to achieve it, but your really need to pay attention to what is underneath it which is the skin itself. Wearing foundation is great, but if the skin condition underneath it is uneven the foundation can accentual the problem. I found that beautiful skin starts with the skin first and how we take care of it. The skin’s condition is the most important factor to consider when you are want to achieve flawless skin.  So you may ask, how can I get beautiful skin? Well let’s start off with some basics!

Hydrating the skin: Water is very important to your body and skin health. Water helps carry vital nutrients to your skin cells as a result creating nice smooth and plumped skin. Water also helps flush nasty toxins out of our bodies creating radiant skin. So staying hydrated is important. Like the doctors say drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day does the body and skin some good.
 
Healthy Diet equals healthy skin. When the body is given a balance diet of fruits, veggies, grains, and lean proteins the skin is proven to be more clear and radiant. I can attest to that myself because when my diets consist of too much soda, fried foods and rich sauces my skin rebels to blemish city.
 
Active lifestyle: Get you body moving try simply walking our jogging 2-3 days a week. You will see a difference in your skin and your body too! Exercise helps flush out nasty toxins out of of body and since the skin tissue is the largest organ on the body exercise will make a huge difference with out skin. Check out this intruging article from  Web Md. . .
Skincare Regime for Cleansing the skin day and night. I can promise you that cleansing you skin twice a day will keep you skin nice and clear from breakouts especially if you are a beauty junkie like me and love to wear your favorite makeup brands to enhance your beauty. Cleansing the face at night helps remove your makeup, oils and other free radicals that can cause our precious pores on your face to become clogged and break out. Some of my  favorite cleansers are: Moisture Rescue Fresh Cleansing Foam , Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash 6.7 oz, Murad Refreshing Skin Cleanser 6.75 oz, and Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel 5 oz.
 

Night Time Moisturizing for All Skin types: Not having a moistururizer can cause any skintype to become dehydrated after cleansing. In some case after cleansing your PH balance in your skin is low causing the skin moisture level to become unbalanced as a result, the skin appears dull and dehydrated lacking that resilient glow and moisture. Normal to oily skin may want to consider a moisturizer that is more water based like a light weight moisture lotion.
Final Step is to Protect The Skin: When you are getting ready to head out to the great outdoors it is important to protect your skin from the premature aging that is causes by many things such as the sun's harmful UVA/UVB rays, dirt, smoke and pollutants that is in our environment. You can protect you skin by shielding it from these free radicals by using daytime moisturizers with SPF and vitamins A, C, and E. Almost every skin care enthusiasts and dermatologists will recommend this in any skincare regimen. NOTE: When it comes too sunscreen remember this, If you foundation or moisturizer has an SPF 15 take the 15 and multiply it by 10 and that will give you the minutes that sunscreen is good for. So, for this example the SPF 15 is only good for 150 minutes before it expires. So remember if you will be wearing foundation and you will be outdoor longer than that time wear a higher sunscreen under the makeup. However if you are not wearing makeup make sure you re apply your sun screen for continuous protection.

With these steps taken you will be on your way to having beautiful skin. However, I will say that when considering your skin always consult with a doctor for skin (dermatologist, esthetician and etc) for advice if you are unsure on how to deal with your skin. Of course most people will say what about going to the department store or Sephora? Well, speaking from experience with working in both places mentioned consultants hired to work their are only able to give you advice on what product will work best for your skin type and skin concern. Futhermore linking the correct product to you in order to purchased. Which is fine, however if you truly do not have a clue about your skin or if you have highly sensitive skin and over the counter skincare products are not working or making your skin condition worse please go seek help from a professional.
 

Now, I would like to hear from you!  How do you keep your skin clear and healthy? What are you favorite skincare brands either drug store or highend please share. I would truly like to know and so would other readers too. So far at the moment I have been testing out drugstore skincare by Garnier Nutritioniste's Moisture rescue line and I am loving it so far. I have been using it for a week now and I will definitely give a review on it soon!

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Bubble Babez Bath Co Review: New Samples Sizes & More!

08/02/2010 By Leave a Comment

Hey all! I just recently received a package from my new favorite bath & body company called Bubble Babez Bath Company! If you haven't read my previous post about the bubble Babez Bath Company Click "Here" for more info about the company and my previous haul. Anyway, since that post and haul I was very impressed with my purchases of my Pretty In Pink Bath & Coco loco as well as my Honey Chile Bath Bomb to the point they are almost all gone!! I am not kidding I loved the items so much!! So, they will definitely be on my next order!

In the meantime, the Bubble Babez Bath Company was so nice to send me a special package of items for me to try and share with you all. The items sent to me was another bath bomb, called Diamond Diva, a Come and Get It sugar scrub, and Kiddie soap for my son (and let me tell he was so excited to receive a present from Nikkie! He had the biggest smile ever because he loves to smell goo too, lol) called Gianni. The new item she sent me is something new that is available now on the Bubble Babez website.They now offer sample soaps! That's right sample soaps! You know how you get a sample soaps from other bath companies and they give you literally a sliver size of the soap? Well, at bubble babez you actually get a baby version of the full sizes! Not just 1, but 5 samples for $4.50. I thought that was amazing because now you can try a decent size before you buy the full size, fabulous!

Here are my Bubble Babez Goodies

 

 

 

Diamond Diva, $5.00: Is A huge bath bombs designed for a nice relaxing bath in-order to get you body to relax with the soothing scent of Lavender.  To top it off this gorgeous bath bomb is bedazzled with a little touch of glitter for you glam divas out there.

Come & Get It Sugar Scrub, $6.00:  Has a beautiful feminine scent of rose. This package comes with 6 cubes of  sugar scrubs that you can use to buff and shine your body with. All it takes is just 2 cubes to massage and reveal beautiful smooth skin.

Gianni Soap (Kiddie Corner) $6:00: This soap was not for me, lol. However it was sent as a special gift from my son! He was so excited like I mention before! I personally loved that this soap smelled like a baby scent. Like Johnson & Johnson. You know we never want are little ones to grow up, but this was perfect for him. He love that he felt squeaky clean and I loved that the product was gentle for his young skin too. The soap is almost gone! He loves it that much!

Samples I received ( On the site you can get 5 samples for $4.50): 

Up in The Clouds (Candy Shop): Smells Like cotton candy to me! Very sweet and fun!

Guaca Melly (Fruit Stand): Is an avocado soap with exfoliating apricot seeds and is scented with cucumber melon. This one smell just yummy and if you are familiar with Koren from EnKore Makeup on youtube he name this tantalizing soap! I think this will be my next favorite!!

The Signature Soap (Perfumery): This soap was handcrafted by Tristian. When you purchase the full size you will notice the cute rubber duck on the inside of the soap. The soap is scented with Strawberry Champagne! This is another soap my son would take from me since he love rubber duckies, lol.

 

Overall, I am totally satisfied with the goodies the Bubble Babez Bath Co sent to me and I can not wait to run out of my items so that I can place another order with them very soon. Have you tried Bubble Babez bath products? What are you favorites and why? I would love to know!

 

My Bubble Babez Video Review

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Bath & Body Review: The Bubble Babez Bath Company

07/07/2010 By Leave a Comment

Are you a bath and body junkie like me at times? I love smell goods from designer fragrances like Flora by Gucci, Michael Kors, Miss Dior Cherie, and Juicy Couture’s Viva la Juicy to Bath & Body Works and Lush products. In addition to my addiction to makeup I also love bath and body that smells divine and looks fabulous too. With that said, I was going through my collection of bath and body products and noticed that I was very look on my favorites. So, instead of going to my local Lush or Bath and Body store I decided to check out my girl’s, who is also known as Nikkie20six on youtube, new company called, The Bubble Babez Bath Company!

I love to support small businesses that are breaking their way into the beauty mainstream. Businesses like The bubble Babez Company work hard to create products for their customers to genuinely fall in love with. As you all know I am on youtube, NHOP76, and I am also subscribed to Nikkie20six. I found out about the company’s release early this year and after hearing so many great reviews and of course being out of stock of my favorites I had to place an order. I placed an order because they carry a bar soap called Pretty in Pink which resembles the same scent as my FAVORITE fragrance called,

Viva La Juicy Gift Set Viva La Juicy Gift Set

This Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Gift Set includes 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray, 4.2 oz Body Lotion, and 4.2 oz Shower Gel. A $106 Value.

by Juicy Couture!! So, I was in love already not to mention some of the other great products they have available for your entire family on top of great gifts from any special occasion too!

My order arrived fairly quickly and when I opened the box I was blown away by the beautiful scents that began to fill my home! I totally was ready to use the products that night, but I said calm down wait. . . And share this amazing products with your beauty chameleon family! So, I did because love you all so much.

Here is what I received:

  • #5 Honey Chile Bath Bomb That is topped with sugary butterflies with the scent of sweet honey and almond blend. This product is made to with luxurious milk powders, oils and butters that moisturize and leaves the skin feeling smooth. $5.00 each
  • #24 Coco Loco Bar soap the is scented with the exotic coconut, $4.00 each
  • #25 Pretty In Pink. . . This is my favorite!! I am not kidding, This one is scented like Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy scent which has notes of gardenia, mandarin, caramel, vanilla and praline! I love this scent so that is why I purchased this soap. I actually used it in the shower and it smells divine and leave your skin squeaky clean. $6.00 This soap is so pretty!!

The Bubble Babez Bath Company was also so kind to included a note of appreciation and some extra goodies for me to try too! So, I was so delighted with that and such wonderful service from the company! I received a the following samples:

  • Oatmeal and Honey soap smells so much like a oatmeal cookie and I can images how moisturizing the honey will be for my skin. $5.00 each
  • #26 Boobalicious bar soap which smells like a yummy fruity pina colada with moisturizing  jojoba beads for gentle exfoliation of the skin. $4.00 each
  • Milk and Honey soap which has a scent of vanilla and honey!

I have been in scent heaven since I had received my goodies and I can not wait to soak in my beautiful scents from The Bubble Babez Bath Company. I a few minutes I will be testing out my honey chile bath bomb and I will update this post with my results. Anyway, stay tuned there will be a video review of my haul from the Bubble Babez Bath Company.

Update!!

Ok. . . Ladies!! My bath was fabulous!! My honey chile bath bomb was so moisturizing to my body. When I placed the bath bomb in my bath water it dissolved and turned my bath water into a girlie pink color and my entire masterbath smelled wonderful! On top of that I used my pretty in pink bath soap and what a lather I got when I used it with my loofah. Not to mention the bath bar smelled like my Viva La Juicy! I am such a creature of habit and I will be placing another order with more pretty in pink and my honey chile bath bombs too! It would be nice if they made a body lotion with the same scent too (smile). But let me tell you, I am so happy with my order and I can’t wait to order things for myself and for my friends too!


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Beauty Pledge of The Month: Youthful Skin With Murad

02/23/2010 By 3 Comments

Have you ever purchased a new skincare regimen and promised yourself that you would be consistent with it in order to see improvement in your skin? Then after a week of use you start to get lazy with your promise and miss treatments at night to the point where you are grabbing the good old cleansing wipes on the nightstand and calling it a night? I know I have been there many of times where I get so exciting about the new skincare treatments I purchased and never follow through to see if I truly see results from the product I spent my hard earned cash on. Well starting today I am breaking that habit and making a pledge to myself:

“I pledge to the world that I will be consistent with a new skincare treatment I have picked up from Sephora. I have in my masterbath a few goodies from Murad that I would like to see if it improves my skin over a 5 week period of time. I pledge to myself to use it morning and night.”

You all are probably wondering what could possibly be my skin concern for this month? Well, I would like to see more even skin tone, reduced expression lines  around the eyes and forehead, and smoother texture of my skin. How about you? Do you have things that you would like to improve with your skin? Share and make a beauty pledge to yourself too. What are you doing to use to improve your key concerns? Well for me, I will be using the following key items.

To Cleanse:
Murad Refreshing Skin Cleanser 6.75 oz Refreshing Skin Cleanser
What it is:
A non-drying, foaming cleanser that washes away surface oil and makeup.

What it is formulated to do:
Refreshes as it cleanses by removing surface impurities and makeup. Leaves skin soft and smooth.
Hawaiian White Ginger Extract: Hydrates skin.
-Algae Extract: Diffuses oil and improves skin smoothness and elasticity.
-Cucumber Extract: Soothes as it refreshes.

  • What I like about this cleanser is that it removes makeup well, and it works wonderfully with my Clarisonic Skincare Brush. My skin is left with a wonderful invigorating feeling of being clean without over drying my skin.

Treatment For Daytime Use:


Murad Active Radiance™ Serum Featuring Resilient-C™ Complex 1 oz
What it is:
A rich, silky serum that restores a youthful, healthy glow to the skin.

What it is formulated to do:
Murad Active Radiance™ Serum Featuring Resilient-C™ Complex encourages collagen production to help skin resist environmental stress and damage. Its advanced formula boosts cell proliferation to reverse visible signs of aging.

What else you need to know:
This formula has been clinically demonstrated to brighten and renew skin in one week by improving natural radiance and clarity, smoothing skin, and restoring youthful texture and tone.
-Resilient-C™ Complex: Delivers highly stable Vitamin C—50 times the potency of prior generations—to improve skin radiance, help enhance collagen production, and protect against free-radical damage.
-Ectoin: Unleashes the cellular defense system, helping cells resist drastic environmental stresses including UV exposure and chemical aggressors.
-AHA and Myrtle Extract: Provide rejuvenating properties that encourage new cell growth and help boost cellular vitality.

  • What I like about this serum is that just after a few days of using this my skin feel smoother and appears to be more radiant during the day time. The serum absorbs fairly quick, so that your skin in not left with a sticky feeling.

Treatment For Night Time Use:

Murad Sleep Reform™ Serum 1 oz
What it is:
A powerful nighttime antiaging treatment.

What it is formulated to do:
Murad Sleep Reform™ Serum takes “beauty sleep” to a new level—locking in moisture, promoting skin firmness, and fighting signs of aging so you wake up to a radically rejuvenated complexion. Murad’s exclusive Repair Enhancing Matrix (REM) is designed to maximize the effectiveness of the skin’s nightly repair cycle, promoting cellular turnover and renewal. This serum’s unique topical melatonin delivery system promotes collagen production, softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Get ready to say “good morning, gorgeous!” in the mirror in the morning.

What else you need to know:
Sleep Reform™ Serum has been shown to stimulate the proliferation of the cells responsible for collagen production by 78%, improving collagen production potential by 62%.

  • With using this serum for night time use I am noticing that when I wake up in the morning my expression lines appear more relaxed and not too puffy looking. You know how sometimes when you wake up your crows feet and forehead lines looks for exaggerated for sleeping? I guess I look more rested and wrinkles where smoother!!

Eye Treatment:

Korres Olive and Rye Eye Cream 0.51 oz
What it is:
An eye cream with antiaging and firming action for mature skin types.

What it is formulated to do:
Korres Olive & Rye Eye Cream contains a high percentage of vegetable oil (53%) and uses a special technique to ensure the gradual release of its active ingredients. It also provides nourishment for the skin that lasts throughout the entire night.

  • What I like about this eye cream is that my skin feel extremely hydrated, however I am not too sure if I see firming. Although, it has only been a few days since I started to use this one consistently, so stay tuned.

Moisturizer For Day And Night:


Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30 1.7 oz
What it is:
A powerful, antioxidant-rich sunscreen that shields and restores environmentally stressed skin.

What it is formulated to do:
Block UVA and UVB while preventing free-radical damage with this complexion-protecting essential. The advanced formula multitasks, improving the skin’s barrier function to maintain optimal hydration.

  • I like the fact that my skin is protect for the UVA and UVB rays and it definitely does moisturize, but I am on the fence when it comes to the texture. It feels kind of sticky or thick due to the sun screen that is in it, but overall it is not bad.

Murad Perfecting Night Cream 1.7 oz
What it is:
An intensive hydrating, rejuvenating, and restorative night cream.

What it is formulated to do:
Promotes healthy cell turnover and nourishes and rejuvenates skin overnight by restoring lost moisture.

  • So far I love this night time moisturizer. It is light weight and fluid and my skin just drinks it! I wake up in the morning and my skin feels so soft. Definitely would recommend this one for sure!

All in all, I am going to make a commitment to my skin and stay consistent with this regimen and I will follow back up with you all in 5 weeks to let you know the details and show before and after photos of my skin. Are you up for the same challenge? Share what are you going to do in order to improve your skin and have it in the best condition possible for summer 2010? I would love to know what you will use whether if it is drugstore brands or department store brands definitely share.

Until next day stay fab and fierce inside and out!!

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