5 Bling Reviews, Beauty, Beauty Product Reviews, Jane Iredale, What I'm Loving Now

What I’m Loving Now: Jane Iredale Mystikol Pencil Box

April 7, 2011 / No Comments

Not so long ago, I was on a video shoot and Patrick, the other makeup artist on set pulled out this nifty set of kohl pencils. Tried as I might, I couldn’t “borrow” them. He did let me play with them, one of the things makeup artist do (we play with each other’s stuff all the time) and that just made me want them.

Well, these new-fangled pencils were by Jane Iredale. And what made them so nifty was the way they were made and the vibrant color. I was fortunate enough for the nice people at Jane Iredale to send me a set to review. And I’m in love with these beautiful non-traditional pencils.

Here’s the info on Jane Iredale Mystikol Pencils:

totally new kind of eyeliner and highlighter that creates definition around the eye for a soft, smoky eye effect. A creamy powder formula that won’t fade, crease or smear. Hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested and always formulated with exclusive skin care ingredients, Mystikol is safe for even the most sensitive eyes. This box set includes the following five exquisite shades:

Malachite: A sparkling moss with buttery beige

Amethyst: Royal purple with luxurious pearl

Dark Topaz: Rich brown with velvet rose

Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant blue with shimmering ivory

Onyx: Otherworldly black with creamy pearl

Why I love these pencils:

No sharpening!
The color is in the cap and applied with a sponge tip applicator.
Mystikol pencils make it extremely easy to create smoky eye in a flash.
The colors are deep and vibrant.
No irritation to my eyes.
Neat and clean application.
The case is cute and reusable.

Pro: No sharpening, great for sensitive eyes, gorgeous color

Con: No mirror in case

Buy Again: Yes

Price: $$$

Packaging: 4 Blings

Overall: 5 Blings

jane iredale mystikol

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Editor’s Picks: The Hardest Working Beauty Products for Labor Day

In 1884, just two years after the first “workingmen’s holiday” was celebrated, the Central Labor Union christened the first Monday in September as the official Labor Day holiday. As beauty buffs, we’re insatiable. When it comes to the art of beautifcation, we operate to an 8-count of harder, better, faster, stronger–we’re constantly on the prowl for those products that are always on the grind and keeps us gorgeous. So in honor of this tribute to our nation’s workers, we have dedicated this edition of editor’s picks to the hardest-working beauty products we know. Our Labors of Love are as follows… Editor-in-Chief Tracey’s Labor of Love: Black Opal Brightening Scrub $9 “I love this double duty scrub/mask. I scrub my face like crazy before I get in the shower. Then I let the mask work its wonders while I do my daily duty in the shower. The last thing I do is rinse off the mask. My skin is exfoliated and brightened in one fell swoop. And the best part is that this Black Opal scrub mask duo is under $10. On top of that the benefits are culmulative–my skin gets progressively smoother and brighter while I use this hard working beauty product.” Chelsea’s Labor of Love: Benefit Cha Cha Tint $30 “This mango colored blush in a bottle is the epitome of perfection! I am on the darker side of the spectrum for Black/African-American skin and many tints don’t show up on me. However, this bottled blush is highly pigmented, even on darker skin tones. It has a brush applicator that makes Cha Cha Tint an amazing multitasker—great for lips and cheeks. For a flawless, fetching face, Cha Cha gives a glowing color like no other.” Taylor’s Labor of Love: Coralactives Retinol Exfoliating Cleanser $22 “Simply put, CoralActives Retinol Exfoliating Cleanser does double duty by cleaning and exfoliating simultaneously. This is great because I don’t want to do any more than I have to in order to get the job done.” Staff Labor of Love: Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads $36 “Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads is a powerhouse in a pot. It truly sets the standard for adult acne correctors everywhere since it doesn’t have a traditional, medicinal smell. In fact, it brings the spa to you by incorporating peach bellini! But soothing scents beside, I’ve never experienced such immediate results after using a skin care product. All I saw was glowing, poreless skin. With all the anti-aging benefits, soothing botanical extracts and inclusion of glycolic and salicylic acid, you’re definitely doing your skin a huge favor!” Terez’s Labor of Love: Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme $9 “I’m a huge fan of Burt’s Bees and I can’t say enough about the Coconut Foot Creme. It is nothing short of miraculous and it transforms rough, calloused feet overnight! This creme has a rich, honey-like consistency and smells delicious. I’ve also used this product to moisturize and protect dry elbows, knees and cracked cuticles.” Nalo’s Labor of Love: Estee Lauder’s DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 $43 “Since it is important to use a moisturizer with SPF in the summer as well as during the cooler months, Estee Lauder DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 works for all seasons. This hardworking beauty product reduces the appearance of fine lines, discoloration and dullness. It also fights free radicals while refreshing the skin with cucumber. Apply daily and at night to reap the benefits. ” Bona Fide Face Deidre’s Labor of Love: DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex $35 “I love when I don’t have to be slave to a great acne product. What’s worse than acne? Having to keep an acne product in tow in hopes of keeping an onslaught of fresh zits at bay. I use DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex about twice a year to give my skin a glowing, renewed state so my products-of-the-moment get their glory. This product rivals treatments at the derm office minus the sticker shock.” Shop the beauty products that work hard for the money: Face Anti-Aging by Estee Lauder
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Product Review—Hair: Phyto Secret de Nuit Intense Hydration Regenerating Night Cream

I have never used Phyto products before, when I received the Phyto Secret De Nuit to review, I thought it was a night cream for my face. Phyto Secret de Nuit Intense Hydration Regenerating Night Cream – the name and description screams FACE product to me, but to my delight, I received a wonderful night cream for my hair. Here are the details for Phyto Secret de Nuit Intense Hydration Regenerating Night Cream $38: What it is: A night restorative treatment for all hair types. What it is formulated to do: This powerful night cream regenerates the hair fiber and provides up to eight hours of intense hydration, nourishment, and repair. It creates a protective shield against free radicals and oxidation, and leaves hair feeling remarkably stronger, healthier, and shiner. What it is formulated WITHOUT: • Parabens • Sulfates • Phthalates My results: Before I put a new product on my face, I like to smell it. I pumped a small amount on my fingers so I could check the consistency and to take a whiff, see what I’m working with. The texture is nice and creamy with a light, lovely fragrance. I applied the small amount I had on my fingers to my face and went about the rest of my day. Imagine my surprise when I read the directions and realized this product is applied to your hair…oops! I’ve never used a night conditioner on my hair and to be honest, I was thinking I don’t want to go to bed with wet hair and wake up to a pillowcase covered in a gooey mess. Our editor-in-chief doesn’t allow the quick answer of ‘no’ for a product. Just as we have to review and say why we like a product, we also have to say why not. I knew I had to give it a try because like it or hate it, I had to say – why either way. The bottle has a pump dispenser, which dispenses the cream in small amounts. To get the ‘hazelnut’ size amount of product the directions call for, it takes about 3-4 pumps. I apply the cream to my hair by simply combing through my hair with my fingers, the cream absorbs quickly and does not leave my hair feeling wet. I repeat the process concentrating on the ends oh my hair, where I have the most damage and then twist it up in a bun before going to bed. The next morning, style as usual. I am thoroughly impressed. My hair truly feels like it has been intensively nourished, with my ends feeling silky and my hair in general feeling soft. I have found with my hair it’s best not to use the Phyto Secret de Nuit Intense Hydration Regenerating Night Cream on the day I have washed my hair, it does make my hair feel dirtier sooner, but that could be me using too much product as a little seems to go a long way; about third day is perfect for me. I didn’t look at the price of this product before I used it, but honestly, the cost is worth it. It actually works and my hair feels as if it is being repaired, not just masking my frizzed ends. It is paraben and silicone free also, and packed with good natural ingredients to replenish the condition of my hair. I use this 3-4 times a week and the condition of my hair has really improved – I couldn’t be happier. I now want to try other products from Phyto. Bling Factor: Pro: Easy to use, smells great Con: None Price: $38 Buy Again: Yes Packaging: 5 Blings Overall: 5 Blings Hero Ingredient: Macadamia Oil, hydrates and softens hair. Natural/Organic/Vegan: Yes Cruelty Free: Yes Shop:
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Fight Dry Winter Skin With These Body Creams

The weather has turned frigid and it’s sucking the moisture out of our skin. Not just our faces and subject to dry skin, but so are our bodies. So, to fight dry winter skin, we need to moisturize with body creams, lotions, butters and serums. Look for ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, squalane, avacado and other oils in your body creams to deeply moisturize dry winter skin. Also, body creams have multiple categories. Some body creams can help sculpt and tone your body. Others can help smooth skin or add glow. Many body creams come from natural and organic derived ingredients. Additionally, body creams come in various price points for the budget conscious. And, we love body creams with awesome scents! Shop our our favorite body creams that include clean beauty, luxury beauty, Black-owned brands and female founded brands: Clean Beauty Body Creams: Weleda Skin Food Body Butter $19.99 Perfect for all-over hydration and nourishment. Weleda Skin Food Body Butter is rich in shea and cocoa seed butter, to leave skin feeling velvety soft. Best for indulging your senses and locking in moisture after a bath or shower. Kiss My Face De-Stress Body Butter – Lavender + Ylang Ylang $14.99 Pamper your body and mind with aromatic, calming moisture. Infused with soothing Rhodiola Rosea and Hemp Seed Oil and adaptogenic Ashwagandha and Marshmallow Root, this body butter delivers comforting nourishment while helping improve skin’s moisture retention. The fragrant scents of Lavender and Ylang Ylang Oils relax your senses for a restful sleep. hanahana beauty Shea Body Butter $32 Hanahana Beauty believes that skincare is self care and proudly sources its shea butter directly from the Katariga Cooperative in Ghana. This whipped + fast absorbing formula is made for dry, sensitive + of course, ashy skin. It’s the perfect add to your routine! Multitasking Body Creams: NYL HERE COMES THE CALM Correcting Body Balm $38 Our Tamanu & Amaranth powered correcting balm works overtime to soothe, moisturize and generally bring the zen to eczema, severely dry or chapped skin, and other trouble spots. No balm, no calm. Caudalie Vinosculpt Lift & Firm Body Cream $45 Visibly tighten skin in key areas with this moisturizing, whipped body cream. Delicately scented with orange blossom and powered by an effective blend of grape polyphenols and iris extract, it reduces the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks for a firmer, more lifted look. Biossance Squalane + Caffeine Toning Body Cream $30 This clean body moisturizer extends the benefits of the best skincare ingredients caffeine and niacinamide to the entire body, enhanced by vegan sugarcane-derived squalane to enhance penetration. The rich yet weightless formula absorbs instantly to nourish, and helps to restore elasticity and a sculpted, toned look. Budget Friendly Body Creams: Dove Silky Nourishment Body Cream $8.76 Helps to give you beautifully radiant soft skin. Contains unique DeepCare Complex with skin natural nutrients. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy $8.16 Heals & Softens rough, dry skin with natural Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E for healthier-looking skin. 48 hour moisture.Vegan Friendly – no animal ingredients or testing. Nubian Heritage, Shea Butter, Infused with Patchouli & Buriti $11.99 Shea Butter, infused with Patchouli & Buriti, helps to soothe and hydrate skin. Nutrient rich Buriti Oil enhances and calms in this richly fragranced total body balm. Body Creams With Incredible Scents: Pooka Caliente Man Body Butter $16.99 For the Fellas Bold and tantalizing, this exclusive scent brings together the heady, musky notes of patchouli and the warm, spicy kick of black pepper.Infused with the goodness of ginger and turmeric essential oils, this butter delivers deep nourishment to your skin, leaving it hydrated and radiant. Shea butter and avocado oil moisturize and soften, while beeswax seals in hydration. ELEMIS Frangipani Monoi Body Cream $42 Escape to a tropical getaway with this deeply hydrating body cream. Infused with a conditioning combination of Macadamia, Sesame, Tahitian Monoi and Coprah oils, the decadent creamy formula provides long-lasting, skin-plumping moisture. Naturally fragranced with Frangipani Flowers, skin is left feeling beautifully soft, supple and delicately scented. Jo Malone London Lime Basil & Mandarin Body Crème $90 This rich Body Crème is formulated with conditioning oils of jojoba seed, cocoa seed, and sweet almond oils to help hydrate, nourish, and protect the skin, while the delicious fragrance leaves your body scented all over. In Jo Malone London’s signature fragrance, peppery basil and aromatic white thyme bring an unexpected twist to the scent of limes on a Caribbean breeze—a modern classic. CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE Fresh Body Cream $100 The ultimate pampering experience hydrates and softens for silky, touchable skin, lightly scented with COCO MADEMOSELLE. The deliciously creamy, non-greasy formula glides on smoothly and absorbs quickly.
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Baby It’s Cold Outside: Best Moisturizers for Winter Skin Care

Every woman needs a go to fur (faux) and moisturizer for these winter months. It’s cold outside. We wrap up, blast the heat and even stoke the fire to keep warm. But the fact is that indoor heat as well as outdoor cold can all wreak havoc with our skin. Protect your skin from the harsh ways of winter by keeping moisture level in balance; perhaps bumping up your moisturizer a notch. Even oily skin benefits from the protection of hydrators that keep skin nourished and balanced. My moisturizer picks: 1. Best Anti-aging Moisturizer NeOvadiol Gf Day Densifying Re-Sculpting Care $48 Benefits (to which I can attest) Refined jaw line, toned neck, plumped cheeks, skin is nourished with features appearing smoother and a subtle green tea fragrance. The feel is nothing less than luxurious. 2. Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme SPF 15 $35 This moisturizer combines grape seed oil and antioxidants that gives skin a luminous glow while it protects against environmental aggressors. 3. Best Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin Go Clear Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15 $33 A fast-absorbing, oil-free, moisturizing sunscreen that provides UVA / UVB sun protection, complexion-enhancing botanicals, and a matte finish. 4. Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin Kinerase Lotion $63 This rich, gentle daily hydrator offers phenomenal antiaging effects courtesy of Kineten (0.1% N6-furfuryladenine), a plant-derived ingredient that helps delay signs of aging, delivers improved tone and texture, and visibly minimizes the look of lines, wrinkles, dark spots, blotches, freckles, and uneven skintone. 5. Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin First Aid 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 $38 This blend is allergy tested, fragrance free, and dermatologist recommended; it excludes harsh chemicals and colorants. Photo of Naomi Campbell courtesy of huffingtonpost.com. Shop:Face Anti-Aging by KineraseSkin Care at drugstore.com
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Skin Care Review: Arcona Cranberry Gommage Exfoliant

Lately, my typically clear skin has become unrecognizable. My low-maintenance facial routine couldn’t contend with my new facial issues: erupting pimples all over, stubborn dry patches on my cheeks, and oily areas on my forehead and nose. My face went completely haywire overnight it seemed, and the usual routine just wasn’t cutting it! Confession: I’ve been slacking on my sloughing-—big time. Life has been so hectic lately that I’ve pretty much abandoned my regular exfoliation routine, and it shows. When a close friend suggested I give Arcona Cranberry Gommage a try, I figured it couldn’t hurt. Little did I know, it would not only return my blemish-free visage, but give me a more even, smooth complexion over time! About Arcona Cranberry Gommage $47 Exfoliant containing cranberry extracts, volcanic minerals and essential fatty acids, to cleanse and renew all skin types. Smells berry delicious. Cleanses, tones and decongests enlarged pores, leaving skin clearer, smoother and more refined. Unclog and minimize pores with cranberry and raspberry enzymes. Exfoliate and purify skin with salicylic acid, volcanic minerals and sucrose that work deep within the follicular wall and provide antimicrobial, antibacterial benefits. Protect skin with the anti-aging properties of antioxidants that prevent free radical damage. My experience: Fresh out of the bottle, Arcona Cranberry Gommage is a deliciously grape-scented, lavender-hued scrub. Suggested use is twice weekly, but I reach for this exfoliant daily! more often because it’s such a treat. I can feel the difference immediately after applying Arcona Cranberry Gommage to my face and neck. I use a gentle circular scrubbing motion with the pads of my fingers. Rinsing clean, my skin feels so soft and smooth and moisturizer just glides on once I’m out of the shower.. It only took about a week of using Arcona Cranberry Gommage for me to see the results. I received a number of compliments ranging from “your skin looks so good,” and “what do you use,” to “you’re glowing!” Nothing else changed in my regimen, so I have to credit the Cranberry Gommage! While I found the scrub gentle enough for sensitive skin, it also has the right amount of grit to be effective. The polishing action instantly brightens, leaving you with fresh, glowing skin after regular use. For this reason, if you aren’t into a scrub that actually scrubs, what’s wrong with you? Arcona Cranberry Gommage might not be the product for you. Arcona Cranberry Gommage is specifically recommended for normal to oily skin, but my wacky winter combo skin got great results. Don’t be afraid to try it out if your skin tends toward the dry end of the spectrum. Bling Factor: Pro: Gentle exfoliant, smells and feels amazing! Cons: Could be too gritty for some, but i loved it. Price: $47 Buy Again: Probably, will need a new bottle soon! Packaging: 4 Blings—Typical flip-top squeeze bottle. Overall: 5 Blings Hero Ingredients: Cranberry and Raspberry enzymes Natural/Organic/Vegan: Organic Cruelty Free: Yes SHOP:
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