Disclaimer: This post is based on a free
product provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my own
opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.
With bathing suit season just around the corner, I think
it's important to be as proud of your body as you can. Whether you have a
perfect shape or have figure flaws like many of us, you could still be
carrying around some lumpy cellulite. Unless you firm up those problem
spots, if you intend to show a lot of skin with a new skimpy bikini, you could
spoil the look with that unflattering, orange peel type skin.
Fear not,
ladies, I'm already on it because firming up that cellulite is a problem for me. My particular curse is thighs, making me the ideal
candidate to see how well a firming product would work like the one Prana SpaCeuticals sent to me for review with their Attar Firming Body Milk.
The star ingredient in this body lotion is the glaucine.
According to some research, when it comes to helping with anti-cellulite,
glaucine is better equipped to empty cells and secret cellulite
instead of storing it in the skin with that lumpy grapefruit texture. Glaucine in stimulating lipolysis to drain those
pockets of toxins and fat sounded promising along with Ginkgo Biloba leaf extract to
increase circulation and more blood flow to help in the process made sense to me. In addition, this lotion has lots of antioxidants, highly refined oils such as grape seed oil,
almond oil, sunflower seed oil, vitamins, and several natural anti-inflammatory
ingredients for more benefits.
I was immediately drawn to its lovely scent once I pumped
this lightweight lotion out. There was no sticky feeling left on my skin
either just what I rubbed felt silkier and more supple. It took about ten
days for me to see improvement with more firmer, and less jello-looking thighs.
You won't find all your other humps and bumps gone if you
have them, but you will see a wonderful difference in pulling the area together
while giving your skin more elasticity and softness. If you're like me and
need to fix the look of your problem area, then I recommend trying Prana SpaCeuticals Attar Firming Body Milk and see how well it works firsthand
because I know you will appreciate what it can do.
The 8-fl. oz. bottle retails for $28.
*Disclaimer: This is my own honest
opinion. A free product was provided solely to facilitate this
review.*
Imagine how delicious a cup of creamy lemon custard would
taste right about now? Anyone that loves lemon and pudding type of
desserts will really enjoy this recipe. This yummy delight has a cloudlike texture bursting with tangy sweet lemon flavor so it is sure to bring on a sunny attitude.
It is relatively easy to make once you assemble all the
ingredients. The most complicated part is separating the egg yolks from
the whites and then beating the whites to fold in.
Using milk is fine, but if you want the texture even creamier, then substitute evaporated milk. The richness is increased and the finished custard is as smooth as velvet against your tongue.
You will bake this in the oven in four custard cups that
need to be surrounded by hot water once in your baking pan.
Feel free to top with whipped cream or frozen whipped
topping later or just serve plain. Either choice is delicious!
My Luscious Lemon Cups
2 tablespoons of melted margarine or butter (not spread)
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind or 1 teaspoon of
lemon extract
1 cup of milk or evaporated milk (to make it creamier)
To Prepare:
Leave your eggs at room temperature while you assemble
your ingredients. They will separate better.
Set the yolks aside.
You will beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff
peaks form.
After melting the margarine, mix it along with the sugar,
yolks, flour, lemon juice, rind or extract, and milk into a mixing bowl.
Fold in the egg whites.
Grease and fill four custard cups and place in a 9-inch
square baking pan. Put this pan in the oven before pouring some hot
water around them.
Bake these custards at 350-degrees for about 45 minutes or
until a slim knife inserted comes out clean.
Chill thoroughly.
Top with fluffy whipped cream or enjoy as is!
Disclaimer: This post is based on free
products provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my
own opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.
As one with year round allergies, I can tell you that it
takes a serious concealing product to hide dark allergic shiners.
Sometimes, the same products I use to cover my black circles just don't
cut it when they act up even when taking antihistamines. Therefore, I have
accumulated quite a collection because concealing is important to me.
Otherwise, I could be mistaken as a human raccoon with the size of those rings
around my ends.
Luckily, I found IT Cosmetics, a brand of
innovative cosmetics developed along with plastic surgeons to treat skin with an
anti-aging formula and beneficial ingredients while delivering beautiful
color. The products that I have tried from them already have been
winners so I was eager to see how well their Bye Bye Under Eye and Dual
Airbrush Foundation/Concealer Brush would work on an awful allergy day to
keep me from scaring people.
The company was very generous to send me two shades of the
Bye Bye Under Eye in Light and Neutral Medium. I am
not fair but consider my skin more light with warm undertones. On me, the Light
shade was a better match. The Neutral Medium is little dark for
that eye area, but I can use it on the rest of my face or probably once I get
into the sun.
This thick cream is waterproof and a moisturizing formula
with vitamins K, A, C, E and hydrolyzed collagen to even help reduce eye
puffiness because it was developed as a way to conceal facial bruising after
plastic surgery.
Unlike what you normally would use when applying concealer,
you only want to squeeze out an extremely tiny amount. Although you can
use your finger, I really liked using that Dual Airbrush Foundation/Concealer
Brush with this product.
First, I applied my eye cream and then I
focused that loaded brush toward the inner corners of my eyes. I spaced a
few dots from the inner and outer corners and across the lower eye socket line
before using my finger. Instead of rubbing, I tapped the concealer
in. You might be surprised at well this method worked to distribute the
concealer without thinning it out in places from your fingers. Trust me on
this, you will have more success with concealer if used this way.
I liked the amount of coverage obtained while it
brightened the under eye as well though it did have a slight shine. Though
once you finish with foundation and the rest of your makeup, it is perfectly
fine.
I can't say if it was the concealer that helped my saucer eyes that
day shrink or my new antihistamine, but my eye swelling also went down later
that morning. This was not drying or did it cake up for me and seemed to
last a long time without ending up into my fine creases, which also impressed
me.
If you have imperfections like yours truly and are
looking for a great concealer and brush, I do recommend IT Cosmetics and
their Bye Bye Under Eye (retails for $24) and Dual Airbrush Foundation/Concealer Brush (retails for $48)! These products are also
available at QVC, QVC.com, Beauty.com, Beauty 360, and the shopping channel.com
in Canada.
*Disclaimer: This is my own honest opinion.
A free product was provided solely to facilitate this review.*
Disclaimer: This post is based on a free
product provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my own
opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.
When approached by European Vinali, a Bio Wine
Cosmetic company based in Spain, to see if I would
be interested in testing their skin care derived from antioxidant rich organic grapes
along with game-changing active botanical ingredients, I looked forward to
working with them. Since serums are considered the strongest potency in
anti-aging products, I chose their Vianli Cosmetics Repair Oil for
this review and giveaway.
This revolutionary line began after years of extensive research in the company's winery in Ribera del Duero (Spain). Marie-Sixtine de Coral, the creator of the brand, realized the potential of anti-aging fortified Resveratrol skin care over what other brands had to offer with the first global brand of wine-Cosmetic ECOCERT certified organic form of delivering 10% more Resveratrol from the polyphenols found in grapes for better neutralizing skin damage.
For about five weeks now, I have been using Vinali's Repair
Oil that is bountiful with antioxidants and vitamin E. It has concentrated skin repairing power of grape seed and Hypericum, which has
antibacterial and anti-inflammation properties.
I used it twice a day after cleansing. Since this is an oil, I left my skin slightly
damp before applying. This helped deal with an excess of greasiness
and absorbed better into my skin.
What I noticed soon after testing this
product was what a healthy color my skin possessed. Other such products
left me with more a pink glow whereas this oil remarkably bought out the peach
tone in my light beige complexion like my skin was thriving.
The overall size of my pores diminished somewhat as well
over that period and my skin significantly felt smoother. However, I
did not see any difference as far as help with fine lines and creases.
Nonetheless, I loved all else Vinali's Repair Oil did for giving
me a naturally radiant looking complexion that made it bloom with genuine
health.
Vinali is committed to the purest organic
product. No phenoxyethanol, parabens, coloring, fragrance, synthetic
active ingredients without PEG-PPG, non-GMO, or petrochemical derivatives are
ever present in their formulas.
This skin care oil can definitely feed your hungry
complexion as it did mine and give it new health. Do look into Vinali Cosmetics and their Repair Oil because it does give your skin what it
craves to get it happy and glowing. The 1-fl. oz. bottle retails for
$44.16.
*Disclaimer: This is my own honest
opinion. A free product was provided solely to facilitate this review.*
Thanks to Vinali Cosmetics, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff
reader in the United States wins a full-size bottle of Vinali Cosmetics Repair Oil ($44.16 value)!
Mandatory to Enter:
1. You must follow me on Google Friends
Connect before any of your entries will count. If you already follow,
then INCLUDE your ***EMAIL*** with name in a comment!
Extra Entries:
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form of entry and number the rest):
Tweet Defy Aging! #Win @VinaliCosmetica #RepairOil @Nuts4Stuff #Giveaway ($44)
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for each tweet.)--1 to 3 extra entries to leave in separate comments with proof.
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Giveaway--1 extra entry
Leave a separate comment for each entry. Be
sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if
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***Any entries that contain a link or
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be deleted when found. I am giving you a chance to win, not advertise for
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Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities
will be grounds for disqualification.
This giveaway ends June 3, 2013 at 12 PM Eastern
Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and
shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.
Keeping your real age hidden from the world is more likely
if you make a few simple changes to your makeup bag and routine. After
all, we as women are entitled to our secrets!
The following little tweaks
to what you are doing or using can help you maintain a younger appearance.
1. Try a moisturizing foundation that has
light-reflecting pigments instead of ones that are heavy, dry and matte.
This choice can help add radiance and distract the eye with light more so from
wrinkles than a thicker, non-reflective formula that can exaggerate them.
2. You may want to experiment with
gray-violet or taupe-mauve eyeshadow. These universal shades seem to work
wonders on everyone to enhance their lids and make the most of their eyes.
However, if you are at the stage with droopy lids, you need to take a different
route with brightening the area to give the illusion of lifting the
lid. Pick a shade like golden vanilla or peachy beige shadow that
either is matte or has a soft gleam to it.
3. As far as eyeliners, I suggest switching
to long-wearing gel eyeliner. This type won't tug on
delicate skin and stays put more. Pencils, on the other hand, especially
the creamier the formula, can smudge over time and end in fine lines. Look
into a slightly softer color than pitch black such as deep grays, browns or even
taupes, which is a subtler way to define aging eyes.
4. When lining your inner rims, you may want
to look for bone-color eyeliner instead of a bolder white. This color is
just as effective as calling attention away from redness in a more natural way
so you look well rested.
5. Lashes thin as we age.
Therefore, you might want to consider trying lengthening formulas of mascara
over volumizing ones. Also, you probably should opt for waterproof
formulas since they won't smudge to settle in fine lines and creases like the
non-waterproof varieties.
6. Discover what an eyelash curler can do to
open up your eyes. You need to make friends with this tool since it can
prevent over clumping on thinning older lashes for an ugly, spikey look.
7. Cream blush is another product you
might think of switching to since it leaves skin with a dewy sheen. A
powder blush can look flat on older complexions and settle into any fine lines.
8. In regard to concealers, you should
start learning to use a brush with a thick, creamy formula. If you begin
at the inner corner of the eye, you place a small amount of the concealer and
dot across the eye hollow before blending. You will find this method works
better on a more serious dark circle problem in those thinner hollows of your eyes
than a thinner liquid concealer.
9. Lighten up your lip color
choices. Equally important, you need to avoid overly dark and matte
lipsticks. Looking into softer well pigmented glosses can give you
color and definition in a more flattering way.
10. Make sure to use a clear or neutral color
of lip liner to keep your lip gloss or lipstick from bleeding.
11. Last of all, you would best be served
investing in a highlighter with a soft gleam. A little highlighting powder
on the cheekbones, temples, under the brows, or on the inner corners of the
eyes, helps a face glow.
Though you can't buy the next thing I want to suggest, I
do recommend it as a stunning finish to complete your transformation. Be
sure to smile more because nothing is more attractive or approachable than a
beautiful woman with a smile!
Disclaimer: This post is based on a free product provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my own opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.
If you ask me, I think one of the most amazing products you can put on your face is a BB Cream. Such a multi-tasking product can hydrate, conceal, protect, and serve as makeup to saves you time, but also is a great choice to add to your summer beauty ritual.
Thanks to iFabbo, I had the opportunity to try Hydroxatone Anti-Aging BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 in Medium.
The first thing you will notice is how this citrus scented product will even out your skin tone and do wonders to improve the texture of your complexion. It does come out a bit thick so you only need a little to do your face. The feel of this cream is lightweight against your skin with reliable light to nearly medium coverage, depending on how much you apply.
This cream needs a few minutes to adjust once on your skin before you notice how it adapts to match your coloring. Being light but not fair, I had concerns about what the medium shade would look like; however, this suited my coloring without any problems. In fact, I think light would have been too pale for me. Therefore, I suggest you may want one shade darker than normal in this line.
With their peptides, vitamin C, plant stem cells, and SPF 40 broad spectrum sun protection, this BB Cream really did benefit my skin from anti-aging because it didn't seem to settle into any creases, insured the face protection from sun damage being a sunblock, and gave me a better-looking complexion the more I used it.
As far as staying power, I thought this cream held up nicely without turning greasy either. The gorgeous soft matte finish won't disappoint you.
Unlike a tinted moisturizer, I also want to point out that this BB Cream is wonderfully pigmented. Some people may feel they need more coverage if they have lots of skin issues and apply their foundation on top, but I thought the coverage smoothed and perfected my complexion just fine alone. I intend on replacing my normal foundation with this one for summer.
The 1.5 oz. Hydroxatone Anti-Aging BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 retails for $39 at ULTA. If you haven't tried a BB Cream yet, you definitely need to look into one. I honestly believe you'll love what this can do for you!
*Disclaimer: This is my own honest opinion. A free product was provided to facilitate this review.*
Disclaimer: This post is based on a free
product provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my own
opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.
When I learned what L'Occitane en Provence envisioned with the Grasse Collection, I eagerly anticipated what those new divine
creations would smell like once founder, Olivier
Baussan and perfumer, Karine Dubreuil brought historic essences that
distinguished Grasse for perfumery and paired them for this recently
launched line of April 2013.
Simply put, this collection is a celebration of the ceaseless beauty from nature,
landscapes, and the exciting atmosphere of Southern France brought to you
in the purest form.
Take Jasmin & Bergamote, the first of the four fragrances that I will be sharing with you in future reviews, that is truly
magnificent for complimenting two notes in such a balanced way that the
white floral against the fresher bergamot, gracefully float like a soft breeze
against a blooming field.
This romantic fragrance is so delicate and
yet refined with how the almost transparent notes of rare petals and green
leaves mesh against the uplifting, but an equally sheer layer of bergamot in
perfect harmony between freshness and sensuality.
Wearing this
fruity-floral fragrance can be compared to living a beautiful dream that leaves
you wondering if that bliss you are experiencing is real or a product of your
subconscious because of how the scent lingers to haunt you with its innocent
simplicity.
The longevity of this eau de toilette will surprise you as
well. I was thrilled at how many hours this fragrance lasted without
fading.
If you are drawn to floral fragrances with jasmine, I urge
you to try L'Occitane's Jasmin & Bergamote products from this
collection. However, I do need to point out if you are expecting the scent
to be overly sweet and overflowing with jasmine, you will not find it. Instead, this scent sways like the perfect partner matching your every
move to a slow romantic dance with how exquisitely the notes unfold and glide.
The 2.5 oz. Jasmin & Bergamote Eau de Toilette retails
for $75. Also, available is a matching 6-oz. body milk and shower
gel for $20 each, and a perfumed soap for $8.
I honestly fell in love with this scent and can't wait to
test the other remaining scents in this Grasse collection because they are
something truly to behold and bask in.
Do visit L'Occitane and pick
this fragrance up. Trust me on this, you too will helplessly
slip into the same lovely dream with certainty because this is the magical
component that is a part of this fragrance.
*Disclaimer: This is my own honest
opinion. A free product was provided solely to facilitate this review.*
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