'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray! July Ipsy Unbagging

It's mid-July, which means that it's time for another Ipsy unbagging! This month's bag arrived much more quickly than the last couple, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. July's theme was "Beach Beauty", and I think the selected products fit that theme perfectly.

Let's see what we got:

I love this bag! It's a fluorescent pink cylinder, made from a clear, PVC-ish material. It's water-resistent, and wonderful for keeping in your beach bag. Inside the bag, I found Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof hairspray, BH Cosmetics eye shadow mini-palette, Coola Mineral Sunscreen, Demeter perfume oil in Salt Air, and Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush. So, stuff to keep me frizz-free, fry-free, smelling beachy, and looking Summer-y. I'll take it!

This is my first experience with BH Cosmetics eye shadows. I have lip and concealer palettes (those same ones available from Coastal Scents and Crown Brush and...well, everybody else), and they're fantastic for the price, but I've never used the shadows before. I have to say, they're not the most amazing shadows I've ever used, but they're pretty darn good. I could toss this in a bag and be good to go for a weekend trip. The colors are a little sheer (save for the gold--wowzers!!!), but they apply smoothly and blend well.

I'm a little conflicted about the lippie. On the plus side, it's a gorgeous coral, and I love coral. It's also extremely creamy, easy to apply, feels amazing, and has decent staying power--not phenomenal, but not bad. On the other hand, that gorgeous coral is NEON against my skintone. You can't really tell from the swatch (below), but this is most definitely meant to be a statement lip. I just really don't know how I feel about it. I do know that I'll have to give Pop lip products a second look, though. I've not been impressed with their eye shadows, but this lipstick is a great product, neon or not.

From left to right, we have the Pop Beauty crayon, then the BH eyeshadows in Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. Just look at that Malibu--LOOK AT IT!!!! I'm a gold eye shadow kind of girl, and that rivals a couple of Stila shadows that I absolutely adore.

Pay no attention to the sleep deprivation (my adorable puppy likes to practice his tap-dancing at 3am...on my bed...on top of me). I threw this together this morning, using only the shadows in the mini-palette. I used San Francisco in the crease, outer corner, and lower lashline, Malibu sheered across the lid, and Hollywood as an upper lashliner. I applied these over Urban Decay Primer Potion, and they've stayed put for the past five and a half hours. If there's been any fading, it's so minimal that I can't tell.

I haven't had a chance to use the hairspray, yet, but I'm sure it's going to get a workout. I'm interested to see if it's as good as my Redken 28. That sucker could hold your hair through a hurricane.

This applied smoothly, truly was unscented, and hasn't caused any oiliness or irritation. I just don't know if it's worth the trouble to add SPF 20 when I'm already using a BB Cream with SPF 20. I might just stick with my drugstore SPF 100 (Lord, that doesn't mean anything. They were out of 35 and 50). It's not oily, either, and costs a heckuvalot less.

Alrighty, now we're on to my favorite part of the bag! This perfume oil is killer. It smells exactly like the beach. I don't mean, "ooh, it smells of salt and coconut! It's beachy!" I mean, "holy cracker jacks, this smells like the air when I get out of my car at my aunt's beach house. There's some salt, some seaweed, some sunscreen...it's a cooler of fried chicken and cokes away from actually being the beach. It should come with a towel, a boombox, and sand for the floorboard of your car. I'm in love. Pure love. Tara, if you're reading this, your name is all over this bottle.

Here's a look I put together with the stuff in the bag. It's mostly drugstore, since I wanted this to be something you could grab at Walmart or Target while you did the rest of your vacation shopping. There are a couple of exceptions, but just a couple. And yes, my hair is wet. I could tell you it's because this is a beach look, and I wanted you to see how it would look for reals, but honestly, I'm just lazy and didn't feel like blowing my hair dry.

Coola Mineral Sunscreen
Garnier BB Cream Light/Medium
Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Brightener and Neutralizer
ELF Studio Body Shimmer in Mystic Moonlight
BH Cosmetics Mini-Palette
ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks & Caicos
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
ELF Essential Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush
Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Pink
Buxom Buxom Lash Waterproof Mascara in Black

Mystery Solved!: StyleMint Mystery Bag Review

Quick ranty question before I get into today's entry: Why has no one invented tinted sunscreen? Not tinted moisturizer with SPF, not bronzer with SPF, but actual tinted sunscreen? That way, you could put it on from tip to toe and have perfectly even skin. No more messing around with "skin perfectors" or "tone-enriching ribbons" (a.k.a. glitter); just a sheer tint in the sunscreen itself. Why does that not exist? /end of rant.

Okay, so yesterday I received my StyleMint Mystery Bag in the mail, and since the last review I did of a Mystery Bag was so popular, I thought I'd do one on this bag, too. Plus, I've noticed that a lot of the ladies on the StyleMint Facebook page have been interested in seeing how the shirts look on "normal" people. Well, I'm pretty average, so I took some photos that you can use as reference, if you want. I'm 5'3", and on the StyleMint sizing guide, I'm a 3 (Medium).

First, a review:
StyleMint runs this kind of promotion about once a quarter. Normally, they coincide with a holiday or special event (i.e. the Academy Awards, Halloween, Christmas), but this one was just for the fun of it, I guess. I expected to hear, somewhere along the way, that they were Olympics-themed, but that didn't happen, and that's fine by me. The themes never mean anything, anyway. This "bag", like all the ones before it, came as an envelope stuffed with brown paper-wrapped shirts. No bag, no theme, no fuss, no muss. This is not a criticism, by the way.

In the past, the bags have tended to be either a shirt and a JewelMint item (JewelMint is a sister company, and normally runs a similar promotion alongside the StyleMint one), or a shirt and another StyleMint item (sunglasses, leggings, tote bag, etc.), with maybe a coupon code or two tossed in for good measure. That's not a bad deal for $29.99, and I've been happy with those bags in the past. This bag, though, took the cake. For the price of one shirt, you received three StyleMint items. Now, those items could be pretty much anything in the StyleMint catalog, but you'd get three of them, so the bag was definitely more than worth the pricetag.

Now, some ladies have complained that they didn't like what they got. You don't get to pick your items, so you could end up with things that aren't to your taste. One lady even received an item she'd previously returned (I mean, not the same exact shirt, but the same style of shirt. It was a new shirt. Oh, you know what I mean). That is the gamble. That's also why you get so much for so little, so it's a trade-off.

I'm thrilled with my bag. I now have six StyleMint shirts and StyleMint dress, and all but one shirt and the dress were Mystery Bag purchases. They're all excellent quality, feel amazing, and look really cute on. Sure, you might have to put a little more thought into how you'll wear your shirt, but I think that just adds to the fun of the bag. My only complaint is with the shipping. I never got a tracking notice, and it's not the first time. All I had to do, though, was ask customer service, and they got the notice to me ASAP. I will say that StyleMint (as well as JewelMint) has excellent customer service. I'm continually impressed by them. The shipping is generally pretty slow, but the customer service makes up for it.

So, let me show what I got. These pictures are not styled in any way. I just threw the shirts on over a pair of Sweetheart jeans from Old Navy and a pair of CL by Laundry flats. I also didn't try the shirts on before taking these photos. We're all seeing them for the first time together, folks.




Photo Credit: StyleMint

 The first one I tried on was the Brooklyn T. Admittedly, when I first saw this, I was a little less than impressed. I haven't been into fussy florals since the very early 90s, when none of us knew any better. What was I going to do with this old lady shirt?

I was going to rock it, that's what! This may be my favorite shirt out of the bunch, now that I've tried it on. I wore it to work today, that's how much I love it. I shot from the side, instead of full-on, because I wanted you to see how it's lower in the back. For me, it's a really flattering cut. This is very lightweight with a wide scoop neck, so you could layer with it, but it's dark enough that you don't need anything underneath it. The red is also much more muted in person than in photographs. It's a lovely shirt, and nothing like the chintz sofa cushion I thought it was going to be.



Photo Credit: StyleMint



Next up, the Savannah T in black. I immediately liked how the stars are made to look like sketches and doodles, and not like cookie-cutter stamps. To me, that's more interesting.

I like this a lot, but it's not grabbing me the way the Brooklyn T did, which is weird, because, between the two of them, I'd have picked this from the online pictures before I'd have picked the Brooklyn. It's just a basic tee, albeit a really soft and high-quality basic tee. Scoop neck, level hem. I think this is going to look really cute layered under a black cable-knit hoodie this Fall and Winter.

Photo Credit: StyleMint

This last shirt just made me giggle. I need to wear it on-set, sometimes, or maybe to rehearsals. Heck, I need this tattooed onto my forehead. I showed it to Thomas and he laughed out loud. In case it's too difficult to read, it says, "I'm Almost Not Crazy".

Okay, there are two shots here. This one shows how the lettering falls, and the one below shows the snug fit and sheerness of the tee.

                                        

I love the way this is made. The material is super-soft and lightweight, and it feels like it custom forms itself around your body (I know it doesn't, but it's just that soft and flexible). It's also cut with a longer line, so you never look short-waisted, or feel like you can't bend over with confidence. I hate shirts that creep up in the back, and leave you wondering if you're *ahem* exposed anywhere you shouldn't be. No worries with this.

So, that's my Mystery Bag, folks, along with my thoughts and, hopefully, a little sizing reference. I apologize for all the camera-in-the-face photos, but you work with what you've got, I guess. Did anybody else get a Mystery Bag? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Summer In the City: May Favorites

First off, I want to congratulate my awesome, amazing, and way too darn tall baby brother on his 8th Grade Graduation! Not only that, but he won the Technology award for his class! Don't ask me what that means, because I'm a bad sister who has no idea. Still, I'm impressed, and couldn't be prouder.

And yeah, I cried.

Buckets.

I love that kid.

 

Photo Credit: Sally Beauty Supply

 

Okay, now that I've embarrassed the pants off my younger sibling, let's move on to something new! Since it's the end of the month, and I've had the opportunity to play with some new things, I thought I'd put together a little "best of" list. These are the products I've found myself reaching for the most this month. I tried really hard to choose both high-end and drugstore products for each category. Think of it as a mini-review/recommendation list. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, let me know, and I'll try to keep this up. I'm trying to tailor this blog to what you guys want to see, so please, do a girl a favor and tell me what  you want, what you really, really want.

Eyes

Photo Credit: Sephora

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Rehab: Toss this is in your beach bag for one-step, no fuss, boho smoky eyes. Run this bronze-y brown all over the lid and under the lower lashes, smudge it out, then use it to line upper and lower for added definition. No brushes, primer, or neatness required! $20, Sephora.

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base: Surprise! This is the only primer I've ever used that could really cut down on glitter fallout. I adore my UD Midnight Emergency palette, but Midnight Rodeo and Midnight Cowboy (my favorite shades, wouldn't you know) tend to turn into mini Tinkerbell-explosions that no amount of clean-up can fix. On a whim, I used the sample size primer from my Dark Shadows palette, and ended up with only the tiniest bit of fallout on my cheeks, instead of the disco-ball shrapnel I'm used to. Awesome stuff, guys. $6.99, Ulta.

Lips

Photo Credit: Sephora

Tarte Lipsurgence Natural Lip Tint in Enchanted: I picked this up to wear during a voice recital, which is basically an hour straight of singing. Correction: it's basically a solid hour of beating your lips together, interrupted only by brief, yet frequent, periods of chugging water. Anything that goes on your lips has got to have serious staying power, and this definitely did the trick. Not only that, but my lips stayed soft, moisturized, and the prettiest shade of fresh strawberry pink. It's pricey, but given the circumstances, worth it. I do want to compare it to the new lookalike, Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm. $24 (nearly choked!), Sephora.

Photo Credit: Drugstore.com

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Lollipop: Speaking of Revlon, I am absolutely loving their new lip butters. They feel like a balm, look like a sheer lipstick, and come in really pretty, color-coordinated packaging, so no fumbling around looking for the right one in a sea of black containers. (I'm looking at you MAC and E.L.F.!) Lollipop is a super bright fuschia that can be worn sheer for a wash of color, or built up for maximum impact. It's gorgeous for Summer. $5.99, Drugstore.com.

Face

Benefit Boi-ing: I'm just going to say this: I ran out one day (okay, so I accidentally dropped it in my coffee while I was half-asleep and trying to get dressed in a hurry. Grace and dignity, right here), and had to use another concealer I had lying around. I figured that would get me by for a few days, at least, right? Nope. By nightfall, I'd replaced it, and have no intentions of ever being without it again. It's just that good. $19, Sephora.

ELF Mineral Foundation: I use this to set my beauty balm and concealer, and honestly, I like it better than the UD powder I was using. Plus, I feel like I'm doing something good for my skin by using the mineral powder, and it's a heckuva lot cheaper. $5, eyeslipsface.com.

Body

Photo Credit: Sephora

Super by Perricone Supermodel Legs: I won't go out in shorts or a skirt without this, if I can help it. It's leg makeup, pure and simple, but it's so easy to use, and your legs look fabulous. This is a lightly-tinted, weightless moisturizer that you just rub on for a subtle sheen that reflects the light and masks imperfections. I'm not going to say that it does anything other than that, but for this day-glo white chick with cellulite, that's enough. It's on sale right now, and I plan to pick up a few more bottles. $15, Sephora.

Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen with Shimmer: I live in the extreme deep South (any further South, and you'd be swimming). It's hot. It's muggy. It's downright miserable, and while I feel that everyone, regardless of location, should wear sunscreen every day, there's really no way around it down here. You go outside, you fry. End of story. This feels nice, coats well, protects really well, and leaves you with a pretty glow. The smell's a little too sunscreen-y for my taste, but I can live with it for all the other benefits. $9.99, Drugstore.com. (Available in several SPFs. I like 40. 'Cause I'm Casper.)

Hair

Photo Credit: Sephora

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray: My technique for beach waves: Spray this in towel-dried hair, then roughly blow-dry until just damp. Let air-dry the rest of the way. Do. Not. Brush. Looks like I just spent the day at the Gulf, and it's so fast and easy! $24, Sephora.

Bumble & Bumble Prep: I use this is conjunction with the Surf Spray, actually. That's why I have two high-end products for this category. The day after you Surf Spray your hair, spritz this all over to reactivate the product, then brush through for soft waves that last all day, or use as a base for hot rollers or a curling iron. You can also use this on its own as a style primer, but I love it for reactivating product. It really came in handy a couple of weeks ago during filming. Travel size is only $6 at Sephora.



Photo Credit: Buy.com



It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In: The drugstore pick is as expensive as the high-end! That's madness! I hate, hate, hate, that I got this as a deluxe sample. I used it up, fell head over heels in love with it, and then found out how much it cost! It's completely worth it, though, and a bottle will last months. Spray it in freshly washed hair for detangling and added softness and shine. I don't know how I lived without it. $21.99, Target (I believe Ulta is less, but I can't find it on the site).

Nails 

China Glaze in Watermelon Rind: This is a super fun, unexpected pop of color for your toes. I don't recommend it for fingers, but this bright teal glitter shade looks beyond beautiful peeping through flip-flops. Check it out at the top of this post. $6.49, Sally Beauty Supply.

My Annual Sunscreen Soapbox Rant

Photo Credit: Sephora

There's an article circling through Facebook right now, and it's one I think we all need to read. The gist of it is a young woman, Glenna Kohl, passed away from skin cancer brought on by tanning. There's more to the story, including a misdiagnosis that played a huge role in her eventual death, but the long and short of it is that tanning--even in tanning beds--is dangerous, and not something to be messed around with. Now, I know it's Spring Break season, and Summer is just around the corner. I don't want to be a killjoy and tell you that you can't look pretty and golden in your new white sundress. What I do want you to do is be careful: wear sunscreen, and get your bronze from a bottle. Technology has advanced so much since the days of "Fake Bake Orange", and you can (really! I promise!) get a decent tan from a can. Lord knows, that's the only way this Irish lass avoids going from Casper to Lobster in .0001 seconds.

I've already posted about most of these products before, so I'll just link to my original thoughts. These are some fantastic ways to stay safe without having to sacrifice style.

Sunscreen: For face, I'm digging Walgreen's Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Lotion. Normally, I wear makeup that contains an SPF, but if I'm laying out by the pool (ha! Like that happens often), this is one that doesn't clog my pores. Oddly, I've not reviewed it. I thought I had. Whoops. For body, my absolute favorite is Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect. Yes, it smells like suntan lotion, and that's unfortunate, but it looks so darned gorgeous on that I can deal.

Sunless Tanner: The best self-tanner I have ever had the pleasure of trying (and there have been a lot) is the Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Instant Self Tan Lotion With Tint. There's practically zero odor, and you end up with a light shimmer instead of disco glitter, and a beautiful natural bronze that you see right away, but deepens over the next few hours. It's also very reasonably priced. You can't beat it.

Airbrush Tanner: Again, I'm going with Victoria's Secret. This is body makeup, not self-tanner, and it will wash off in the shower. If you're looking for a temporary tan, this is your product. As with the Sunless tanner, there's no offensive odor, and you look naturally bronzed. This is a great way to knock the chill off your legs for shorts or skirts.

Lip Balm: Pick your poison on this. I looked up "Lipbalm SPF" on drugstore.com and got 98 results. There is, literally, something out there for every preference. Just do me a favor and wear it. Lips are so often overlooked when slathering on lotion, and they burn so easily. I've witnessed a lip sunburn up close, and it's not pretty, but it is unbelievably painful. Just put something on. Anything.

For the Undecided: Lastly, if you have no clue what you're looking for in suncare, and my choices just aren't doing it for you, Sephora has an amazing kit for you: a train case filled with 14 deluxe samples of every kind of sun protection and tanner imaginable. It's $30, which is five dollars more than last year's, but you get three more samples and a nicer case, so it's worth it. I'm about to order one, myself. The samples are perfect for travel and purses. Bonus: 100% of profits benefit the Skin Cancer Foundation. As my Mom always says: Pretty is as pretty does.

Keep Calm and Slather On!

Folks, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that next year, that SPF 100 sunscreen that some of you love so dearly will no longer be on shelves. I'll wait while you moan and groan. Finished? Okay. Now for the good news: it wasn't doing you any good anyway. Really.

The FDA has issued a statement that beginning in 2012, new guidelines regarding sunscreen will take effect. Believe it or not, these are all actually reasonable, and designed to keep your skin healthy while saving you money. Here's the breakdown:

Certain buzzwords can no longer be used:
SUN BLOCK--It's false advertising; no skin product can totally block out the sun.
WATER PROOF--Again, not true. The more accurate term, "water-resistant," will be used instead.
SWEAT PROOF--Another misrepresentation. The product might be difficult to sweat off, but it eventually will.

Other buzzwords have to be qualified or earned:
WATER-RESISTANT--Any product claiming this must specify if the wearer must reapply after 40 minutes (lighter formulas) or 80 minutes (heavier products).
BROAD-SPECTRUM--Products with this claim must protect from both UVA and UVB rays.

Labels will change:
NO RATINGS OVER 50--No, the FDA isn't trying to give you skin cancer. SPFs over 50 do not provide any additional protection. Seriously. They do, however, come with hefty price tags and give wearers the false sense that they don't need to reapply.

A few other changes:

• Any product that is not broad-spectrum and SPF 15 or higher will have to carry a warning label that states the product will not protect against skin cancer or early aging.
• No product can claim to work for more than two hours.
• Only products that are applied to skin by rubbing or spraying can be called "sunscreen". No wipes, makeup, body washes, or the like can use that term, regardless of SPF presence.

So, there you go. Enjoy the sun, but remember: the only safe tan is a fake tan, so slather on that sunscreen!

Like I Blister In the Sun: Supergoop! AcaiFusion Lip Balm SPF 30

Photo Credit: Sephora

My awesome mom is taking the family to Disney World! I'm completely excited for the trip; partly, because I'm a Disney nut, but mostly, because I get to go with my kid brother, who's thirteen, and officially the coolest age to tour the parks. He hasn't been umpteen-thousand times, so this is still a somewhat new experience for him, plus, he's finally tall enough to go on all the rides. And to pat me on the top of the head. I'm not sure how I feel about that, frankly...

Anyhoo, we're going in July. I KNOW!!! It's going to be hotter'n Hades (I'm Southern, so I'm allowed to make up my own conjunctions), but that was the best time for us all to go, so we're just going to deal with it. I, for one, have started dieting like crazy so I can get by with tank tops and shorts, and have gone on an absolute sunscreen binge. I have a heavyweight lotion for heading to the parks, an oil-free dry lotion for my face, a lightweight spray for touch-ups throughout the day, and need a high SPF lip gloss to keep my lips from blistering. Look, I'm a beach baby. I grew up in a town not 45 minutes from sugar sand. This little blogger has had many a horrid sunburn, and I'm not spending my vacation slathered in aloe vera gel, watching fireworks from the hotel window. Nosirreebob!

Okay, back to that search for a high SPF lip gloss. Years ago, I bore witness to a severe lip sunburn. Just trust me on this: it's not pretty. I swore I'd never go through that. Now, laying out by the pool, it's easy to either apply sunscreen directly to the lips, or keep a lip gloss/balm with SPF handy, or even layer. It's not as easy to do that at the Magic Kingdom. I don't know about you, but I'm normally too busy trying to figure out lines and schedules to even think about reapplying my lipstick, much less about making sure there's sunscreen layered under it or mixed in with it. Plus, there's only so much space in a totebag. I need an all in one, y'all.

Enter Supergoop! SPF 30 AcaiFusion Lip Balm ($8.50, Sephora). According to Sephora:

This three-in-one balm adds a sheer pink tint while moisturizing and protecting the lips. Shea butter provides long-lasting hydration while powerful antioxidant ingredients, including the fruit of the açaì palm, help to repair oxidation damage. Multiple sunscreen ingredients protect the lips from sunburn and photoaging.

According to me: It's clear and drying. It does protect the lips, though.

Let me back up. The balm comes in a squeeze tube with slanted applicator, and does have a sheer pink tint. If your lips have any color, whatsoever, the gloss will just look clear. It smells wonderful, though--like sunscreen mixed with berries. When I put it on, I immediately have a lovely sense memory of hanging out by the pool, and, for a few minutes, my lips feel really good and hydrated.

Then the balm dries, and brings your lips along for the ride. An optimist would say that that's just a good reminder to reapply. I'm not an optimist. I just say, "ouch", and keep on my merry little way. If I reapplied every time my lips felt dry, I'd be through the tube in a week.

As of now, it's going on the trip. I'll keep it in my pocket and apply it as often as I can, but I'll also carry another lip product with some color to it, for right before photo ops. Apparently, layering is still the name of the game.

Now, for the hard part: would I recommend this? Well, yes and no. Yes, because it does provide excellent sun protection. If you are susceptible to sunburns, or are planning a fun in the sun vacay, then yes, this should be in your arsenal. It's inexpensive and fights pre-mature sun aging. However, if you're looking for good, everyday sun protection for your lips, you really don't need SPF 30, and there much better feeling and more colorful options available. I'd go with one of those.

Final Verdict: 5 out of 10. Good protection, but that's about it.

The Price of Convenience: Philosophy Hope In a Tinted Moisturizer

Photo Credit: Sephora

I did not want to like this. Not at all. Thirty-eight dollars for tinted moisturizer is highway robbery, no matter how fabulous it claims to be. And it is fabulous, no question about it. Oh, I really did not want to like this, and now I am in a quandary.

You see, when I placed my Sephora order for Mom's Mother's Day gift (I got her one of those sunscreen kits, since she would live by the pool, if it were possible), I had the option to try a deluxe sample of Philosophy Hope In a Tinted Moisturizer. I've been on the hunt for a good tinted moisturizer to get me through the Summer, so I figured, "why not?" I've all but replaced my Benefit Some Kinda Gorgeous with CoverGirl NatureLuxe (I know! It's drugstore! How could it be better than Benefit?! It just is, and I love it), but it's still a little heavy for 90+ degree, humidity-laden days, especially if you put it on over an anti-aging moisturizer and a primer--even a light one (SPF is built in, thank God. One more layer might kill me). I used to be a Stila tinted moisturizer devotee, but they changed the formula and I haven't had a chance to try the new product. So, basically, I'm at square one. I've used Hope in a Jar before, and had great success with it after a long, drying, cross-country flight. I also knew that I could use this in place of my normal anti-aging moisturizer without losing any benefits. I just had no idea the Philosophy was thirty-eight freaking dollars. Oh, how I wish I'd known...

Anyhoo, the Light to Medium sample came in, and I was able to give it a good go yesterday. I had errands, then work, then I went power walking for a couple of miles outside in the unforgiving heat and humidity. Just for extra fun, I left off all primers, too. I'm evil like that.

First off, I cringed when I first saw some of the actual product. It looked orange! I actually started humming "Oompa-Loompa Doopity Doo". Adventurer that I am, though, I patted the moisturizer on. I patted because this is a fairly dry moisturizer, and if you try to smooth it on, you end up pulling your skin. This does not mean it isn't hydrating! It just means that you won't end up with a greasy face, which is good. Amazingly, the orange disappeared, and the color blended perfectly with my skin tone. Aside from an even complexion, I couldn't tell I had anything on. This is also good. If I had to complain about anything, my skin looked a little dull. More on that later.

I applied the rest of my makeup as usual, and went about my day. I did notice, about mid-day, that my eyeshadow creased a tad, but was easily smoothed out. After my walk, I fully expected to have no makeup left (at best) or look like Tammy Faye Bakker (at worst), but was delighted to note that my makeup looked okay. It wasn't fresh as a daisy, but it had stayed put.

This morning, I did the same thing, but went ahead and used eyeshadow primer. I also took a very small amount of my Benefit That Gal Brightening Primer and patted it on top of my moisturizer. This added a lovely glow that took care of the dullness, without smearing an entire layer of goop on my face.

So, in a nutshell, you can skip the sunscreen and anti-aging moisturizer and still reap the benefits. I had luck without primer, so you may be able to skip that, too. This product works to make your skin better than it was before you put it on. Technically, it's the same price as a slightly larger tub of Hope In a Jar with SPF 25, but I still think the price is excessive.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. It's a great product that definitely saves you steps in the morning. It's just too darn expensive.   

I Wanna Soak Up the Sun...Responsibly

Photo Credit: Sephora

I've been on an accessory kick, lately. I've started hunting around for hair flowers, headbands, necklaces, even *gasp* earrings! (Believe it or not, I'm not a big jewelry wearer. Who knew?) But the best and most important accessory you can have for Spring and Summer is cheap, easy to find, and goes with everything: Sunscreen.

I grew up watching my Grandfather deal with skin cancer. The treatments were painful and expensive, and there was nothing pretty about the lesions, bandages or scars. That experience beat all the preaching or after-school specials you could throw at a kid.You will not catch me in a tanning bed, and I don't go to the beach without copious amounts of SPF. Yeah, I still get burned--I'm so fair-skinned I reflect--but not nearly as often or as badly as I would without all that lovely zinc.

Now, I have my favorites: Walgreen's brand oil-free for my face, the sparkly Hawaiian Tropic or Neutrogena Cooling Spray for body, Jergen's Natural Glow for a gradual sunless tan, or L'Oreal Sublime Bronze for a fake bake in a hurry. But that's just me. I've been at this for a while. Newbie bathing beauties might need a little help, and that's where this comes in.

The awesome folks at Sephora have come out with 2011's Sun Safety Kit. No, they don't hand you an umbrella and some goop for your nose. For a scant $25, you receive eleven (11!) trial sized sun care products ranging from Bare Minerals veil and Smashbox primer on to Philosophy and Murad sunscreens. Something in there is sure to tickle your fancy. There's also a bonus deluxe sample of Tan Towel Plus. It all comes in a cute box with an adorable hot pink beach bag. Best of all, 100% of the profits (every last darn penny) will go to benefit The Skin Cancer Foundation. This is also a terrific Mother's Day gift. Nothing says, "I love you, Mom," quite like saving her life.

A Dilemma...Now With Extra Sparkles!

Photo Credit: Beauty Advisor Lounge

Hawaiian Tropic has a new product out, just in time for Summer. On a lark, I thought I'd give it a shot and fill you in on the results. So, I did, and here they are.

I'm torn. There, I said it. I really don't know how I feel about this stuff.

The Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect Lotion Sunscreen with SPF 20 ($7.99, Target) was designed to give you plenty of sun protection, while at the same time imparting a subtle shimmer to highlight your skin tone. Talk about a win-win. You get to stay safe and look pretty doing so. Twi-hards, you can actually sparkle in the sunlight. How cool.

And you do. The sunscreen is chock-a-block with itty-bitty mica flakes that practically coat your skin. This is not chunky glitter, mind you. This is very finely-milled, so your skin glistens. You gleam. It even looks beautiful in low-light. In fact, I daresay I like it best in low-light. The highlighting effect is gorgeous, and this should be my very favorite body product ever. I'm already a huge fan of Olay Ribbons Tone Enriching body wash, and this puts it's mica quotient to shame.

Here's my problem: I hate the smell. Totally. It's not that it's an unpleasant smell. It's just very persistent, and after a while, ennervating. It's one thing to get the occasional whiff of your floral perfume or fruity body splash. That's nice. That's welcome. It's a whole 'nother bag of cats to be constantly aware that you are, in fact, wearing a very chemically-smelling sunscreen. It's supposedly coconut-scented, but I've smelt a coconut before, and you, dear sunscreen, are no coconut.

So, I ask you, dear readers: What's a girl to do?

Final Verdict: Right now, I'm going with 8 out of 10. It's fantastic, and Hawaiian Tropic is a brand I trust, but the smell is really killing me.

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful

A week, or so, ago, the folks at BzzAgent asked me if I would like to try CoverGirl's new NatureLuxe line. Well, sure! Sign me up! I'd been considering tinted moisturizers for Summer, and while this was technically a foundation, it was supposed to be as light and silky as a moisturizer. Really, the texture was the main point of switching, anyway, so bring it on! As a bonus, I got to try a Gloss Balm, too. Sweet!

The package arrived yesterday, and contained the foundation in the shade of my choice, Aspen. The gloss balm was a random pick on their end, and I wound up with Muscat, an orange-tinted red that, luckily, is very flattering with my coloring and newly-coppery hair. There were also some lovely coupons enclosed, in case any of you in my immediate area would like one. I think they take $2 off the cost. I know I've blogged about BzzAgent a few times before, but for those just joining us, it's a word of mouth advertising company. They send me stuff. I try it. If I like it, great. If not, that's fine, too. Then, I share my opinions (good, bad, and ugly) with whomever I so choose. In this case, you guys. Aren't you lucky. I receive no compensation for my reviews, other than the products themselves. /End of disclosure.

Anyway, I decided to give them a whirl this morning, completing my usual makeup routine with the role of Erin's foundation played by CoverGirl NatureLuxe Silk Foundation, and the role of lip gloss played by CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm.  

Photo Credit (this and all): CoverGirl

The foundation is really nice. I mean, it's world's better than I expected. My experience with drugstore foundations has been spotty, at best, so I really didn't hope for much out of this. To start, I prepped my skin with moisturizer and my favorite primer, Benefit That Gal. Then, I smoothed on the foundation. At first, I was afraid it would be too dark, but by the time I finished applying, the product had absorbed into my skin, and I had a perfect match. Honestly, the only way I could tell I had anything on, at all, was the eveness of my skin tone. This product covers well, but is sheer enough to let your skin show through with zero cakiness. That earns major points in my book. As an added bonus, the foundation is SPF 10, which eliminates the need to apply sunscreen and saves me a step in the mornings. I also really like the light cucumber scent. Packaging is similar to a tinted moisturizer, in a pretty sage-green inverted squeeze tube. 14 shades, $9.74, Walmart. Final Verdict: 10 out of 10. I really can't think of a reason to deduct any points. This is a real winner.

The gloss balm reminds me a lot of my Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Balm in Bora Bora. I mean, it's almost a dead ringer for it. The long-lasting color is nearly identical, and my lips feel super hydrated. The Buxom plumps, while the CoverGirl does not. However, the CoverGirl comes in a tube for more precise application, where the Buxom requires you to either use your finger or carry a separate brush. You just have to pick which characteristics are more important to you. The resulting color and overall feel on your lips will be pretty much the same, either way. For those of you not familiar with the Buxom: this is a full color balm. The color is still sheer, but much more pigmented than a tinted balm (like Burt's Bees). Because it's a balm, it moisturizes and leaves your lips feeling soft and healthy. The color is glossy and, unlike most balms, visible. SPF 15 (not found in the Buxom, by the way) keeps your lips protected from the Summer sun. Crisp, clean packaging in clear plastic and sage green. My only real gripe is that it's so small it gets lost even in the compartments of my purse. 16 shades, $6.48, Walmart. Final Verdict: 9 out of 10. It's making me second-guess my Buxom love, but the small size is a major turn-off. 

It's Like a Heatwave, Burning In My...Oh, Everything...

So, it's a million and twelve degrees down here in the Deep South, with about 5000% humidity. Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating...slightly. All I know is that it's hot. I mean, ice-water-chugging, egg-frying-on-the-sidewalk, Fall-can't-get-here-fast-enough miserable. My apartment can't seem to get any cooler than 80 degrees, and that's with the AC cranked up, ceiling fans, and one of those Hawaiian Breeze ocillating fans. The birds love it. Of course, they're tropical and I am not.

I know it's not just here, too. The whole country seems to be in a continuous heatwave this Summer, and for that, I'm sorry. I went through three or four cans of hairspray on The Night Shift, so I take full blame for any extra holes in the ozone. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

As atonement, I have compiled a survival guide to help you cope with these Dog Days of Summer. To keep things simple (and inexpensive), all products can be found at Target.

Personally, I'd like to forget about clothing altogether, at this point, but I think the people I work with would appreciate if I stayed as covered up as humanly possible. This little white dress is a fair alternative to going full-out Lady Godiva.

I like that it's 100% cotton, so it breathes, and the design is airy, but covered up and dressy enough that you could wear it to work in a casual office setting. A word of caution, though: reviewers have mentioned that it is a bit on the sheer side (so be careful of your undergarments, ladies), and that you might want to skip putting it in the dryer. They've also mentioned quality construction, comparable to Forever 21. Mossimo, $15.38, Target.com.

There have been days when it was too hot to even wear flip-flops, but shoes are pretty much a necessity in civilized society. Might I suggest a pair like these? First off, they're dressy/casual, so they're versatile. Secondly, the cork is absorbant, which...well, let's face it: feet sweat. I'd rather not slosh around in my shoes, thank you very much. Cork is also very soft and tends to mold to your foot for comfort. Mossimo, $12.99, Target.com.

I'm actually carrying this purse right now. I've had it for about three months, and love it. It's roomy enough to carry what you need, but small enough that you can't fill it with the entire contents of Mary Poppins Carpet Bag. The cotton construction allows the purse (and what's inside it) to breathe, keeping your stuff from getting too hot. It's also washable, durable, and cute as pie. Available in several colors and patterns. Merona, $7.00 (really!!), Target.com.

Please remember sunscreen!! Around here, burn times run about ten minutes. Really, I don't care what brand you use--if it's sports, kids, spray, lotion, or purple--just use something! Sunburns suck, but skin cancer is so much worse. Neutrogena, $9.94, Target.com.

I don't know about you, but lotion melts off my legs, these days. I still need something to keep them moisturized (sweat doesn't count), and this light body mist is just the thing. Put out by Soap & Glory, Girligo is a non-greasy spray moisturizer that leaves your skin silky smooth and freshly scented. I'm also in love with the retro packaging. Soap & Glory, $11.99, Target.com.

Last, but not least, let's put on a little color without worrying about it melting in the car. CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain is, well, just what it says it is. It's a long-wearing lipstain. What's cool about it is that it comes in a marker form--sort of like a Sharpie for your face. Also, unlike many lipstains, it's moisturizing, so you don't end up with flaky lips, or need to carry around a separate lip balm or gloss to put over it. CoverGirl, $7.89, Target.com.

There. We can all "glow" instead of "puddle". Now, maybe Al Gore will get off my back. Again, sorry.

*Photos by Target