Reader Giveaway!

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I'm exited to announce my first ever reader giveaway! Dove has generously offered to give one of my readers a goody bag full of beauty gifts! It's easy to enter. Just "LIKE" us on Facebook and tell us your favorite Fall activity, and yes, shopping for new Fall makeup and clothing counts as an activity! ( A personal favorite of mine, actually.)
 If you are already a Facebook Fan just post your favorite Fall activity and you will be entered to win. Winner will be chosen at random on October 1st, so enter now. This contest is only open to my fans in the US but look for some international giveaways in the future. Click here to enter!

Dove Clinical Protection- Does it Deliver?

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  When you live in Vegas you do everything you can to stay cool and dry. Finding the right antiperspirant/deodorant becomes a major priority. Since I'm a person who has always perspired a lot, when my husband and I made the move from LA to Vegas where summer temps can easily reach 115+, I naturally ended up making the move from regular deodorant to the more serious clinical strength type deodorant. Every brand I have tried has worked just fine...but they are harsh on skin...very harsh. So, when Dove announced that they were making a clinical strength deodorant* that was gentle and conditioning to skin, I was eager to try it.

 Dove says:

  Only Dove Clinical Protection (Anti-Perspirant)/Deodorant combines the powerful (odor and wetness) protection women need while caring for skin 3 ways

·        (1) Moisturization, (2) Gentle on skin, (3) Soothes after shaving

·       Only 23% of women see themselves using a clinical strength deodorant every day, but 43% would purchase a clinical strength deodorant if it offered skin care benefits. **

·       Less irritating than the leading prescription-strength anti-perspirant/deodorant

·       Offers prescription strength wetness protection with the maximum level of active ingredient available without a prescription (20%)

·       Provides powerful 24-hour odor and wetness protection, allowing women to feel confident and self-assured

·       Unlike other clinical strength deodorants, does not contain aluminum chloride or alcohols which can cause skin irritation and discomfort

·       Dermatologist recommended formula



Dove Clinical Protection Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant is the only clinical strength formula on the market with Dove ¼ moisturizers™ and Vitamins E & F.

·       Nourishing moisturizers provide softer, smoother underarms

·       Available in the following fragrances:

o   Original Clean– Light, clean scent

o   Soothing Chamomile – Citrus scent with notes of orange blossom, chamomile and delicate lily of the valley

o   Rebalance – Plum and sakura blossom scent

o   Revive – Pomegranate and lemon verbena scent

o   Cool Essentials – Cucumber and green tea scent

·       Also available in Clear Tone Skin Renew – Formulated with calendula and sunflower seed extracts to help restore skin to its natural tone+



  Following the directions, I applied at bedtime after bathing. What did I think? Well, it had a nice texture that applied smoothly and seemed to absorb more quickly than a lot of cream deodorants do. The first night I used the original clean scent which I have to say I was not overly fond of. It had a floral note which did not appeal to me and the scent did linger for a surprising amount of time compared to most deodorants. I was, however, very happy the next morning when, after playing ball with my dogs in the hot sun for more than an hour I was still smelling fresh and my underarms were the only part of me not sweating! It also delivered on its promise of 24 hour protection with I was surprised about, to be honest.
  The second night, I used the Cool Essentials scent which is cucumber and green tea. I really liked this scent a lot and it's a good thing too because the scent never evaporated. Last night was my third night using Dove Clinical Protection and it's still working great for me. Clinical strength deodorants certainly cost more than regular deodorants but I have to say that I think the Dove brand is worth it. Just make sure you get a scent you really love because it really lasts with this brand. As for me, I'm sticking to the Cool Essentials scent for now.


Please visit http://www.Facebook.com/Dove to share your personalized image of Beauty + Strength, and to enter for a chance to win a spa trip for you and a friend!

* This product was sent to me for review.

Get Sleek With the Hana Professional Flat Iron

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  When I reviewed the Hana blow dryer a few weeks ago I mentioned how much I'd love to try their flat irons because the dryer was so great so the nice people at Misikko sent me the Hana Professional Flat Iron 1" for review and I'm happy to report that it's as great as the dryer.

  First off, I hardly ever pay attention to how a flat iron looks. You'll never catch me with a zebra print or a crystal studded flat iron I just want a high quality professional hair straightener that I know is going to smooth out my frizz without frying my hair. So, I was shocked at how much I love the look of this iron. When I saw the periwinkle blue plates against the sleek black iron it had me at hello. I was also impressed with the leather case that comes with it and that it includes a silicone heat proof mat.

  The iron heats up very quickly so by the time I had smoothed some heat protectant into my hair and combed it through the iron was ready to go. I was interested to see if I could tell a difference between the regular plates in my old flat iron and the "floating plates that adjust to hair texture" in the Hana pro. You can't but my hair didn't get snagged in this one like it tends to in other flat irons I've used so, I suppose you can tell a difference you just can't feel them move.

  The feature I loved best about this iron is the ergonomic handle. I don't usually like pin straight hair on me but I'm a serious klutz when I try to curl my hair with a flat iron and I usually just end up giving up and using a curling iron but the shape of this iron and the swivel cord make it easy. I think this is the first time I've curled my hair with a flat iron that I didn't almost drop it while I was curling!

  The only thing I didn't like about this iron was the fact that it has a dial for the temperature settings instead of a digital one. I guess I just like to be precise when I'm setting the temperature, plus, the digital ones are easier to read but that's the worst thing I can think of to say about the Hana and it's certainly a minor complaint. I did like that the dial was located in a spot where I didn't keep bumping it and resetting the temperature.

  I also love that because of the tourmaline ceramic plates your hair can still be a tiny bit damp when you use it. That saves time when I'm just touching up my second day hair that has gotten slightly damp in the shower.

  The Hana professional flat iron is currently on sale for $119.98 which is already a great price for such a high quality flat iron in my opinion since both of my other flat irons were more expensive and I like this one the best but if you shop now and add the coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY you can get $10 off orders over $100!

 

Recycle Your Beauty Products and Make a Child Smile!

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Terracycle Beauty Brigade

Sponsored by Garnier

  I was reading Bellasugar the other day and I came across a great article on recycling hard to recycle beauty products that are made of more than one material like a metal lipstick tube with a plastic liner for example. Thanks to Bellasugar now I know how and I wanted to share the info with all of you.

  Like many of you, I want to recycle everything I can but I'd never given much thought to recycling a makeup kit or a mascara until I learned about Terracycle a company that turns your empty makeup containers into eco-friendly playgrounds or donates to your choice of charity! How great is that?

  The great news is that it's also free thanks to the wonderful folks at Garnier and super easy to sign up and get started. You don't need any special containers either, just use any mailing box, print our a pre-paid label from the site and drop it off at any UPS Location. Click Here for more info and happy recycling!

Bio Oil, Miracle or Hype?

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Everyone seems to be talking about Bio Oil these days from beauty bloggers to the everyday glamour girl on the beauty forums. So I decided to put my beauty snobbery aside and see if I agreed Bio Oil was the real deal or just really hyped.

  My first impressions were the baby pink color and  light pleasantly fresh scent reminded me of the Love’s Baby Soft Perfume I used to wear in high school, not really what I’m normally looking for in a moisturizer but I reminded myself of all the good reviews and forged ahead. It has the consistency of a dry oil but I feared my breakout prone, sensitive skin would rebel. Following the enclosed instructions, I used just one drop on my face and massaged it in well. I was pleasantly surprised. It absorbed quickly and easily. I found myself fantasizing that it would heal the chicken pox scars I’ve had since I was twelve.

  Fast forward to 8 weeks later and I’m hopelessly hooked. Not only did Bio Oil not break me out, it actually healed 98% of my breakouts and the dark marks they left behind. It has not, however, healed my chicken pox scars but because it does not seem to collect in my pores they do appear less prominent. (The instructions did say it must be used at least six months before scars will show improvement though.) It has also left my skin much brighter and smoother but the thing that shocked me more than anything was how terrific this oil is under makeup! Bio Oil seems to actually function as a primer for my base instead of separating and removing it like I feared it would.

  I did a little research to se what makes Bio Oil behave so differently on the skin than other oils and here is what I discovered: 

  Bio Oil is a blend of botanicals, vitamins and oil. The active ingredient is called Purecellin Oil- it’s a synthetic form of the preen oil from birds that makes them waterproof. No wonder it makes makeup last! ( A word of warning here- it doesn’t do the same for eye makeup so stick to your normal primer for that!) I was unhappy to discover it also contains mineral oil which makes me cringe but I can’t argue with the great results I’ve had.

  A little goes a long way with this oil and I found myself calculating just how much money I’d save monthly If I only needed one drop for my face and one for my neck and chest, morning and night. Priced at $10 for two ounces I could save a lot of money especially since it functions as a makeup primer!

  What do you think? Would you try a moisturizer with mineral oil and synthetic preen oil if you thought it might heal your scars and shrink your pores?

* I purchased this product myself.

Hanna Air Hair Dryer Makes Styling a Breeze!

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  I'm always looking for styling tools that are quick and easy. In my fantasies, my hair always looks like I've just stepped out of the salon but the reality is I usually don't have the patience or the time to do a perfect blow out. I get about halfway done and the dryer starts to get heavy and my hair takes forever to dry so I get impatient and I end up with a passable blow out that is nothing like the silky flowing tresses of my dreams.

  So, I was thrilled when Misikko contacted me to review the Hana Air Hair Dryer one of their Fastest drying salon hair dryers because I've heard they have the best hair dryers and any dryer that says it dries 60% faster is something I want to try!

  Right out of the box I was impressed by the lightweight feel of it and awed by the super long 12' cord. I'm not sure where they think I'm going with my dryer that I need a 12' cord but I can actually leave my bathroom with it still plugged in! But I think too much cord is way better than not enough.

  A couple of seconds in to drying I knew it was going to be a great dryer. My hair has never dried this quickly EVER! Plus, it has these genius little added features like rubber nubs on the sides that keep the dryer from blowing off the counter when you set it down to section your hair and a cool shot button that actually locks into place but the best part is I didn't have the hand fatigue I normally do because of the quick drying and the light weight of the dryer.

  So for the first time in ages, I pretty much ended up with the blow out I always set out to achieve with the exception of a tiny bit of frizz. I'd say it got my hair 95% frizz free which is an accomplishment since even keratin treatments don't get my hair 100% frizz free. Did I get the hair of my dreams? Almost. It's the closest I've ever come to it without a hair stylist.

  Here are some of the Hana Air features according to the website:

• 3 heat settings and 2 air flow settings
• Tourmaline ions and Titanium oxide for healthier hair
• Silver Nano Technology for anti-bacterial protection
• 2300 watts
• Low EMF for less damage
• Lightweight and Gyroscopically balanced

If you're thinking of upgrading your hair dryer I think this dryer is a sound investment in the beauty and health of your hair. In fact, I liked it so much I'm think of upgrading my flat iron to the Hana now that I know their products live up to the hype.

Get the Modern Princess Look

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Get the Modern Princess Look

Every modern glamour girl loves a great smoky eye. It’s the little black dress of makeup, but if you want a look that’s more Kate Middleton than Kate Moss it can be tricky. 

  Tarte Cosmetics Shimmering Taupe Cream Eyeshadow is the perfect shadow for a look that’s more demure. 

  Slightly metallic with the faintest touch of sparkle, yet some how subtle, shimmering taupe manages to be elegant without being boring.    

  A truly modern cream it contains clay from the river banks of the Amazon that, according to the company, makes it last a full twelve hours because of its oil controlling power. I’ll agree that it’s staying power is impressive but I have yet to achieve twelve hour wear without first applying primer but I’m too in love with the look because of it’s real life wearablity.  

  What do you think of the new smoky eye? Would you miss the full on glamour of the more traditional smoky eye? I find it subtly sublime. 

  * Photo provided by WireImage