Category Archives: Product Reviews

Bust out the bronzer, ladies – summertime is approaching! Seasonal changes often bring beauty obstacles, but my roundup of must-haves will keep you fresh, glowing, and protected in the summer sun!

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Perfect for creating sexy, windswept waves, this cult favorite is formulated with sea kelp extract to bring the essence of the beach to your strands. It adds body and texture with a light hold and matte finish. Just work through damp hair and blow dry with a diffuser for sun-dried summer locks.

Image Prevention+ Daily Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

I’m a longtime Image Skincare fan, but I just recently discovered the Prevention+ Daily Tinted Moisturizer. The vitamin enriched moisturizer provides an even complexion while protecting against the damaging effects of the sun. It is light, non-greasy and – my favorite part – it doesn’t smell like sunscreen! Wear the fresh scented moisturizer alone for a day in the sun, or use under foundation for more coverage. Either way, this one’s a keeper!

NARS Beach Lover

This makeup set is packed with essentials required to create a bronze summer glow. Iconic NARS shades in the batch include the duo of Hungry Heart (a golden ivory shimmer highlight powder) and Orgasm (a peachy pink with golden shimmer blush). The duo is a staple in my makeup kit. This five piece travel set also contains the limited-edition Laguna lip gloss, matching illuminator in Laguna, and a Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Skorpios, an iridescent copper.

MAC Temperature Rising Powerchrome Eye Pencils

I checked these babies out at a MAC preview event earlier this week before the Temperature Rising collection officially hits the shelves May 23rd (more on the full collection later!) and fell in love. The texture is AMAZING, super creamy and blendable. The metallic gold shade of Rich Glance is my fav, but all four highly pigmented pencils are worth a look.

Sephora Collection Cocktail on the Beach Palette

Who can resist a cocktail on the beach? This complete shadow and liner palette is packed with expertly coordinated shades of summer. Cocktail on the Beach features a quad of shimmering bronzes, corals, and golds, paired with a deep brown matte liner. Sephora even includes step-by-step instructions for different eye looks on the back!

Lipstick Queen Endless Summer Lipsticks

These soft, nourishing, ultra glossy lipsticks are perfect for a pop of summertime color! The lipstick queen herself, Poppy King, found inspiration for the shades in the iconic surfing movie of the same name in which two surfers travel the world in pursuit of an endless summer. Not only are these lip treats bright and stylish – they are infused with Vitamin E and sheer enough to wear anytime. My favorite color in the collection is Perfect Wave, a punchy pop pink.

Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray

Avoid makeup meltdown with this hydrating makeup setting spray. It mists on to keep makeup from smudging while allowing you to keep that dewy complexion. The weightless, moisture-resistant setting spray utilizes cooling time-release technology that works for up to 12 hours.

Arrojo Protective Thickening Lotion

Protect your strands with amazing stylist Nick Arrojo’s thickening lotion. This light spray deflects UV rays, humidity and the drying effects of salt water and chlorine. It prevents breakage, adds body, and is the perfect size to throw in your beach bag.

[P.S. Don’t forget to vote for me, Katie McBroom, to help me become Allure Magazine’s Beauty Blogger of the Year! Voting for the 2013 Allure Beauty Blogger Awards closes Friday at noon. It would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to do this! Remember, by voting for me you become eligible to win awesome prizes like a trip for two to Hawaii!]

Didn’t do anything for Mom yet? Never fear! You procrastinators still have time to scoop something up. Or you could skip the present and treat Mom to a day of beauty with her daughter! Either way, here are a few fun beauty ideas at all different price points for Mom…

Elizabeth Arden Beauty Icons Set

This signature set ($250) contains several full sized Arden products that have reached cult status including the Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum and Visible Difference Hydration Boost Night Mask. To me, this is a quintessential batch of tried-and-true products for mom… probably because one of my first beauty product memories is seeing the Ceramide Capsules on my own mom’s nightstand when I was little.

Bath and Body Works Rome Honeysuckle Amore Collection

Not all of us can afford to send our Moms to Italy, but we can make her smell like it! Create the atmosphere of a stroll through one of Italy’s most glamorous cities with this “Rome scented” set of products. I’m addicted to this light fruity floral fragrance. Hints of Italian Peach, Blackberry and Green Mandarin mingle beautifully with the Pink Honeysuckle. Affordable, lusciously scented options in the collection include shower gel ($11), body lotion ($11), and a fine fragrance mist ($14).

LUSH Mother’s Day in Paradise

It’s no secret that I love me some LUSH… and they are always whipping up something fresh for special occasions. The Mother’s Day in Paradise set ($56.95) features some of the line’s most popular picks: The Comforter, a best-selling bubble bar, and Dream Cream body lotion. Mother’s Day in Paradise also includes three freshly made exclusives, the Secret Garden Bath Bomb, Mumkin bubble bar, and Madame Butterfly reusable bubble bar.

Dior Manicure Essentials Set

This convenient kit ($62) offers the essentials required for perfectly manicured nails. The limited edition set includes Dior bestsellers like Crème Apricot nail cream, Pelline cuticle emollient, a base coat and top coat, and an orange wood stick and nail file. All goodies are packaged in a chic patent travel pouch, too!

Beauty Box Subscription

Ok, if you subscribe for her now, chances are she won’t get her box of goodies before Sunday… but the beauty of this option is that she’ll get an ongoing series of gifts! Birchbox and Glossybox are two of the most popular, both feature a variety of brand new deluxe product samples delivered straight to your door each month.

Mother/Daughter Beauty Day

Many salons like Drybar (remember how much I love Drybar?) are offering Mother’s Day deals. The blowout experts are offering specially priced packs of blowouts. The more you buy, the more you save! A 3 pack of blowouts will run for $90 (a $15 savings) and a 12 pack costs $325 (a $95 savings!). Drybar also offers a Mother’s Day Special package with a blowout, dry shampoo, and shower cap for $55. Not in your budget? Treat mom to a service at home! Blow out her hair yourself or create a makeshift pedi-spa and paint her nails. If you completely screw it up it won’t matter, she’s your mom and she will love it! (But… if you have one of those moms, you should probably just take her to Drybar).

When all else fails… make Mom a martini. Nothing says “thanks for raising me” like a freshly shaken cocktail. 😉 Happy Mother’s Day to all!

[P.S. Don’t forget to check back on Monday to see if I’m still in the running for Allure Magazine’s Beauty Blogger of the Year! Two bloggers will be eliminated at 9 a.m. Monday, but if I make it through I’ll need your help to make it through the final round of the contest! Either way, I’m so thankful for all of the voting, liking, and tweeting you all have done already!]

In honor of National Stress Awareness Day, I’m presenting a product roundup of relaxation!

These may not all technically be classified as beauty products, but your emotional state can certainly have an effect on your appearance. Happy, well rested people generally have better skin, less noticeable under eye baggage, and more frequent smiles. When I feel stressed to my breaking point, I bust out my relaxation kit, chock full of goodies like this. Here are some products that will get you looking and feeling beautifully relaxed:

21 Drops De-Stress Essential Oil Rollerball

21 Drops offers 21 different portable and collectible rollerball variations containing oils for common ailments. The comforting De-Stress blend is a combination of frankincense resin oil, lavender flower oil, ylang ylang flower oil, and German chamomile oil. Roll on your wrists and temples to stay calm and collected.

Crabtree & Evelyn Lavender Body Cream

The texture of this stuff is seriously like soft whipped butter in the best way possible. The rich emollient cream smells divine and creates velvety smooth skin. It’s like a big moisturizing hug.

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash and Bubble Bath

Bubble away your troubles with the fresh scented Gloomaway bubble bath. The mood-boosting grapefruit scent will promote happiness while the creamy cleanser gets you feeling squeaky clean. Gloomaway is formulated with essential oils of grapefruit, field mint, and sweet oranges. Just try to step into a feel-good foam bath like this without soaking away the sad. Not possible. There’s no crying in bubble baths!

Dermalogica Stress Relief Treatment Oil

Not only does this treatment oil counteract the negative effects of stress, but it can also help combat acne and soften the skin. The soothing, multifunctional blend combines advanced organic silicones with calming essential oils of sandalwood, lavender, orange and sage. Naturally-purifying extracts of tea tree, lemon, and ylang-ylang add to the team of stress fighters and skin conditioners. Use it as a scalp treatment for ultimate relaxation, add a few drops to your bath or lotion, or smooth it on directly. No matter how you decide to apply this versatile treatment oil, it will amplify your relaxation level. Now, who wants to give me a scalp treatment?

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Lavender and Chamomile Pillow Mist

A soft mist of this combo of soul soothing lavender and sleep enhancing chamomile on your pillow will send you to slumberland in moments. I’m falling asleep just thinking about it! Zzz…

[P.S. Don’t forget to vote for me, Katie McBroom, to help me become Allure Magazine’s Beauty Blogger of the Year! You can vote every weekday. Each week a new challenge will be posted on Monday at 9 a.m. It would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to do this! Remember, by voting for me you become eligible to win awesome prizes like a trip for two to Hawaii!]