product test drive-clarisonic is worth the money!

i got a clarisonic for my birthday!!

i know it's foolish to say everyone should run out and get one-they are pricey. but everyone should definitely have it on their wishlist!

i had heard such amazing things from people who owned these miracle machines. tales of soft, clear skin that boggled the mind. even people whose skin broke out initially after they used it still weren't sorry. with reviews like that, it's natural to be curious.

first of all, it doesn't operate like i thought. i don't know where i got this idea, but i thought the brush spun around, but it doesn't. it simply vibrates. this vibration (while feeling very soothing on your skin), loosens dead skin and allows your product to penetrate better. it is your arm's job to move the machine in circles.

another cool feature is that it times each area of your face. once you start, it beeps after a certain amount of time to indicate that it's time to go to the next area of your face. no clock-watching!

all in all your daily clarisonic experience lasts about a minute and a half.

my skin does feel renewed after using this. the dull skin vanishes, leaving behind softer, smoother, cleaned skin. i couldn't stop touching it! it doesn't irritate existing blemishes and actually helped mine go away.

clarisonic is available with different cleansers and textures of brushes.

this is worth every penny. and then some.

product test drive.....Johnson's Baby Oil Body Wash

sorry i've been away, readers. i moved to a totally new state!

but i'm trying to get things back to normal....and part of that includes trying new products!

i've got dozens of shower gels. Victoria's Secret, Philosophy, Bath and Body Works. i should shower three times a day...i have enough to last me for years! still, sometimes i can't resist the urge to buy just one more. the attraction is usually the scent or the other benefits that it can offer. in this case, VERY soft, moisturized skin!

if you didn't have your body rubbed down with Johnson & Johnson products when you were a baby, i'm certain you've at least heard of them. they do a great job of making sure that baby's delicate skin stays soft, and they finally caught on adults want soft skin too.

Johnson's Baby Oil Body Wash is about as pampering as it gets. not only does it smell amazingly soft and clean (not like a nursery), but it leaves your skin silky. it promises that you'll keep the softness for 24 hours. it's tempting to leave my other gels behind, since none of them give me that kind of hydration. i love the way my skin feels and smells when i step out of the shower. it's also great to shave with!

you don't even have to hit the mall to find a great shower gel...just go to your local pharmacy or even Wal-mart and stock up on this stuff!

product test drive.....L'Oreal Feria Color Moisturizing Treatment

if you've ever box-colored your hair, you know the best part is the conditioner.

it's the icing on the cake. your hair becomes silky and soft. i always thought, why don't they bottle this and sell it? i had heard that people would contact the hair color manufacturers simply looking for tubes of the conditioner.

guess what? someone does sell it in big bottles!

at Sally Beauty, you can buy a tube of L'Oreal Feria Color Moisturizing Treatment. you can have that silky feeling every single time you condition, and not just after you color! it will make your hair super-touchable even if you don't color your hair...it's just so moisturizing! a co-worker of mine, who recently graduated from a Paul Mitchell Hair Academy, swears by this conditioner (don't tell Paul...he might get mad).

one downfall-it smells average. not unpleasant, but not yummy. still, it's entirely worth it for the after-effects. it feels like you are pampering yourself just by washing your hair, and you'll notice how different your hair feels as soon as you put it on.

as L'Oreal would tell us...you're worth it. and this conditioner is worth it!

product test drive....philosophy purity made simple high foaming daily cleanser

i'm working on switching up my skincare. i may gravitate towards using 2 different cleansers-one for morning, and a different one for night.

i've been using Purity Made Simple High Foaming Daily Cleanser by Philosophy. during this test run, it's been my morning cleanser. i love how light it is, and how my skin feels afterwards-soft and clean, not tight and dry like some cleansers can be. it also smells really nice.

it's efficient, because you cover cleansing and toning in one step. this product has it all covered! i'm used to clinique's 3 step program, but this will save some time. the pump also makes it very convenient to dispense at your bathroom counter or even in the shower. it foams everything up for you-a lazy gal's dream!

so far, no buyer's remorse about this product. i highly recommend it!

product test drive....Cargo Eye Shimmer Collection

i have a weakness for tiny bottles and sparkly eyeshadow. this was a no-brainer, because it's both.

Cargo's Eye Shimmer Collection is six pretty shades (sparkling white, champagne rose, vibrant tangerine, shimmering lilac, aquamarine blue, and coppered green )that are versatile and portable. i purchased the set for "coppered green", which is a fabulous iridescent shade that makes me look like a modern day mermaid.

they are sheer, but they are very pretty worn alone. because i like to cocktail my products, they also wear really well on top of other shadows. they also make excellent browbone highlighters.

the tiny bottles have a sponge applicator wand inside.

like other sparkly shadows, you will get fallout (when the shadow/glitter gets under your eyes and on your cheeks). however, the shimmer is so fine that it's pretty enough to leave. it adds to the glow. the way this is packaged, i usually end up with the shimmer on my eyes and cheeks and fingers (just from taking the wand out of the bottle).

there is also a liquid shadow set available with 6 shades. the applicator and bottles are the same. i just preferred the colors and shimmer in this set.

the set is $25 at sephora...highly recommended for a shimmery new spring look or to vamp up some of your older shadows!

product test drive.....dr. feelgood

when i heard that this was a balm for your face, i almost steered clear. to me, the word "balm" implies greasy or waxy, neither of which an oily-skinned girl wants on her face.

Benefit's Dr. Feelgood has a reputation for disguising shine, so i had to give it a go.

i've owned this for awhile, and at first i used it alone. it has the strange feel of a chapstick when you put it on, and it's transparent on your skin. it minimized pores and served as an excellent mattifier. i did find that it works best when you have exfoliated, though, because flakey patches seemed more evident with this on (at least around the nose).

under makeup, it smooths the skin and makes a good, long-lasting base. it contains vitamins to nourish your skin, too. it doesn't feel greasy, so skin looks and feels soft.

it's totally portable in it's adorable little tin, so you can touch-up your t-zone through the day, if you like.

i give it an A! this is one doctor you'll like to see!

product test drive....High Resolution Eye Collaser-5x

i'm fighting the clock as hard as any other girl out there...i don't want my skin to show age, or stress, or anything else! i've been scouting out anti-aging products since i was 25, always peering in the mirror looking for an unwanted line.

i can admit that i don't follow all the rules that are out there about how to stay wrinkle-free. i'm not ready to give up my tan just yet. however, i am constantly slathering my face with something that will (hopefully) reduce the damage.

my most recent find was High Resolution Eye Collaser-5x from Lancome. it's claim is to fight wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles. my main mission when purchasing an eye product was one that put up a phenomenal wrinkle fight and could be worn successfully under makeup. i knew a good eye cream would be pricey.

this is a winner, i do believe. money well spent!

i've worn it day and night (sleeping and under my makeup) for about a week, and i notice a difference in the lines around my eyes! i do feel like my eye area is lightened, which must be the reduction of my dark circles. i've inspected my skin in my bathroom light and in natural light, and the lines have disappeared!

one squirt covers both my eyes, so this bottle will last me for awhile. who knows, i may end up investing in the serum for the rest of my face as well!

product test drive.....reluctantly, armani diamonds

i try to stay away from celebrity-endorsed fragrances. more often than not, the chosen celeb doesn't reflect my personal style. it's an ingenius marketing ploy to use celebs, since many people see them as familiar and think that they relate even further if they are doused with britney spear's "fantasy" or hilary duff's "with love".

i have enjoyed lots of armani's fragrances. without a doubt, "mania" is among my favorites ever...it's this gorgeous, warm blend of citrus and woods, and there is an element in it that makes me want to wear sweaters and walk in the forest. sensi was fabulous as well....a sultry, mature vanilla that was sweet enough to draw you in, but not so sweet that you felt like a high-schooler. "she" always went too powdery on me, but i had a friend who wore it and it smelled amazing on her. i didn't care much for "code", but i was excited when i heard about the release of "diamonds", until....

beyonce headlined it.

i have no problem with beyonce, she's just not my style. too much bling and extravagant bodaciousness, rhinestone encrusted and frivolous. she wears me out, god bless her. she made me turn up my nose at diamonds from the start, and i was determined not to like it. somehow, putting certain celebrities as the face of a fragrance cheapens it for me. i almost can't get past it.

i got a sample of it, and the sample and i have been exchanging glances from across the room.

"wear me, just once", says the sample.

"nope. i don't like beyonce".

"i have patchouli and cedar wood and vanilla. you like those things."

"i sniffed you. you weren't that great."

"you didn't even give me a chance to dry down!! put me on."

i wore it while i packed up boxes. and i regret to inform you that i don't hate it. the dry down is rather pleasant, and cedar is one of my favorite components of a fragrance. i'm not running out to buy a bottle (the beyonce thing throws me off still), but i may take the sample out for a better test drive this week.

product test drive....kenzo amour indian holi

i got a sample of Kenzo Amour Indian Holi last week.

it's not what i expected-i thought it would be a heavy, thick, wooded smell. at first sniff, it's all berries and floral. but just when you want a break from it's perkiness, the musk sweeps in and quiets it down. it's feminine and youthful, but manages to have this dark mystery underneath it. but for my taste, not enough mystery. i'd like to see more of the dark side of this fragrance.

it's pleasant enough, but not as interesting as you want it to be.

some say that indian holi didn't last well on them...i found it's staying power to be acceptable. i expect that this one, while an improvement on lots of the new releases out there, won't endure on the shelves too long.

product test drive....matrix curl life re-activator

as a curly-haired gal, i have tried a zillion different products. my hair has a mind of it's own, so even when a product says it's for curly hair, i have to proceed with caution. the market is finally paying better attention to those of us with a medusa mane, but finding new products is still a chore.

i am a big fan of the matrix line already. the conditioner and spray gel smell good and do their job, but i was still skeptical about a curl reactivator. the whole concept, while it would be amazing to pull off, seems impossible. to make your curls seem as fresh as they were at the beginning of the day? dream on.

i used the reactivator. my curls were not as fresh as they were at the beginning of the day (or the day before..., but when i put a bit of water in my hair and then sprayed the product, my hair did improve.

if you are a texture person who insists of having soft/touchable hair, you won't like this product. the product isn't sticky, but when you "reactivate", all the products you put in before seem to reactivate as well. i'd say the reactivator is a lifesaver when you don't have time to go through your entire hair routine.

i'll give it a B. it's not a miracle spray, but it will stretch your hairstyle out in between washes.