I never thought the day would come when Victoria's Secret would add eyeshadow flat pans to their Beauty Rush line, as opposed to continually expanding their baked shadows. A baked shadow makes me as happy as the next makeup lover, but I have this thing about organization, and pulling out pans and placing them in the containers I want with the color themes the mind fancies.Though cute, the packaging seems to be a little extra for the amount of product you're buying. It reminds me of the pods (if that's what they were called) used in The Jetsons to get around. Maybe it's meant to make the shadow somewhat shatterproof - something to test and report!I picked a nondescript light cream and khaki color combination Snow Toasty (and it seems it is no longer for sale online). The shadow is pretty silky to the touch.

Preaching about hair and skin being similar and their neverending thirst is not enough. You have to practice what you preach as well. Depending on how far into your non-washing schedule you're in will direct what kind of product you can put in your hair. For example, one or two days into the schedule, you can get away with nearly any product. When you start getting to four to five days, you need to start skipping on products that don't contribute to moisturizing your strands. At this point, creams are less optimal than oil-like products, because dry strands just make it disappear. Enter into the courtroom: Avon Advance Techniques Daily Shine Dry Ends Serum. The product promises shine and more than 50% of a decrease in frizz on both wet and dry hair. Dry hair? I'll take that challenge!

Changing colors are what brought me to the Broadway Nails brand, and after one experience is a success, it is always wise to check out what else the company has to offer you and let the friendship develop. (p.s. speaking of friendship - if you check out the brand on Facebook and hit 'Like' - or Twitter, and they'll give you a coupon!)

A fresh take on the french tip, I chose a silver accented design with rhinestones thrown in for good measure (from the divine collection - this one is called 'dreamy'). A perfect prelude for a holiday party.

My first experience with the color changing nails had me try on both the adult version, and the one marketed more towards younger consumers. The changing tip design was for adults, whereas the polka dots was aimed more to the tween crowd (though I love my fair share of polka dots). The latter set was a bit narrower for the nails, and though cute, didn't look seamless by the end of the application (the first - color changing tips - was great in fit). The short length I chose this time proved no problem in the width or length of my nails. Keep in mind though, there are folks with longer nails who might have trouble with this size and may need to opt for a longer design.

Pretty simple. Check out the site for more application tips and tricks.
A complaint I had when trying these the first time was the packaging for the glue ended up as a mess while attempting to open it. I either missed the memo then, or it was fixed by now, because it had a simple and easy twist off perforation at the time. This saved mucho time, and maintained the packaging.

Parents always bestow valuable advice more often than not on deaf ears. My mother told me time and time again that the neck and hands age the fastest and the signs are hardest to reverse. It took a quarter of a century of hearing the advice for me to start listening. Take a quick look at a passerby older than you. You can definitely tell a woman in her fifties from a woman in her twenties by looking at their hands, despite how good the face or figure.

Taking care of the neck is still much of a secret to me (where is that magical pillow that will prevent creases on my neck and face when I sleep?), but taking care of the hands has been proven to be an easier task. Lotion often, keep the digits warm, and take good care of your cuticles.

A recent run to the dollar store in Manhattan (Jack's 99 cent store) brought me face to face with a plethora of e.l.f. jewels (and yes they were all a dollar). I had tried a lot of the products before, so I took a gander at the nail category. Say hello to the e.l.f. Essentials Nourishing Cuticle Pen!

Ever since one company put aluminum in their deodorant to keep the perspiration at bay as equally as the odor, all companies followed. Every drugstore or supermarket search ends up with far too many ingredient reads and only one find (check the options at your nearest Target or drugstore and tell me that Old Spice isn't the only brand without the ingredient). But what to do if you don't want the masculine scent and less of the aluminum?

Until fairly recently, you would have to seek out an organic body products store or hit the net (Tom's of Maine is a popular pick) for a lengthy search. A lot of the times, the brand doesn't even mention aluminum contents until you flip to the ingredient list.
When Shecky's Beauty Night Out came around town, one of the vendors was The Body Shop. They showcased some new scents for lotions and body washes, but what really caught my eye was the aloe vera deodorant.

Following my Babor Csometics makeover, I was excited to try out the products for myself. First in line was a proper stick of lipstick.

You know me - a fan of packaging. The gold packaging for both the box and the lipstick make the product purchase utterly special. The allure of golden packaging for products across the spectrum is just the Midas effect I suppose. Who doesn't want to own something golden?

The color I tested was #13 - Rouge Noir. It looks like a super dark vampy red out of the packaging.The color varies depending on how many times you swipe it across the skin. It has a bit of a blotchy finish once you start getting a little happy with the application. But no one is guilty of that, right? (I won't tell!)

I'm usually very skeptical of uber cheap cosmetics. Why should 28 colors ever cost under three dollars? What did they save money on? Was it color? Quality? Safety? Packaging? What's the secret!?!

My last trip to Walgreen's had me come face to face with a Profusion wallet palette, retailing for $2.99. My suspicions were only halfway put to rest by my previous experience with the brand and their lipgloss, and I thought the brand may be a sister company (or even the same?) to the Profound $5.00 palette. Plus, I thought, how much damage can you do with $2.99 I already decided to spend on unneeded items like gum and chocolate (I put them down in favor of cosmetics!)?The beauty wallets are very space friendly and boast a plethora of different colors. The wallets are in various color combinations and correspond to the color of the packaging. I purchased the violet and lime green, but there were others available. The size of these is slightly smaller than a cd case overall, but pretty much as thick as a cd case is.

The last time I stepped foot into Rite Aid, they were having killer sales on all things unnecessary but pretty. Wet n' Wild products were 40% off and the new Mega Last lipsticks were calling my name. Being that each one was $2.99, I figured if I got all four colors I was itching to try, one would be free, considering the discount. For $3 a pop I honestly would have tried them without the sale as well, but a brand can normally slip under the radar if they don't make some kind of money saving commotion to land in the weekly paper.

Lips take center stage! This 4-hour, longwearing lip color leaves a semi-matte, crème finish in one stroke. Glides on easily with rich, velvety color that doesn't cake, feather, or bleed. Made with hydrating skin-care ingredients: Hyaluronic Microspheres provide extraordinary adhesion to lips, an exclusive polymer complex offers cushion-like feel and texture, and natural marine plant extracts Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamins A & E help smooth lips. (source)

I got the following colors:

Usually, customers don't expect the same color payoff and product performance from a product that is so cheap, but ladies and gents of the jury. When I tell you these lipsticks baffled me?! How can the company afford something so good for so cheap a price?!

These swatches are after one swipe. The description does not lie! The pigmentation was jam packed with bright goodness. For the most part, the colors I chose were a good match for me, and I dare say universally flattering as well.

I recently had the pleasure of attending a product launch for a brand already near and dear to my heart; Mizani. From previous posts regarding hair and recreating styles (check some out here), I have always mentioned the necessity of using some hair oil, whether it's to maintain the softness of your hair several days after washing and styling, renewing your do, or just to add some sheen for that "I was in a commercial" overall style.

The event was very last minute on my schedule, so of course I was caught unawares without my camera. I tried to make my Blackberry do it's best, but at the moment it's doing it's worst at uploading the images when I need them (so stay tuned!). The launch was for Mizani Supreme Oil.

Some info about the product:
Supreme Oil is a 99% naturally-derived formula with 8 natural oils (sesame, jojoba, almond, avocado, apricot, olive fruit, sunflower and argan oils) that is silicone, mineral oil and paraben-free. Designed for any hair type, this ultra-light treatment penetrates and absorbs to treat and smooth the hair, so it is not greasy unlike silicones and mineral oil that only lay on the hair’s surface. Experience a truly exquisite treatment with an ultra-luxe velvety touch. (source)

More Clothing...

The benefits as listed on the site:
1. Delivers intense moisturizing & exceptional softness.
2. Imparts incredible shine.
3. Nourishes hair and skin.
4. Leaves hair and skin soft and silky.
5. Helps enhance skin's overall texture & appearance.
6. Fortifies and strengthens hair to help prevent breakage.
7. Improves hair's elasticity and manageability.
8. Locks out humidity for continuous frizz control.
9. Non-greasy, fast-absorbing.
10. Can be layered over or under other hair or body products.

I haven't subjected the oil to a rigorous test yet, but from using it at the event I can vouch for many of the claims. The oil is a smoothing, frizz erasing (depending on what state it catches your hair in - my hair desperately needed a wash, so it just softened the disaster area) hair sheen, which also doubles as an all over scent and body oil. Right after I put the oil on my hair, another attendee inquired as to what my perfume was.

Because the oil contains zero silicone, parabens, or waxes, it is safe to use on the body as well as the hair. It's actually the smartest to do, because all hair products touch our scalp (and thereby our skin) in any case. The oil is not greasy and leaves your digits free to type away on Twitter or shake hands with new contacts within minutes. This was the most (pleasantly) surprising feature for me, because that's one of the necessary evils I agree to when I use hair oil (almost every day). I usually have a box of tissues handy to wipe the excess grease away, or head to the bathroom to wash my hands.

The company already covers much of haircare in terms of Scalp Oil, Conditioner Treatment, and basics like the Shampoo and Conditioner, but this product serves as a multi purpose product for ease of use. It works with every hair and body treatment (blowout, smooth, renew, natural extensions, braid refresh, scalp treatment, body, etc.) and is travel friendly.

I'll take it for a spin for a week and let you know how it works out. In the meantime, you should still try it out and consider getting one.

What is your favorite hair product?

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When companies create beauty products, there are a lot of factors that go into the creative process. The color, consistency, and look are one thing, but what about the scent and the flavor? Does it have sunscreen in it, or maybe a plumper, how about pheromones and aphrodisiacs? Maybe mint to freshen the wearer's breath, or should it last longer than the 9-5 and act as a stain? Most of the time, the wrong combo is created and you have a great looking product on paper that smells like animal musk (not in a good way) and sticks to your hair in the wind and your teeth at all other times, and then of course, companies get it right.

Purple Lab's Luvah is "... laced with aphrodesiacs, Complex OO (two plumpers), ylang-ylang, and a kissable vanilla/mint fragrance. There are two shades, named after all the types of guys there are to date! Mama's Boy (rich nude) and Rich Jerk (a pop of berry)." (source)

The compact comes with two colors, a brush applicator, a mirror with the cutest SWAK (Sealed With A Kiss) accent, and the packaging is purple! Not sold?

My favorite feature of the duo is how thick it is. Not on the lips, only on application. I was a bit lazy and used my finger to apply instead of the brush, and was surprised at how little I scooped up with my finger dip. Usually, products like these let my finger dip all the way down to the pan and I end up wasting my money at lightning speed.

Victoria's Secret has been really churning out high numbers of various beauty products. Both of their makeup lines are getting pretty good feedback, and a good amount of money from my pocket. I'm a big fan of the VS lipsticks for their creamy consistency and the color choices, as well as their Beauty Rush lip glosses and shadows.

When I went in for a routine scan of the counters for what I may not need but want, I found the Fall Face Kits. The packaging was yelling at me about the money I can save and the benefit of the kit on the go.

The kit is good at describing the trends and the look you are trying to do for cheap on the back, as well as the descriptions for each product inside the packaging. It comes with three eyeshadow colors, a base, a bright pop of color, and a highlight. Also, there is blush for the cheeks, liner and mascara for the eyes, and gloss for the lips.

My favorite was the face chart. I love face charts for everything, so the packaging premise for this was a 5/5 for me. This of all things is what makes you feel like you're recreating the runway look featured on the cover.

During my last drugstore window shopping adventure, I was looking for a new body scrub to try out. Sure I had two favorites (probably the same as plenty others in the world - St. Ives Apricot Invigorating Scrub and Victoria's Secret Garden Love Spell Body Scrub), but a little voice in my head said to try something new. I've always used my two favorites simultaneously - St. Ives for the weekly scrub, and Victoria's Secret for the super scrub sessions. The first is softer on the skin and does a general clear-out of the dead skin cells, whereas the latter is grainier and provides a deeper and thorough scrub (it also has some oils in it to moisturize skin - that kind of scrub can leave you dry as ash if not moisturized!).

As I walked the aisles of the new and improved version of the swanky Duane Reade by Bryant Park (not each one is created equal!), I noticed some goodies. Ice cream cones, bath fizz balls, tubs full of scrub reminiscent of sherbet containers. Was I in a candy store? Nope. This was my first encounter with ME! Bath Products. The brand has an interesting approach to skincare, and if you visit the site, you will find that they have an interesting setup for their site as well!

The sample jars had me sample scrubbing and sniffing jar upon jar of innovative flavors scents (Pomegranate and Hawaiian Plumeria and Freesia convince you?). Scrub granules were on the corners of my nose and my hand with no faucet in sight - if you didn't know me better, I'd look like I had a problem.

Every product has a story, and funny enough, the one I chose is the one they donate a percentage of the sales to benefit Cancer Research. Check it out here!

Tell me when you have a single day of not needing a lip gloss. No go ahead, tell me... I'll wait. If there are in fact days that I can't make it for long without my lip gloss, ipod, or cell phone - I feel naked without these! How sad!

If my bag doesn't have lip products, my money inevitably gets spent on something new. Most of the time it's on a cheap filler product and other times on a great newbie. The case with this Armour Beauty lipgloss was neither. I was at The Makeup Show (and going to the show, you can surely expect to spend money before you leave) and met the folks behind the company. They had a quaint setup for the product, and the packaging is pretty smooth too. I invested in a single gloss and promised to do a thorough review. 

The first major win for me was the packaging. I love a good packaged product y'all. If you're a regular reader on MOJ, you will know this to be a fact. Great packaging is the way into my wallet and heart!

Want to know more about the brand? Check out the info from their 'About' page:

p.s. I'm still figuring out the coding for this darn setup, so instead of having a 'continue reading' link, please click on the post title to read the rest! If you know the answer to my dilemma, I'd love to hear it!

Everytime I used a Nailene product, my nails have looked great and super well groomed for a long time.

I find that nail art polishes are sometimes hard to use when trying to achieve a french manicure. The brushes are super thin, and running them in a straight line multiple times so that you have the perfect tip is practically impossible. One extra swipe will make it crooked or globby (an appropriate non word, no?) and will make a hard worked mani end. It's the worst when you work hard on both hands only to have the tenth finger sully up the plans. Then you may need to use remover (q-tips are best) and heaven forbid you use a cotton ball, because, well, then you can just say farewell to the whole mani idea. Using a q-tip foils these monstrous disasters, but still, isn't a guarantee of success.

I had the pleasure of reviewing the Black French Tip Pen from Nailene. Using the pen makes it so much easier to apply polish, and quite honestly, whatever formula they have for the product makes it dry practically instantaneously.

The kit comes with a black french tip pen and a top coat. This top coat dries magically fast and has lots of shine to it. It's a top coat for polish though, as through experience I've learned that on bare nails it doesn't last as long. On bare nails, you will most definitely need more than a single coat for long lasting care.

Don't give me that side eye. I'm back. Life kicked my butt, and I have finally gotten ahead of the rat race to kick it right back into gear. Thanks for being so patient with me all!

I have so many products waiting for me to give them a chance to brighten my day and I wanted to get the ball rolling with Victoria's Secret lipsticks. You can't sleep on these babies!

Following an event too many days ago, I remember asking a pretty gal what was on her lips. I thought she had Schiap from NARS but she sure as heck did not. She said the name of the brand and I could swear that was the secret Victoria had been hiding. The shades and the cream consistency of these lipsticks is a bit awe inspiring.

By my non-scientific count, the majority of the readers here are female. So it would behoove both you and I for me to share this information. You know our gift? Everybody has a different name for it. The monthly gift, code red, little friend, visitor, Aunt Flo, the red curse, etc. Any gentlemen reading? Not too worry - I won't be going in specifics. I'm talking about a fashionable and playful way to take care of business!

Now, I've said this before and I'll say it again. Certain things are completely shameless to me. My momma taught me no such thing. When the time of the month came? Shoot, I had to do what I had to do. None of the blushing and carrying a whole handbag to the bathroom. But no judgement here! To each their own. But why not a pretty and fashionable each and own? Enter Moxie. I've come to appreciate the Aussies. Spurred on by Nancy from the Informed Makeup Maven, I've started to realize all the Aussie in my life has been a pretty 1:1 ratio of fabulousness.

Moxie is a brand that gussies up what is the mundane and necessary. They are the equivalent of having Helloy Kitty band-aids. They put tampons, pads, and panti-liners in cute tins. The name stands for gals with attitude (does it not? check dictionary.com - courage, aggressiveness, nerve). I love a company that doesn't prey on females as weak victims (oh no - we bleed!), but rather as tough beauties with strength (we do it every month with perfect accessories to boot!). Check after the jump for the rest of the scoop.

How is the weather by you? Some of the chill factor has snuck back in, but the warmth that appeared mid last week has made itself at home in my wardrobe and makeup. Flats and light jackets and blazers are my uniform items to brave the errands of each day. Spring is also notorious (or famous...) for it's showers. I happen to love the rain, so even if it does, I'm in a great mood. The mere shift in temperature makes me reach for neons and brights. Some of you may not be as crazy. I've accepted this fact ;). To adopt a brighter spring mentality, or even to transition into it smoothly, you might need a bit of sheer.

Many people notice a person's face first. The eyes and the lips. When others notice you, I hope you have a smile readily available. That smile should be decorated with 3 Custom Color. I broke out my Three Custom Color sheer lipstick in Frangipani thinking that it would be bright as the Vegas lights, but found a peppy sheer coat. So I thought of y'all!

Frangipani sounded familiar so I checked the wiki. It is aptly the common name for a range of flowers found in a tropical climate. Tropical climates have rain, and flowers bloom in spring. So really... you need yourself some sheer pink in your life. Check out the swatches after the jump!