Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog

Upon first spray, Pink Coral leaves you with a wiff of Jasmine, Camellia Flower, and Honeysuckle.  What else says summer like Honeysuckle?  

Get a chuckle and a review about Prescriptives' NEW All Skins Mineral Makeup with SPF 15

"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb...and I also know that I'm not blonde."

- Dolly Parton

Since two of us are Dolly Parten blonde -- a Kevin Q blonde and a drugstore blonde -- no offense is meant to our real blonde readers, but if you can't laugh at yourself, you don't get the joke. 

A blonde walked into a review and sat down in front of the mirror to test Prescriptives New All Skins Mineral Makeup SPF 15 ($32.50).  Dipping the brush in the powder, the blonde swirled the brush all over her face and exclaimed, "This mineral powder is so natural, it looks like my own skin!"

The observer replied, "You forgot to take the little plastic thingy off that they cover the new unopened powder with so that the powder stays in the container!"

After the plastic thingy was removed and the brush re-dipped into the powder, the blonde once again swirled the brush all over her face and exclaimed, "This mineral powder is so natural that it looks like my own skin!"

All kidding aside, this Health and Essence magazine award winner comes in first place on Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog.  The makeup is weightless, and with 18 shades to choose from, women of all skin color -- and hair color -- should be able to find a perfect match. 

You know that any mineral makeup that contains SPF gets a high five from us, but All Skins Mineral Makeup gets a high ten.  We tested the mineral makeup on a hot and humid day in the city and discovered it was not only sweat- and humidity-resistant, but oil-controlling, too. 

With vitamins C and E, minerals that include calcite and mica, gems that include amethyst and rose quartz, and sun protection, too, Prescriptives New All Skins Mineral Makeup SPF 15 is definitely not a joke. 

Because laughter is good for your health:

Why did the blonde put lipstick on her forehead?

Because she was trying to make up her mind.

What did the blonde say when she saw the sign in front of the YMCA?

"Look! They spelled MACY'S wrong."

Related Articles:

• Mineral Sunscreens We Love
• Raise Your Beach Fashion IQ
• Ageless Beauty on Brains:  4 Sunscreens to have in your Beach Bag
• Clothes with UPF
• 12 Ways to Protect Your Skin from the Sun
• How To Camouflage Brown Spots
• How To Get Rid Age Spots
• Lip Shtick for Sun Protection 

 

The Working Girl divulges a secret while singing the praises of Murad Post-Acne Lightening Treatment

The skincare giants have turned me on to their Post-Acne Spot Lightening Gel.  I get the occasional breakouts and I'm a picker. 

I pick scabs. 

I pick zits. 

TMI.

Call it OCD, call it boredom, but I have never let my acne heal correctly.  From this obsessive picking, I have small scars, which are not noticeable when camouflaged with makeup. However, I know they're there. 

Murad Post-Acne Lightening Treatment is cooling, clear, and effective.  It transformed my small scarred blemishes into mere nothingness.  The main ingredient, Hydroquinone, has been proven to help fade acne. AHA clarifies and tones the skin.  Licorice and allatonin reduce irritation and inflammation of the skin. 

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!  Antiaging Bonus points!  Murad Post-Acne Lightening Treatment not only reduces acne scars but gets rid of unwanted age spots and freckles created by the sun's damaging rays.

Brains on Beauty:  Any woman can start loving their skin again for only $60, compared to laser treatments that will run you up to $1000.

To lighten your mood, check out the current headlines on Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog.

 

The Working Girl addresses acne with iQ Derma Clear Remedy

"87% saw results in just 3 days."  Have I gotten your attention?

Acne plagues so many of our beautiful faces that this issue must be addressed. 

For years I was wiping away oil and debris with Stridex pads, moisturizing with Neutrogena's acne treatment, and spot treating with over-the-counter remedies containing salicylic acid. 

I was diligent. 

I was repetitive. 

I bought into my regime. 

But my regime wasn't working, so I was excited to try Clear Remedy.

iQ Derma has developed a top of the line skincare line called Clear Remedy.  The products didn't   over-dry my skin but fought the almighty acne and won.  The Purifying Cleanser exfoliated while washing away impurities and oil.  The Acne Treatment Lotion that is applied right after the cleanser fights acne before it even starts, and it kept my skin clean and oil free.  Lastly, the Hydrating Lotion left my skin smooth and soft without promoting oily residue. 

I just stopped by my mom's house to pick up products for review and she said, "Your skin looks fresh and clear!" 

"I raised my iQ," I said smartly.

If you're still not sold check out these results:

An Independent Clinical Research Organization conducted a 60-day, double-blind study to evaluate the effectiveness of Clear Remedy versus Proactiv® Solution as well as a placebo control. 76 men and women between the ages of 15 and 55 took part in the study.

The Results?

Group 1 – Proactiv®
80% reported moderate to severe dryness
40% reported reduction in inflammation and blackhead count
15% reported new acne eruptions
0% reported completely acne-free skin

Group 2 – Clear Remedy
100% felt Clear Remedy soothed and moisturized their skin
99% reported complete irritation reduction
97% saw no new breakouts
95% reported extreme reduction in blackheads & pimples
95% rated the system “excellent” and would recommend it to a friend
91% reported clear skin with no active acne
87% of users saw fewer pimples in just 3 days

Clear Remedy beats Proactiv®

If you are sold, you can purchase a Clear Remedy Try Me Kit from dermstore.com ($30)

For other smart topics on Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog, click here.

In 1958, long before Mother Blogger was born --  okay, just kidding -- Mrs. Estee Lauder created the creme de la creme of creams -- Re-Nutriv.  In 2009, Estee Lauder introduced the NEW Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Lotion, which is a luxe, lightweight version of the cream.  But does Re-Nutriv really lift your skin?

Honey, Mother Blogger would need more than a lotion to lift the sagging skin on her experienced face.  But, it is a good lightweight silky moisturizer with antiaging ingredients that were absorbed quickly into the skin.  Precious botanical extracts, including Lady's Thistle Extract, coupled with Dill Fruit Extract from India, purport to help support the skin's natural levels of collagen and elastin to give skin support, spring, and flexibility.  Rare and precious extracts such as Tahitian Vanilla and Poria Cocos purport to help ward off the visible signs of aging, as key proteins rebuild and rejuvenate skin.

With humid and hot weather on the horizon, Estee Lauder's Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Lotion is highly preferable to a heavier lotion or a cream.  As the day progressed, Mother Blogger's skin continued to feel well hydrated without feeling greasy. 

If you are accustomed to paying department store prices, the suggested retail price of $160 probably won't put a dent in your wallet, but for recessionistas, this is your mother's lotion. 

Note:  We know that Mother Blogger said she wasn't going to use the word "recessionista" anymore, but apparently she's a liar.  LOL.

Smooches, Dahling. 

As The Working Girl embarks on yet another new career at Camellia, the ultimate makeup store and studio,  she had the opportunity to try out some products that were up and coming.  The one that stood out the most was an amazing little mascara - Blinc.

The Working Girl's Review of Blinc

Its price tag was reasonable so I thought, "How good could this truly be?" but gave it a whirl and a curl. 

It went on smooth. 

No clumping.

No mistakes. 

It separated my lashes, added tons of volume, and lengthened. 

Not only did it stay on all day but also all night.  I woke up the next morning with the perfect lashes sans raccoon eyes.

Yes, other mascaras may claim long-wear, but what makes Blinc stand apart is its ability to remain water-resistant throughout your wear; however, when you're ready to remove it, all it takes is warm water. 

Blinc forms tiny water-resistant "tubes" around your eyelashes to prevent smudging and running.  Watery eyes and tears cannot dissolve the tubes; only warm water will.  It removes easily without damaging the lashes or using harsh make-up remover.  A definite must-have.
 
"The best beauty products you've never heard of"
-Allure magazine
 
"The best mascara for sensitive eyes"
-Real Simple magazine

Related Articles:

• 13 Worst Mascaras
• Best Mascaras
• Best of the Best Mascaras
• 10 Best Beauty Products for 2009

 

For current headlines on Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog click here.

Have you put your lashes on the Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper diet plan yet?

We did and were left a bit hungry. 

Product Description:

It's not a mascara, it's a lash plumper!

Goodbye Mascara.  Hello Lash Plumper!  New 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper.  The difference?  A patented fat-inject formula and extreme Double-D brush plump every single lash so perfectly, so voluptuously, they may ask, "are they real?"

Pros: 

• Billed as a volumizing plumper, we discovered that MAX Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper does build volume without clumping. 
• If your goal is drama, MAX Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Plumper provides the stage.

 

Cons: 

• Even though clumping was not an issue, we still needed a lash brush to comb through the 2000 calories so that the formula was evenly deposited.
• MAX Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper is CoverGirl Lash Blast in disguise!  Owning both MAX Factor and CoverGirl, Proter & Gamble plumped up CoverGirl Blast with a big, fat black 2000 Calorie tube, added $2 to the price, and created a catchy name.

 

Related Articles:

• 13 Worst Mascaras
• Best Mascaras
• Best of the Best Mascaras
• 10 Best Beauty Products for 2009
• April 2009 Woman's Day Best of Spring Beauty

We know that some of our readers are looking for one of three features in hair care products:  eco-friendly, celebrity-freindly, or recession-friendly.  Celebrity hair stylist David Babaii and actress Kate Hudson have captured all three in a recently launched hair care line:  David Babaii for WildAid.

Eco-friendly:  The eco-friendly David Babaii for WildAid is not only made with natural, good-for-the-Earth (and you) products, they support beauty in nature by giving 10% of its revenue to WildAid, the wildlife conservation organization. The Hydrating Shampoo and Hydrating Conditioner that we tested were made with wild orchid, which adds moisture while keeping hair health and shiny;  blue algae extract, which strengthens the hair shaft; and rich cupuacu butter - from the South American Amazon - a natural moisturizer that creates lustrous, radiant, hydrated hair. Additionally, the products are cruelty-, sulfate-, paraben-, and petroleum-free. 

Celebrity-friendly: David Babaii's extensive celebrity list includes Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Scarlet Johansson, Jessica Alba, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Rachel Weiss, Meg Ryan, Joan Allen, Goldie Hawn, and Kate Winslet.

Recession-friendly:  David Babaii for WildAid Hydrating Shampoo and Hydrating Conditioner retail at $9.95 each.  Compared to many synthetic or salon hair care products, we would put these products in the recession-friendly category.

Results:  Our showers smelled natural and luscious with the scent of wild orchard, blue algae and rich cupuacu butter.   Our olfactory senses have become much more acute since sniffing zillions of beauty products, and with one quick sniff, we knew this wasn't a sythentic concoction.  Because David Babaii for WildAid products do not contain Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, a surfactant that puts the suds factor in hair care products, the lather is not as lush as in a synthetic shampoo -- but that's a healthy positive.  Our locks felt well hydrated and conditioned after using the shampoo and conditioner. 

DISCOVER DAVID BABAII’S TIPS FOR GOING AU NATURAL

The Perfect Pink for Spring can be found in Max Factor Vivid Impact Pure Pigment Color

Reviewed by Jamie
 
Max Factor has introduced the average woman with not-so-average taste to a luxurious line of lipsticks at an affordable price.  Vivid Impact Pure Pigment Color offers a conditioning lip treatmentwith shea butter and 20 hot hot hot colors to choose from that rival the expensive designer lipsticks 

I slathered it on to see for myself and went ga-ga for the stuff.  My lips never dried out or got the   oh-so-awful creasing of lipstick mixed with dry skin.   Not a good look.   

# 4 Pin-Up Girl Pinkadded color to my White House Black Market wardrobe while still remaining subtle enough for my work environment.  And, it could definitely give some professionally "done-up" celebutantes a run for their money. 

Spring weather is finally here and I am celebrating with my Pinkster lips.   
 
To prevent feathering of your favorite lippie, Max Factor is also giving us gals a coordinating lip liner to choose from.

Voted by Marie Claire as a Best Beauty Buy!

 

Review of Fake Bake Self-Tanning products

Reviewed by Jamie

My mother has been self-tanning for years, before it was even the thing to do. Can you say trendsetter?!

Now, I'm convinced that it's the way to go. Who wants leathery, wrinkly skin? Count me out. And, count me in as a Fake Bake fan.

Have I piqued your interest?