Product Review: Clinique Advanced Stop Signs Eye Preventive Cream SPF 15

Clinique Advanced Stop Signs Eye Preventive Cream SPF 15 has been part of my daily routine for about 4 years now. Within the first few months of using this product for the first time, I started to notice that the sensitive skin around my eyes was smoother and felt softer.

Clinique notes: "Moisturizing formula actively helps prevent the visible effects of eye-area skin's photoaging. Incorporates encapsulated sunscreens to shut out aging UVA and burning UVB rays. Helps reverse the look of fine lines, discolourations. Instantly brightens."

I use this as my daytime eye cream and besides the intense moisturization, some of the other "pros" about this product:
- very light, creamy texture
- if I get this in my eye by accident, it doesn't sting at all
- after a couple of minutes, I can apply my eye makeup without worrying about the eye cream being too greasy

The only con is the price. At $41.50 CAD for a small 15 ml jar, it does put a slight dent in the wallet. However, I have noticed that I only need to use a very tiny dab for each eye, which means that one jar can last several months. Usually I can stretch this product so that I only purchase it whenever there's a Clinique bonus offered (every 6 months or so). :)

Have you tried this product? Let us know what you think!

image: clinique.ca productreviewclinique

2007 CEW Beauty Award Finalists - Facial Skincare, Part 2

Lip Treatment: $14 USD and over
- DuWop Lip Venom 2nd Sin
- FusionoBeauty LipFusion XL
- Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Lip Rejuvenating Treatment
- philosophy kiss me exfoliating scrub
- Prescriptives Intensive Rebuilding Lip Shaper

Lip Treatment: Under $14 USD
- Bath & Body Works C.O. Bigelow Cinnamint Mentha Lip Shine
- Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Butter
- Sally Hansen Line Freeze for Lips
- tarte fRxtion Sugar Exfoliator & Lip Balm Duo
- The Lano Company LanoLip Lip Balm

Moisturizer: $30 USD and over
- Avon Anew Alternative Intensive Age Treatment SPF 25
- Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Creme SPF 15
- Prescriptives Anti-AGE Advanced Protection Lotion SPF 25
- Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream
- skyn ICELAND Stress Defense Cream with Biospheric Complex

Moisturizer: Under $30 USD
- AVEENO Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30
- Burt's Bees Radiance Day Creme
- Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
- Olay Definity Correcting Protective Lotion SPF 15
- RoC Protient Fortify Lift and Define Night Cream

Peel & Mask: $25 USD and over
- Avon ANEW Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel
- Estee Lauder Perfectionist Peel 2-Step Treatment
- Keihl's Dermatologist Solutions Over-Night Biological Peel
- Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Face Mask
- SK-II Whitening Source Intensive Mask

Peel & Mask: Under $25 USD
- Lumene Time Freeze Instant Lift Mask
- Palmer's Skin Success Pure White Brightening Mask
- Principal Secret Reclaim Age Braker Enzyme Mask & Peel
- Sephora FACE All Skin Exfoliator and Mask
- St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask

2007 CEW Beauty Award Finalists - Facial Skincare, Part 1

Acne Treatment: $10 USD and over
- Chanel PURETE IDEALE Intense Refining Skin Complex
- dr. brandt Pores No More
- Kinerase Clean Skin Blemish Dissolver
- L'Oreal AcneResponse Intensive Adult Acne Peel
- MD Skincare All-Over Blemish Solution

Acne Treatment: Under $10 USD
- St. Ives Apricot Face Wash Blemish & Blackhead Control
- AMBI EVEN & CLEAR Acne Clearing Treatment
- Avon Clearskin Immediate Response Spot Treatment
- CLEAN & CLEAR ADVANTAGE Invisible Acne Patch
- Neutrogena Rapid Clear Pads

Anti-Aging: $30 USD and over
- Avon ANEW Clinical ThermaFIRM Face Lifting Cream
- Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment
- Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer
- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate
- Wexler Intensive Night Reversal & Repair Cream

Anti-Aging: Under $30 USD
- Avon ANEW Alternative Photo-Radiance Treatment SPF 15
- L'Oreal Age Perfect Pro-Calcium Day Cream
- Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer
- RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum
- Smashbox Filter with Dermaxyl Complex

Cleanser & Scrub: $12 USD and over
- Aveda Outer Peace Foaming Cleanser
- Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Buffing Grains for Face
- C.O. Bigelow Brown Sugar Crystal Face Polish
- Clinique Liquid Facial Soap
- shu uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O

Cleanser & Scrub: Under $12 USD
- Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Cleansing Creme
- CLEAN & CLEAR Oxygenating Fizzing Cleanser
- Dove Energy Glow Skin Brightening Facial Cleanser
- Pond's Clean Sweep Cleansing & Make-Up Removing Towelette
- Noxzema Triple Clean Blackhead Cleanser

Eye Treatment: $20 USD and over
- Avon ANEW Clinical Eye Lift
- Chanel Rectifiance Intense Eye
- Estee Lauder Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch
- Lancome Absolute Premium Bx Eye Cream
- Prescriptives Anti-AGE Advanced Protection Eye Cream SPF 25

Eye Treatment: Under $20
- Avon Ageless Results Renewing Eye Cream
- Burt's Bees Radiance Eye Creme
- RoC Protient Fortify Lift and Define Eye Cream
- Tweezerman After Tweeze Soothing Cream
- Vichy Oligo 25 Eyes Anti-Fatigue Cooling Effect Stick

2007 CEW Beauty Award Finalists - Bath & Body

Body Treatment: $15 USD and over
- Avon Super Shape Anti-Cellulite & Stretch Mark Cream
- Estee Lauder Body Performance Slim Shape + Contouring Serum
- L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil
- L'Occitane Crushed Grape Polish
- Origins Natural Resources Modern Friction for the Body

Body Treatment: Under $15 USD
- AVEENO Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion Fragrance Free
- Avon Footworks Pedi-Peel
- Bath & Body Works C.O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Remedy
- Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion
- Dove Energy Glow Shimmering Lotion

Scented Bath & Body: $15 USD and over
- Aveda Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub
- Bath & Body Works C.O. Bigelow Lemon Cream Body Wash
- Fresh Pink Jasmine Body Cream
- NARS Monoi Body Glow II
- Origins Natural Resources Shedonism Sensuous Shaving Mousse

Scented Bath & Body: Under $15 USD
- AVEENO Positively Radiant Exfoliating Body Wash
- Burt's Bees Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash
- Dove Regenerating Calming Night Body Wash
- Grassroots Happily Ever After Foaming & Polishing Body Cleanser
- Olay Body Wash plus Ribbons

CEW Beauty Awards

Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) is a nonprofit organization with over 4,000 executives in the beauty, cosmetics, fragrance and related industries.

Each year, CEW hands out its Beauty Awards to recognize the most innovative beauty products of the year. Finalists are selected by CEW members, industry insiders and beauty experts. Winners are then selected by a voting committee comprised from the CEW Board.

The finalists for the 2007 CEW Beauty Awards were released in March and the winners will be announced on May 2, 2007.

Since the finalists represent some of the best products available, I thought that some of you may be interested in which items made the cut. So in the next few days I'll be posting the finalists by category.

For more information on CEW, you can check out their website here.

Beauty Buys: Mar 25-31, 2007

I had originally written a post about my shopping trip to Sephora, but then started to wonder just how much I really spend on beauty products. So I'm going to keep track using this blog.

An added bonus is that if any readers see a product that I've purchased that they want me to write a review about, they can just ask!

Shopping Date: Friday, March 30, 2007
Store: Sephora
Purchases:
- Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler - $28 CAD
- Shu Uemura Fiber Xtension Mascara in Xtra Black - $30 CAD

WEEKLY GRAND TOTAL (including taxes): $66.12 CAD

Beauty Impulses - March 30

Here's my Friday Beauty Impulses list - 5 items that I'd buy on a whim at this moment in time if I didn't have to give a thought to counting pennies.

1. Benefit: Silky-Finish Lipstick
2. Bliss: Simply the Zest Lemon+Sage Spa-in-a-Box
3. Imju: Fiberwig Mascara
4. Neutrogena: Lip Nutrition Boosting Balm in Passion Fruit
5. Philosophy: Old Fashioned Lemonade Bubble Bath

Is there anything on this list that you've tried? Post a comment and let us know what you thought!

images: neutrogena.com, sephora.com

Product Review: Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm

Sephora notes: "Following in the Rosebud tradition of simple, easy to use products, this vintage-inspired tin contains a combination of rich emollients that lock-in moisture and banish dryness after only one application."

With a light strawberry fragrance, the Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm and Moisturizer is a slightly hard lip balm that's one of my favourite products to reach for when I feel my lips getting dry. It does a great job moisturizing and lasts quite a long time.

Light pink in the tin, the lip balm leaves no colour so it's great to wear under your favourite lipsticks. The only thing that would make this product even better is if it was available in a tube format for even easier application.

At $9.50 CAD/$7 USD for an 0.8 oz, this is slightly more expensive than most other lip balms, but this lip product has enough to last several months (or more, depending on how often you use it).

image: sephora.com productreviewrosebud

NEW Product: MAC Balloonacy High-Light Powder

Straight on the heels of the Barbie Loves MAC collection, MAC has released another fun, high-impact collection - Balloonacy.

There are lipsticks, eye products, nail lacquer, etc, but the product that caught my eye was the High-Light Powder.

Seems most brands are now coming out with these products that highlight the skin and give you a special "glow", just in time for the warmer months when we'll be shedding our coats to show off our skin.

The MAC powder costs $22 USD and is a limited edition product (so get yours quickly if you want to try it out!)

Product Notes:
- ultra-sheer veil of shine and colour
- ideal for cheeks or any part of the body that needs highlighting
- fun circle embossing on the powder surface

Colour info:
- currently available in 2 shades: Hullaballoo and Mellow Rave.

I'm narrowing my choices for the highlight powders and will probably buy one before the summer hits. My only pet peeve with this one is that it's a limited edition item, which means that if I fall in love with it, I'll have to kiss it goodbye sooner than I may want to. :(

image: maccosmetics.com

Product Review: Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

I love my lip sticks, and I love my lip glosses, but sometimes my lips just need a break. And to find a great lip balm that gives a hint of shimmery colour just makes my day!

Many of you may have already heard of the amazing Burt's Bees lip balms. Well, their lip shimmers are just as amazing.

Burt's Bees notes: "They’re made from natural ingredients like vitamin E, coconut and sunflower oils to moisturize and highlight your lips."

I started using Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm a few years ago and love the tingle and smoothness it brought to my lips. It's one of the best lip balms I've tried in a long time and I much prefer it to Chapstick. So when I saw this coloured version, I was pretty excited.

I bought the Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Watermelon. There's 11 different shades to choose from and I plan on getting a few others to add to my makeup case. I've definitely found my lips getting healthier the more I use this great product.

image: burtsbees.com productreviewburtsbees