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

Beauty Impulses - March 23

Here's the first Beauty Impulses List - 5 items that I've recently seen and wanted without really knowing anything about them (in other words - they look cool & I haven't seen the price tag yet!).
1. Lise Watier: Rouge WOW, Fusion Creme Gloss
2. Bliss: The Youth As We Know It
3. Fusion Beauty: LashFusion Micro-Technology Pure Protein Lash Plump
4. Quo: Eye Primer
5. Smashbox: Photo Finish Foundation Primer

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

images: sephora.com, shoppersdrugmart.ca

Beauty Impulses

Ever see something in passing and think, "I wouldn't mind having that..." just by looking at the product? If money were no object...

In that spirit, I'm starting the Beauty Impulse list. Every Friday (or as close to Friday as I can manage) I'll throw together 5 beauty items I've seen that I would buy on the spot if I had an unlimited supply of money. No info research, no price tag checking, the product looks captivating enough all by itself.

Who knows, you may see some of the items on these lists in future product reviews.

If you see something on my Impulse list that you've already tried, post a comment and let us know what you thought about it!

NEW Product: Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers

I love Neutrogena. I love their cleaners, their toners, and their moisturizers. And I would probably love their cosmetics too, if I had a chance to try them out.

Unfortunately for me, for some odd reason, Neutrogena cosmetics aren't available in Canada. And that makes me sad. :(

So I try not to pay any attention whenever I see Neutrogena's ads, but sometimes I just can't help look and be wistful.

And Neutrogena's MoistureShine Soothing Lipsheers make me very wisftul (you know I have a soft spot for lip products!)


Product Notes:
- moisture-infused formula containing SPF 20
- advanced formula contains moisturizing emollients and vitamin E
- a unique cooling sensation soothes on contact
- dermatologist developed, hypo-allergenic
- sleek metal case
- 0.06 oz

Colour info:
- currently available in 10 sheer shades: Sparkling Nude, Honey Breeze, Peach Sorbet, Cool Nectar, Sunny Berry, Shimmering Blush, Pink Splash, Fresh Rose, Plum Kiss and Ruby Bliss.

The ad says "lipgloss + lipstick + lipbalm = the most popular thing in your purse" and it's probably true. Unfortunately, until I can get to a drugstore south of the border or take a risk on eBay, I guess I won't be doing a product review on these babies for awhile!

Have any of you tried the Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers? Or any Neutrogena cosmetic product? Let me know what you think!

image: neutrogena.com

Wow! Double Your Money!

Fellow addicts - here's a deal that's REALLY hard to pass up!

e.l.f. is having a special promotion - for any eGift Card purchase of $25 or more they'll double your cash for free! That means if you buy a eGift Card worth $25, it automatically becomes a eGift Card worth $50!!! Do you know how much makeup you can buy at e.l.f. for $50? I mean, they're $1 each!

There is some small print to this offer:
- Maximum $100 eGift Card purchase or while supplies last
- Expires March 25th at 11:59 EST
- 1 card per recipient
- eGift Card can't be purchased with another eGift Card

coupon code: double

Even though I promised to cut back on my beauty purchases until I use up at least some of what's sitting around my room, this offer is definitely too good to pass up! Who's with me?

Product Review: Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash

Winter really does a number on my skin. And for the past two weeks my hectic work schedule has really put a cramp in my body moisturizing (ok, I've been lazy).

In an attempt to shave some time off my daily routine and still keep my skin from looking like an alligator's, I bought Dove's Deep Moisture Body Wash (price ranges from $4-$8 CAD depending on where you purchase it).

Dove notes: "Transform your shower into a warm water treatment...works with the warmth of the shower to infuse your skin with all-day hydrating emollients. It deeply moisturizes dry skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth."

I used this product (along with a mesh sponge) every day for one week and almost instantly noticed a change. My skin was much better moisturized and felt softer and didn't need any extra products to keep it hydrated.

With a light, sweet fragrance that isn't overpowering, this is now a standard in my shower stall and in my daily routine. Goodbye winter blahs! Hello soft, touchable skin!

image: dove.ca productreviewdove

Estee Lauder Solid Perfume Compacts

I mentioned these compacts in a previous post and a couple of people have asked me about them so I've decided to post a few photos to show you why I want to collect these so badly (and also why I'll never be able to afford to have a large collection).

Every so often Estee Lauder puts out a collector compact that holds a solid perfume. They come in a wide range of prices, and can run anywhere from $35 USD to $500 USD and prices are often higher in the resale market. I've never even bothered to try to find one, but have been told that these sell out really quickly (they're produced in limited numbers) and not all Estee Lauder counters carry them (in Canada, Holt Renfrew is a good place to try).

Here are a few photos I found on eBay to show you just how beautiful these are. And yes, they do actually hold a solid perfume inside! Beauty really is art!

While searching for these photos, I also discovered a few other brands also put out similar compacts, including Avon and Max Factor. I'm definitely going to check these out as they might have a more affordable price tag!

p.s. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!