February 2012 Favorites

This February I discovered a couple amazing new (to me) products, and fell in love again with some classics:

1. Lush The Sacred Truth Fresh Face Mask - I have used this before and it's definitely my favorite mask from Lush. Although I can't vouch for its anti-aging benefits, this leaves my skin super soft, moisturized and smooth, not tight and dry. 

2. Gud by Burts Bees Hand Cream in Floral Cherrynova - I love how fast absorbing this cream is, yet it still manages to infuse a solid amount of moisture in my skin. When I use this at night I wake up with super soft hands. I love floral scents and this smells soooo fresh and floral, but there are other scents available too. My full review of this line is here. 

3. Sue Devitt Gel-to-Powder Blush in Marion Reef - This blush is AMAZING! It has a velvet feel to it and it applies like a gel/cream but sets on the face as a powder. It feels so silky and lasts ALL day on me. I normally layer powder blushes on top of cream blushes but I don't have to with this because it is so pigmented and long lasting. I will do a full review soon. 

 

4. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - This is such a popular product in the blogosphere so I just had to try it for myself. My verdict? It does live up to the hype! Nars has done a great job with the shade selection and the formula sets beautifully. Although it is called sheer glow, it has medium coverage and a natural finish. I will do an in-depth review of this product too, but so far I am loving it.

5. Kirkland Makeup Wipes - I have re-discovered my love for makeup wipes and these are by far my favorite. I love the thick texture, the moistness of each towelette, the fact that one towelette removes ALL my makeup (including mascara and gel eyeliner) and the price! Check out my full review here. 

Hope you all had a great February! I am glad it's over because that means we are one month closer to spring and warm weather! Oh, and in other news, the Too Faced Vintage Sale started today so check out the Too Faced Website for some great deals on soon-to-be-discontinuted products and sets.

November Favorites

My favorites during November revolved around the fact that winter is here and my skin is drier than the desert. I can finish a tube of moisturizer faster than I can finish a Starbucks holiday drink...and you know I love my gingerbread lattes (and caramel brule....my new fave).

1. Lush Sweet Lips - I use a plethora of face scrubs to exfoliate my skin, but when it comes to my lips I rely on this old fave. It makes my lips super soft and tastes like chocolate! I recently found out from a Lush rep that you can actually lick this stuff off your lips! It is all natural so it can be consumed....though I wouldn't just scoop it out and eat it.

2. Make Up For Ever HD Blush in shade 7 - Again, due to the dry winter air I am trying to use creamier products on my face. This MUFE cream blush blends easily in the skin, lasts all day, and doesn't clog or settle in my pores, and it looks very natural. I can build it up for intense color or layer a powder blush on top. My initial review and swatch are here.

Lush R&B Hair Moisturizer Review

During my last trip to Lush, I received a sample of the Lush R&B Hair Moisturizer. This is a leave-in conditioner with hair-softening and frizz-frightening natural ingredients like and candelilla wax, oat milk, avocado butter, and coconut oil.



The product itself looks like a creamy wax. It is very thick, so I took a penny-sized dollop and rubbed it between my palms before running my hands through the length of my hair when wet.

The result?

Less frizzy hair.

However, R&B has a real funk of a smell.

This has an orange blossom scent, which sounds nice, but was not at all appealing to me. There is also a hint of jasmine, which I normally would like, but not mixed in with the orange blossom. The scent does linger in the hair until the hair is washed. In terms of use, I think that if you use too much, it would definitely make the hair greasy. Overall, this made my hair smooth and I didn't have as many flyaways as I normally do, but the smell was so horrid that I couldn't imagine using this any longer than the sample lasted. That being said, I find a lot of Lush's scents overwhelming, but if that is your thang, this might be for you!

Ayesha!! Not the Song, the Lush Fresh Face Mask!!!

Do you remember that song "ay-ee-ee-shah, you are the girl the I never kissed, and I'd like to get to know you better..."from the early 90s?

I was totally singing that to myself recently when I tried out Lush's Ayesha Face Mask. Only, it turns out that Another Bad Creation's hit is spelled "Iesha." But who cares about spelling when a girl's got green goop on her face and is rockin' out to 90s music?

I love Lush's fresh face masks, and Ayesha is pretty similar to my fave mask The Sacred Truth. Ayesha is a bit chunkier than The Sacred Truth, but both contain ingredients to help with anti-aging and both masks leave my skin baby soft. I liked the texture of The Sacred Truth better because it was a bit smoother, and it felt a little fresher and mintier, whereas Ayesha has somewhat of a more neutral smell, and is not floral at all.

Like all of the brand's fresh face masks, although the pot seems small, it easily contains 7-8 applications. Not bad for the $5.95 price tag! All the masks I have tried leave my skin soft and moisturized...and even my hubby likes how my face feels afterwards (though he hates looking at me with green goop on my face...hehe). Overall, I would repurchas again e this as it is my second favorite fresh mash I have tried from Lush. Have you tried any of Lush's masks? Which is your fave?

May Favorites

I know, I know, we are 3 days in to June and I am just now posting my favorites for last month. Life has just been soooo crazy! I mean, can you believe we're almost half way through 2011? May brought out the warm weather (finally!!!) and I even celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary....gosh I can't believe I have been a Mrs. for a whole year!! Does that mean I have to stop calling myself a newlywed? 

So, even though May was a busy month for me, I still managed to fall back on these hard-working products:

1. MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect - Since the sun is now blaring here in Philadelphia, I had to increase my SPF factor. This multitasking primer plus sun protection is my go-to. Why do I love it so much? Find out in my review.

2. Lush Ayesha Fresh Face Mask - I am slightly addicted to Lush's Fresh Face Masks. I love the cooling feeling, I love that they are made of fresh ingredients, and I love how the ingredients actually work! I really like The Sacred Truth, but I like this one just as much. Both are meant for anti-aging purposes and Ayesha in particular leaves my skin soft, bright, and I feel like the effects do last for a few days. I will try and do a full review soon.

3. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - Seriously this is the BEST concealer ever! I have tried so many and the only concealer strong enough to conceal my stress from last month was this baby. Check out my full review here.

4. Victoria's Secret Sexy Little Things Noir - This fragrance is just so me!! I used this one a lot during the past month and it has such a distinct fragrance that I can always detect the remnants on my clothing. The fragrance lingers all day and I feel comfortable wearing this for any occasion, or no occasion at all! I also do like the vintage sprayer, but I personally think it is a bit difficult to use and I prefer a more modern pump mechanism. Oh well, it still looks stylish on my dresser.

What were your favorites from May?

April Favorites

I didn't discover anything new and lovely during April, so my favorites are all oldies but goodies, with the exception of one hair product.

1. Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub - This delicious chocolatey-vanilla lip scrub is sooooo tasty it makes me want to lick it off instead of scrub it in! It is a relatively simple sugar scrub that I could probably mix together in my kitchen, but I rarely have time for that, especially if I am trying to smoothen my lips before wearing lipstick for an evening out. I have been using this all winter and have barely made a dent in the pot, so I love that it not only leaves my lips soft and smooth, but it will last forever. 

2. MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque - This was the first shade of Paint Pot that I ever got and years later, it is still my favorite. The peachiness is subtle enough that I can use it as a base for any eye color, but it is interesting enough that I can wear it by itself with a swipe of mascara and be good to go. 

3. MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar - My absolute FAVORITE gloss!! It is a subtle peach color with flecks of gold shimmer, and it looks good on top of ANY lipstick. I've gone through several tubes of this because when in doubt, I always reach for this gloss. 

4. MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator - Originally released with the MAC Style Black collection in the Fall of 2009, this facial scrub was a big seller and I know why. It works!!! This exfoliator removes dead skin cells, helps clarify the skin, makes the skin softer and smoother, and is gentle enough that it can be used everyday....and for awhile I actually did use it everyday! Until I realized I used all my backup tubes and opened my last one. I am crossing my fingers that MAC releases this product again this year or makes it permanent. It's just that awesome. 

5. HANAair Professional Hair Dryer. I haven't touched my drugstore hair dryer since I got this pro gadget. It dries my hair super fast, helps to eliminate frizz, and I feel like it doesn't burn my hair like most drugstore hair dryers do....it's definitely worth the price! My full review is here. 

Do you like/use any of the products I mentioned above?

Will Lush's The Sacred Truth Reveal Your Truth?

Don't you just love it when someone guesses your age as younger than you really are? You feel a sense of giddiness and pride....like you really could be that age they guessed!

In today's world we all want to look younger, firmer, and tighter...and what better way to achieve results than naturally? That's where Lush's The Sacred Truth Fresh Face Mask comes in:

This mask is supposed to brighten the skin and help fight the signs of aging, with ingredients like wheatgrass, ginseng, green tea to fight free radicals, coconut butter and evening primrose to keep skin soft and flexible. 

I'm not sure if it is making me look younger, as I don't have bad wrinkles yet, but this definitely makes my skin look noticeably brighter and feel super soft. The texture is a bit smoother than some of Lush's other fresh face masks, but has a few small chunks of the greens that are in the mask. 

I can't believe I just posted that pic for the world to see, but I wanted to show you how it looks on the skin. =)

Overall I love how this makes my skin feel, not dry and not oily, just perfectly smooth and soft, and I love that it makes my skin bright and supple. I will definitely be purchasing this again in the future.

Kajal Couture Rating: A

Have you tried any of Lush's masks? What's your favorite?

Lush BB Seaweed Face Mask Review

Hey gals and guys! I was in Lush and wanted to try out their fresh face masks. Apparently those get sold quite quickly and they get shipments only once a week. So I had only 2 options, and I chose the BB Seaweed Face Mask. It is supposed to be relaxing and refreshing, and it was!

It feels very cool on the skin, and when you wash it off, you feel very fresh and clean. It does give your skin a bit of a glow. There is no tight feeling afterwards, which is nice, because it does just what is says on the tub. The only thing a little funny, was that is has chunks of seaweed in it, and that was a new experience. But it did not feel odd or anything, just something new, since most face masks are thin or even in consistency, not chunky. Oh, and the tub seems small, but my mom and I both used this at least 3-4 times each, using generous portions, so there really is a lot of product in the tub.

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: Great face masks for a refreshing feeling. If you want some other properties like firming or deep pore cleansing, this might not be the one for you. But if you want your skin to be relaxed and clean, and just be in a balanced state, this is a great mask.

How is your V-day weekend? Mine just got a little sweeter. My fiance brought me red roses this morning! Yay!! I don't think we are doing anything that spectacular or romantical (yes that is a word my fiance and I made up), as we are attending an annual college friend reunion party tonight, and tomorrow (V-day) we will probably go see the movie Valentines Day. Yes, very cliche, but I have been wanting to see that movie since the first preview I saw months ago!

What are you plans? Of course its wonderful to have a significant other, but I think some of my most fun V-days were hanging out with the girls doing anti-guy stuff. =)

Lush Bath Bomb and Bubble Bar Review

So this past weekend I did something I hadn't done in over 10 years: I took a bath.

For those of you who use the words "bath" and "shower" interchangably, don't get confused, I shower everyday, sometimes twice a day. I never take baths because they are so time consuming and kind of a process. But this past weekend, I had nothing to do, I had a bunch of Lush goodies I had picked up months ago and never used, and decided this was the best way to de-stress from all my wedding planning drama.

You may remember my Lush Haul from a few months ago, where I picked up the following Honey Bee Bath Bomb:

A lot of bloggers had mentioned that Lush Bath Bombs are very strong, and if possible, use only half or a quarter. I took this advice and cut this in half with a kitchen knife, before dropping it into my bath. Let me tell ya....the fizzing and yellow color that took over the water was sooooo fun! This bath bomb has aloe vera and honey, both of which are very soothing and moisturizing. Using half was the perfect amount to leave my skin feeling soft and smooth, and I didn't even need to apply moisturizer afterwards. It smells like honey, but is not so overpowering that you feel like you are on a bee farm. It was the perfect mellow-out fragrance to help me relax and de-stress.

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: This is perfect if you want a relaxing bath and want soft, smooth skin. I definitely recommend this one, and will most definitely re-purchase as it will do wonders at calming me down as my wedding approaches.

Since Lush Bath Bombs are only fizzy and not bubbly, I decided to crumble in a small chunk of the A French Kiss Bubble Bar:

Bubble Bars are very soft, and I broke off a small chunk (maybe 1/4 of the bar) and crumbled it into the bath. In addition to adding fun bubbles, this product has lavender, thyme, and rosemary, which are soothing ingredients. Coupled with the Bath Bomb, I was in relaxation heaven.

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: Again this is great if you want to indulge in a calming environment, and the smell is not too strong, so you can actually enjoy the bath without feeling suffocated by the scent.

On another note, have you ever met person who you feel you could be BFFs with, only to find out they don't live anywhere near you, and the opportunities to hang out with him/her would be few and far between? Well, I met someone a few months ago, and we finally got around to hanging out last night, and she told me she is moving to the East Coast next week. =( It was so exciting to bond with her over our love of makeup and Indian parent issues, and now I won't be able to hang out with her often. I hope that our friendship goes against the norm, and we actually do keep in touch via phone and email. Girl, I know you are reading this, and I just want to tell you it was great hanging out and don't worry, my fingers are crossed for you and "V"!!

Lush-ious Skin for the Wintertime

For months I have been reading about other bloggers' addictions to Lush products, how some of them have totally transformed their beauty routines and how fabulous and effective they are. So you can imagine my curiosity and desire to test out the brand for myself. Therefore, last month, I trekked down to the nearest Lush store (half an hour away mind you), spent over an hour sniffing and staring and rubbing, and finally walked out with some goodies of my very own.
This first one is by far my favorite. It is a chunk of the Heavenly Bodies Buttercream. It is 20% soap and 80% moisturizer so you can use it in the shower as a combined body cleanser and body lotion. This one smells like chocolate and cocoa combined with some heavenly floral scent that I can't pinpoint. This stuff melts easily when in contact with water, so I used it by cutting small slivers, with each one lasting 3-4 days. This stuff is creamy and smooth and provides buttery moisture, without feeling greasy. The moisture actually lasts long after you towel dry, and I even think its more effective than most in-shower moisturizers that you get in bottles. This, as with most Lush products, are quite expensive so I see this as a winter time treat, especially great during the holidays when you want to pamper yourself and delight in soft skin.

Kajal Couture Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: Pricey, but smells great and is a fabulous moisturizer so I think it is a great way to treat yourself to something special!

This next one is the massage bar in Heavanilli. You can use massage bars by rubbing them between your hands for a few seconds, then giving a special someone a massage, or just rubbing the moisture on your own skin as a moisturizer. Since this is intended for massages, it is a bit greasy and doesn't absorb into the skin quickly. It smells like sweet vanilla and jasmine and I love using this as a moisturizer because the effect is long lasting, and in the wintertime, the greasiness actually feels a little nice because the cold weather can make my skin crackle.

Kajal Couture Rating: B

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: I like the moisturizing effects, but I tend to lean towards fast-absorbing products. The smell is great and this would be a good massage product, but really, how often do you give people massages?

When I walked into the Lush store, the sales assistant had me try this Soft Coeur massage bar and I instantly knew I had to have it! It smells like chocolate and honey, and I have to be careful not to accidently take a bite because it smells soooo delicious! I absolutely recommend this one.

Kajal Couture Rating: B+

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: Same overall opinion as the other massage bar, but I gave a little higher rating because of the divine smell!

Finally, this is the Honey Bee bath bomb. Now, I haven't actually used this yet, because it is one of those products that you are supposed to use whole and just drop in your shower and watch it fizz and enjoy the soothing, fragrant properties of honey and aloe vera. I have heard of people cutting these with a knife so they can use them a couple times. That is something I will try, because I feel like having a $6 item get used up in 1 shower is just not worth it for me. For that much, I can buy a whole bottle of body wash that will last a couple months!

My final thoughts are that I appreciate the fragrances and the intention of Lush products, but they are just too expensive for me to include them as regular items in my beauty routine. I think they are a great treat every once in awhile and I may pick up a buttercream every so often. The massage bars are also good because they will last a long time so you do get a good amount of usage for your buck. I also really like that the products are natural and handmade, but as of late I have been finding the natural Korres products to be a bit more practical for me. On that note, keep a watch for some Korres product reviews coming up....I have been falling in love with a lot of them!