Product Review: Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter, B

Happy Monday to all!

I'm finally back in Charlotte after a very long, but very exciting week. I will be choosing the Corioliss Flat Iron winner this evening - make sure you enter if you haven't already!

Today's review is all about the butter, baby! No no, not Land O' Lakes, but instead it's about the great Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter.

I had the great pleasure of sampling this product at a swanky hotel this past weekend and I just had to offer up a review!

Here are the deets from Sephora:

What it is:
A maximum-moisture, best-selling cream with a luxuriously rich texture.

What it does:
Bliss Body Butter restores moisture to even the most 'rough and scaly skin' as it protects the skin from free radicals. It smoothes, softens, and hydrates dry skin, without making it feel greasy. Used in over 70,000 bliss spa massages every year worldwide, this superior skin-smoothing formula has gained a huge following—making it one of Bliss' best selling products.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens

What else you need to know:
This signature fragrance is light and refreshing, loved by men and women alike. You can sample this classic moisturizer sink side in W Hotel bathrooms worldwide.

And onto my review...

The Good: It smells divine and it moisturizes well. This is a creamy body butter, but not so thick that it's difficult to rub in and absorb into your skin. The sage and the lemon work very well together and overall it's a great body butter.

The Bad: The price. $28 for 6.7 ounces and $49 for 14 ounces. I love me an overpriced product, but even for me this is steep. Granted, if you're a huge fan of this body butter, the $49 is a nice discounted price for the size.

The Verdict: B for me. I really love this body butter and it definitely lives up to it's reputation, but the price knocks it down for me. If I can score this product at a bit more of a discount, it's a great, great buy.

That's it for today! Have a great day!

Product Review: Stila Kitten Eyeshadow, A

Hello there! Hope you all enjoyed a great weekend!

Up for review today is one of my favorite eyeshadows of all time - Stila Kitten. Thought color, the wear and the shimmer always impress me and I have repurchased this little lovely countless times!

Sephora describes the color as a "shimmering nude pink". Here are the Stila eyeshadow details from the website...


What it is:
A pressed eyeshadow in a range of shades.

What it does:
These individually pressed formulas, from classic neutrals to the hottest fashion hues, are long lasting and easy to apply, just layer to achieve the desired look. Applied wet or dry, these shadows never crease and always look fabulous.

What else you need to know:
Pop any Stila eyeshadow or cheek color pan into a signature Stila refillable aluminum compact. It's a perfect way to tote your favorite shades. Compact sold empty. Color pans sold separately.

And onto my brief review...

The Good: The shimmer is ah-mazing! I'm a fan of Stila's shadows in general but this one takes the cake. It's a soft, shimmery neutral that pairs great with a nude look or a bright lip. And as Sephora's deets describe, for added punch you can apply the shadow with a wet brush too.

The Bad: Honestly, I have no negatives to report. Do I wish it were cheaper? Sure. But one eyeshadow pan can last me one year - even with daily use.

The Verdict: This shadow earns a solid A from me! It's a great neutral with a shimmering kick and it wears beautifully.

Have you ever tried Stila's eyeshadows? How about Stila Kitten?

Product Review: Benefit High Beam, B+

Hi all! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Up for review today is a very fun Benefit product...Benefit High Beam...

You can find this little wonder at Sephora (among other places): Benefit High Beam, .45 ounces for $24

Details from Sephora's website...

What it is: A luminescent complexion enhancer.

What it does: Benefit High Beam is an ethereal pink liquid highlighter that creates a radiantly dewy complexion. For an angelic sheen, this pink shimmering lotion adds a soft, natural afterglow.

What else you need to know: It's a "supermodel in a bottle…" and perfectly alluring on all skin tones.

And here's my review...

The Good: It is indeed a luminzer. The soft pink shade is really flattering on a variety of skin tones and the product makes me look more refreshed, dewey and awake.

The Bad: It's expensive! While a little product goes a looong way, $24 is still pricey - any way you slice it.

The Verdict: B+ for me. This is one of those products that just makes me look "prettier". This product is not a need (to me, mascara is a NEED) - High Beam is a want. A big want at that though!

**My tips to get the most out of this product**

This product can be a little confusing to some - as there is no "right" way to use it. And I LOVE versatile products - I get to play with them until I find my favorite way to use them. And here is the way that I like to use Benefit's High Beam...

• I first apply my moisturizer and tinted moisturizer
• I then dot the product under my eyes and up my cheekbones (three or four dots per side)
• I lightly pat & press the product in with my ring finger (which is the most gentle fingerpad to use - no joke!)
• Then I apply my blush and powder, etc.

When I apply it this way, I get a really nice subtle sheen to my cheekbones and a lightness under my eyes. It's a very polished, awake look.

So, that's my Benefit review!

Has anyone used High Beam? Thoughts? Tips/tricks? 

Product Review: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, B

Hi everyone! Up for review today is Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer. Here is the description at Sephora.com:


What it is:
A vitamin-rich, water-based foundation primer.

What it does:
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer creates a smooth, invisible layer that acts as a "buffer" to outside elements and expertly holds foundation. This water-based formula guarantees that your makeup stays fresh and color-true for hours. With vitamins A, C, and E added to protect the skin, Foundation Primer is oil-free and ideal for all skin types.

And now for my review:

The Good: It keeps your face makeup in place and fresh for quite some time. Not the entire day, but close to it. Also, I've never experienced any skin reaction or breakout with this product.

The Bad: It's a bit watery yet you do receive 1.75 ounces for $30. Nonetheless, I love Laura Mercier and I expect close to perfection. Overall, I've tried a few other primers and this one hits the middle of the road for me.

The Verdict: B, it's a decent primer with good-for-your-face ingredients. However, I won't be rebuying as I think Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer is much closer to perfection in my book. You get a bit less with Smashbox's product, one ounce for $36, but I use less as Photo Finish is a thicker, more substantial primer with better results. Plus, you can buy the jumbo for $49 (2 ounces).

So, that's my review!

Anyone have any great foundation primers to share?

Product Review: Benefit Eye Bright, B

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend! I had a lovely little weekend filled with a bit of shopping, home improvements and a movie. I finally saw Avatar in 3D and really enjoyed it. The visual effects are truly stunning.

Anywho, on to the product review of the day. I picked up Benefit's Eye Bright about one month ago after reading some reviews and seeing Carmindy use it quite a bit on What Not To Wear (a fave show of mine). I don't have super dark circles underneath my eyes, but there are plenty of mornings that I wear my lack of sleep on my face. So, this handy dandy little stick is touted to literally "brighten" your eyes.

First off, it's price-ay. At $20 for a .05 oz. stick, this thang better work....and it does. It offers a creamy texture that glides right over your moisturizer (I layer toner, moisturizer, this and then my tinted moisturizer). It's pale pink color instantly adds light under the eyes and definitely makes me look more awake (oh, and it doesn't crease or cake, either). Go easy on it, though, because you don't want to layer on too much of this product or you'll look like you have a pink spotlight under your eyes. Not hot.

So, overall, I give this little wonder a B. Why? Well, it's a really nice, easy-to-use product. It brightens the eyes and definitely makes me look a bit more awake. However, it's pretty pricey and those with significant dark circles under the eyes won't get full relief from this bad boy.

Have you ever tried Benefit's Eye Bright? Thoughts?

Oh...and if you want to try Eye Bright for less there are a bunch on ebay...just make sure to check out the seller's credentials before buying!