Beauty Solutions

Moving This Blog

2008-04-09T21:39:00.001-07:00

I'm moving this blog to a new location. I keep several blogs and want to incorporate them all into one site. Check it out at http://livewithbeauty.info

Get A FREE Manicure OR Pedicure!!

2008-04-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

With the purchase of any TWO specially marked Herbal Essences Shampoos and/or Conditioners, or ONE Herbal Essences Hair Color, receive a voucher good for a FREE manicure OR pedicure (at a participating location).

Note: They do not tell you where the participating locations are prior to you submitting your UPC codes for a voucher. If your nearest location is more than 30 miles from your home, you can call them and make arrangements. See their FAQ for more info.

Hottest New Nail Colour For Spring

2008-03-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

This spring, the hottest colour for nails is a deep shade of midnight blue. Several companies have put out their own versions, and here are a few I really like:

OPI nail colours last a long time, don't contain harmful chemicals like dibutyl phthalate or toluene, and come with a wide salon-quality brush for ease of application.

Although much more expensive, Chanel does make a great nail polish formula that lasts a long time. This colour is particularly hard to find and is a limited edition.

Dior Vernis Long-Wearing Nail Lacquer in Poison Blue
A fantastic shade of blue at a reasonable price from one of my favourite fashion houses!

Treating Keratosis Pilaris

2008-03-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

I have a moderate to severe case of Keratosis Pilaris. If you have dry, red "chicken skin" bumps on the backs of your arms or legs, that's what it is. It is the most prevalent on my arms, and has been something I've been struggling to fix for years. I've tried many different products on it, and although a lot of them didn't do much good, there are a few that I would highly recommend.

1. DERMAdoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Moisturizing Therapy For Dry Skin
This super-emollient cream contains both Glycolic Acid for exfoliation and Urea, a dermatologist recommended moisturizer. I loved how easy it went on, and while I could feel it super-hydrating my skin, it didn't feel overly heavy or greasy. A little expensive at $36, but if you can spend it, it's definitely worth it.

2. DERMAdoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub with Chemical + Physical Medi-Exfoliation
This scrub is a MUST if you are going to treat your KP properly. It acts as both a chemical peel and a microdermabrasion treatment. Use this before the cream above for unbelievable results! It can also be used on in-grown hairs and prior to using sunless tanning cream.

3. AmLactin Moisturizing Cream
This is a more budget-friendly option for treating KP. It is 12% lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, neutralized with ammonium hydroxide to make it a more skin-friendly pH. Applied to the skin twice a day, this is a very effective moisturizer.

The exfoliation process is critical to treating KP, but you do not want to over-exfoliate, or you may end up making it worse. Gently scrub the areas with a body brush or a loofa, but do not use pumice or any other sloughing tools, usually meant for pedicures. I have even had success with using an alpha hydroxy facial cleanser on my arms prior to applying a treatment cream.

Have any other questions about KP? Leave them for me!

More Beauty Samples!

2008-03-21T06:32:00.001-07:00

Here are more samples I've found - enjoy!

Aveeno Firming Face Cream - call 1-866 2 AVEENO (228 3366)

Redken for Curly Hair

One Month Supply of Rogaine for Men

Maybelline New York Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Liquid Foundation

FREE Two Week Supply of Clinique Lash Power Mascara

Free Beauty Samples Available NOW!

2008-03-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Here is what I have found today. Get them while they are still available! If you have any samples you don't see here that you'd like me to try, feel free to add them to the comments!

Jergens Natural Glow Express Moisturizers

Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra Lift Deep Wrinkle Treatment

Dove Hair Care

Curel Life's Stages Moisturizers

Gilden Tree Nourishing Foot Cream

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub
(this is the cleanser I use every day - I love it!)

L'Oreal Skin Genesis

Laderma Samples
(click the free samples button on the left)

NV Perricone Ceramic Eye Smoother
(You get to choose two more samples with your order as well!)

Splurge or Save? The Smartest Beauty Buys

2008-03-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

I just found this fantastic article from Real Simple that covers which beauty products you should spend lavishly on, and which ones you can save your dollars with. Enjoy!

My favorite Neutragena products

2008-02-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

I use a variety of brands in my everyday skincare routine, most of them being drugstore products. Over the years, those brands have changed here and there, but I have found that I'm always using at least one Neutragena product all the time. They really do make a wide variety of things for all different types of skin and skin issues. Right now I use several of their products regularly:

1. Neutragena Visibly Firm Lift Serum

This lightweight serum is made with an active copper complex, and goes on underneath your moisturizer to lift the skin. After using for a month now, I can already see results, especially in my nice tight forehead. I make sure to use it across my cheekbones and along my jawline as well. The product itself is a purple colored gel, sinks right into your skin with a slightly silky feel, and doesn't leave your skin greasy afterwards. Best of all, it doesn't pill up or react badly with my moisturizers, both the Hope In A Jar and AmLactin I use on my face.

2. Neutragena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator

This microdermabrasion product is amazing! You have little pre-dosed pads that you attach to the appliance, turn it on and let the vibrations massage the crystals across your skin. It exfoliates and reveals new skin as effectively as a microdermabrasion treatment, and it feels WONDERFUL! Your skin is so soft and smooth afterwards. People with sensitive skin might only want to use this once a week, but you could do it 2-3 times a week if you wanted.

3. Neutragena Acne Stress Control Power Clear Scrub

This is my daily cleanswer. It's so gentle that someone like me can use it every day, sometimes twice a day, but powerful enough to fight acne and keep my skin clear all the time. Has not dried out my face once like some other cleansers do. The best cleanser/scrub I have used in a long time!

4. Neutragena Body Clear Body Scrub

I use this product on my upper chest, shoulders and back. I don't break out much in these areas, but every once in a while, I will get a few breakouts here and there. This product helps control the breakouts, especially in the summer when I'm outside running around, working up a sweat. Doesn't dry out my skin, but I'm careful not to use it on my more rough, dry spots.

Have a favorite product you think I should try? Leave a comment for me!

My Favorite Shower Gel!

2008-02-11T01:34:00.000-08:00

My current favorite shower gel is Philosophy Amazing Grace Perfumed Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel. Amazing Grace is one of the brand's fragrance lines, and it smells soo fresh and clean without being overpowering. I received a large bottle for Christmas from my mother-in-law and immediately fell in love with the scent. I've never been big on using an all-in-one product in my hair before, but I love this stuff as a shampoo - it makes my hair smell amazing and leaves it very soft. The fact that you can use it as one product for your entire body makes it a value, and the scent is luxurious - well worth the money spent on it.

Also made by Philosophy in the Amazing Grace scent:

Hot Salt Scrub
Perfumed Foot Cream
Firming Body Emulsion

The BEST acne spot treatment money can buy!

2008-02-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

I don't break out into widespread acne. Instead, I get one or two large, painful cyst-like pimples that seem to last forever. I've tried just about every product on the drugstore shelves, and was desperate to try something new that might actually work. I found Murad Acne Spot Treatment in a Murad catalog I received in the mail, and read it contained 3% sulfur as an active ingredient. At $17 a tube, it was a splurge, but I have to tell you that it's definitely worth it! Within a day of using the new spot treatment, my pimples shrank considerably, and they were completely gone a couple of days later. The Murad formula didn't dry my skin out like other products containing salycilic acid or benzoyl peroxide, and you only have to use a tiny amount for it to be effective, so I'm sure my tube will last a long time. I'm very pleased with the results! I highly recommend this product if all other products have failed you - in fact, Murad makes a complete acne skin care line, if you can afford it. I'm still using my Neutragena face wash and toner, but the Murad spot treatment can't be replaced.

Affording Your Favorite Fragrance

2007-10-07T23:19:00.001-07:00

I love to buy new perfume. I buy a new brand almost every season change, and have a few favorites that I rotate in and out. Because I like to have a variety of different scents to wear, I don't ever purchase a large bottle at full price. If I love a perfume and know I will wear it often, then I will purchase a normal size bottle, but will almost never pay full price for it. Here's how I purchase my perfume:

1. If it's a scent that I have smelled but not really worn to see if I like, I will buy a sample off ebay. Usually you can find vials of just about any scent you are looking for. They can be shipped in an envelope and don't require much postage. If you don't like the scent, you didn't waste your money on a full size bottle.

2. If you like a particular scent, see if you can find a tester for sale on Ebay. This will be a bottle that may have been used as a tester in a store. It may be full, or have a bit missing from the bottle. Either way, testers are usually sold without a box, sometimes with a "Tester" sticker on them, and for a less expensive price than you would pay at a department store.

3. Try finding a miniature in the scent you want to buy. Some perfumes will put out miniture copies of the full-size bottles, and these are much cheaper to buy.

4. Sometimes on eBay you can find someone who will dram the perfume out for you, and sell it to you in a much smaller bottle. It is the original perfume, only put into a spray or roll-on bottle to be sold at a cheaper price. Search for your fragrance, then look for listings that come in an 1/8th oz. or a 1/4th oz. size. I wore Just Me Paris Hilton for a while, out of an 1/4th oz. bottle I purchased this way. (In case you are wondering, this perfume really is very nice! It smells like a very clean-smelling shampoo to me.)

5. Don't EVER buy your designer perfume full price in a department store! Not if you can help it, at least. There are frangrance stores like fragrancenet.com that will carry many popular brands of fragrances at prices lower than what department stores charge. Ulta carries designer fragrances and also sells gift sets at great prices.