ProductWhores

In Living Color

 

In Living Color was one of my favorite shows back in the day - I mean Jim Carrey and all the Wayans... and the musical/dancing interludes?  What wasn't to love (okay, maybe JLo as a Fly Girl - only because I can't stand her now)... but I am getting way off track here.  Because of my past obsession with the show, I giggled to myself when I realized that Aveeno's new line of shampoo, conditioner and gloss are named Living Color (yes, I realize it's not exactly the same, but still...).  Aveeno's new line specifically created for color-treated hair is just as awesome, if not more so, than my adored half-hour.  The new line smells as fabulous as their other formulas and works just as well to clean hair without stripping out the moisture.  I love how soft my hair feels and how well my color has been maintained since I started using this line.  It's amazing because I managed to stretch my color (with minimal fading) almost 2 months (I would have the fly girls do a dance to that).  My hair is really shiny and very healthy and honestly, I have to point all my fingers at their especially fabulous little gem in the line - Color Preserving Shine Glaze.  This stuff is amazing.  My hair looks and feels incredible and I can't tell you how many people commented on how shiny it is.  It's a rinse-out, cream formula and at only six bucks or so, it's a steal.  But keep in mind, this bad boy is not a conditioner, so you have to condition your hair before you use this (otherwise you'll have a staticy, unconditioned mess). 

Note:  Samples of these products were sent to me by a PR representative working with Aveeno

Nourish+Style = Fabulous

 

 
 
Aveeno's Nourish+Style Leave-In Conditioner is already my go-to detangler, so when I had the opportunity to check out the three newest products from this awesome company, I jumped for joy!  The Nourish+Style Volumizing Foam is amazing - smells fabulous and does just what it is supposed to do - add volume to otherwise limp hair.  It's light so no sticky, crunchiness and it actually left my hair soft and it felt more conditioned than before.  It retails for $6.49 so a total no-brainer when you're deciding on a new Volumizing Foam.  The Smoothing Shine Creme is fantastic for calming down frizz and acts as a great smoother for pulled-back hairstyles.  I find it gives my hair a gorgeous shine (but doesn't make me look oily and un-showered which is a bonus for a cream). My fave of the new bunch is their Soft-Hold Gel-Creme which is a fantastic scrunch gel which gives my hair some waves, but without the thick goopiness of a lot of gels.  I use it on wet hair to create a beach look, or use it on damp hair before I blowdry to give me soft waves.  Oh, it's fabulous and again, at only $6.49 it's a steal.  I have forked over a heck of a lot more for "fancy" products that give me the same result.  Aveeno's Nourish+Style newbies are available now although I checked my local Target yesterday and couldn't find them yet.  I guess I'll be baby-ing my supply until I can find them in-store.

Note:  A sample of these products were sent to me by a PR Representative working with Aveeno

Four New Drugstore Finds!

If I haven't made it clear before, I'm on a new quest to find drugstore items that can replace my expensive department store purchases.  With the economy the way it is, my bank account has taken a massive hit and therefore, I have been forced to find some budget-friendly go-to products.  So my adventure continues and I am so happy to report I've found four awesome new products that I am in love with!

Aveeno has launched some incredible new facial products that make both your face and your wallet extremely happy.  I tried the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizing Cream Cleanser and it's fantastic.  It really gets my face clean, and leaves it so soft you would think I'd used a moisturizer.  It contains Feverfew which is a naturally calming ingredient related to Chamomile and it really works well on my sensitive skin.  Also, at only $6.99 for a big bottle, this is a definite keeper.

I have religiously been using Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Spray Gel and love the results.  This stuff makes my hair have such wave and it keeps the style all day.  When I first saw "spray gel," I thought of sticky and hard, but this product does the opposite.  My hair is not crunchy at all, it's actually soft and smells great (it smells lightly of violet). 

L'Oreal has totally hit a home run with their True Match foundation.  I am so impressed with the fact that it matches my skin tone perfectly (the chart at the drugstore actually works) and is sheer enough so I don't look like I'm wearing a painted mask, but yet covers my uneven skin tone.  It doesn't dry my skin and it's so cheap!  I mean, I was shelling out $40 on department store brands and this one is only $8.  Man, that means a lot more Coffee Bean Ice Blendeds for me.

Okay, I have to include another Aveeno product because I just love, love it.  Their Positively Ageless Warming Scrub is so wonderful that I can't stop raving about it to friends.  It is a very light scrub (not that feeling of ripping off a layer of your skin) which actually warms up the second it hits your skin (still have no clue how that magic happens).  Anyway, it leaves my skin feeling soft (not dry) and it's uber-cheap at only $7.  Totally worth an immediate trip to the store.

Even though the economy stinks, it doesn't mean I'm sacrificing my love for products. 

Get Some Relief

 

I buy so many "fancy" body washes that some times, I forget how great the regular drugstore brands can be.  I have sensitive skin and especially during the summer, it can get irritated really easily, so for the past few weeks, I've been trying to give it a break and treat it really gently.  Enter Aveeno.  I've been alternating between the Skin Relief Body Wash during the daytime, and if I shower again before bed, the Stress Relief Body Wash.  The Stress Relief scent is such a great way to relax before sleep - it has natural colloidal oatmeal in it, which is apparently known to be soothing on skin (and here I just thought it went really well with brown sugar in the morning!)  It's also very moisturizing, which is great on skin that's been drying out in the summer heat all day.  The scent is definitely one of the best things about it - it's a mix of lavender, essential chamomile and ylang-ylang oil, so it definitely smells like something you would use to de-stress.  (If I use it in the morning, I just want to go back to bed!)  The Skin Relief Body Wash also has oatmeal in it and gives me the same soft and healthy skin, but it's totally fragrance-free, which I like because doesn't clash with any of my perfumes.  They're both perfect for sensitive skin or skin that's stressed out for some reason, plus they're a great drugstore deal.  (I got both of them for a total of $10 with a buy one, get one free coupon).  Who knew oatmeal would be my new favorite bath ingredient?   

Big Ups to my Fair Skin Hotties!

Okay, so being fair skinned, almost translucent, I’ve been burned by the sun about a couple million times.  It was finally, when I had blistering bubbles for shoulders, that I decided I should take a break and stay in the shade wearing a large hat.  We fair-skinned beauties do not need to go to such drastic measures to stay safe and looking good.  I have a few wonderful products that have made it possible to bare my white ass poolside again!  So, grab your beach bag, toss in a water, the latest US Weekly and the following products. 

Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray is amazingly wonderful.  It’s SPF 30, blocks both UVA and UVB rays, and is easy to spray at any angle. It’s lightweight so it melts instantly into your skin and you’ll never have those messy sunscreen fingers.  You gotta love the pump bottle!  Only drawback, as I see it, is you can’t ask that adorable guy a few towels over to rub some on your back, because you’d just look stupid.  The other important product to stash in the beach tote is a great lipbalm with a high SPF, but that doesn’t dry the lips out.  I religiously use Jack Black Lipbalm with SPF 25.  Smells minty-licious, contains moisturizing shea butter, and gives your lips a sexy glisten.  When it comes to face creams with SPF, all are not created equal.  Most are so thick and smelly.  Who wants to slather caulking paste on their face just to protect it from the sun’s damaging rays?  My favorite face cream for everyday wear is Mario Badescu’s Collagen Moisturizer.  Fantastically lightweight, SPF 15 and non-stinky.  Now, brave the Brazillian, grab your espadrilles and get out there.