ProductWhores

What I'm Loving Right Now

As usual, I'm testing a bunch of products all at once.  Some of them I love, some of them... not so much.  Here are the ones I've been telling my family and friends to go out and buy.  (Or at least listen to me talk about!)

Estee Lauder's new Nutritious Vita-Mineral Makeup is my foundation of the moment.  I really like using mineral makeup, but don't usually love powder foundations, so this if perfect for me.  It goes on smoothly and blends easily, and it comes with an SPF (although it is only an SPF 10 - I'd love it if they could make it a 15 or higher).  It's oil and fragrance-free (who wants fragrance in their foundation?), but it does have minerals, Vitamins C and E, and pomegranate-extract, which is a strong anti-oxidant.  It also helps erase signs of fatigue, which is perfect for me because lately, I look like I'm permanently in need of a nap.  (Getting older sucks!)

After I put in the Estee Lauder foundation, my powder is Clinique's Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder.  (I'm all about the minerals lately!)  It's also oil-free and gives my skin more of a matte look, but what I really love is the way it takes the redness out of my face.  It makes it look more even and less blotchy whenever I need that to happen (like when I've been running around all day and then have to go back out without having time to shower.  This product is totally made for days like that).

Bare Escentuals Face Fashion is a great all in one makeup kit.  It contains two eyecolors, one liner shadow, one blush, and a Buxom lip polish.  The colors create a great dark smoky eye, and the lip color is a sheer nude to go along with them.  (Plus, you get that tingling sensation when you use it, which I love).  And the small sizes make it easily portable and perfect for a trip or a weekend away.  I love it when companies put shades together for me so I don't have to think about what matches.  The less thinking in the morning, the better!

Get a Turbo Boost

I have to admit, when I first got Estée Lauder's new TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara, I put off trying it for a few days.  It's a mascara with a vibrating brush!  That's just asking for trouble for a klutz like me.  I had visions of poking myself in the eye, blinding myself, and having to get rushed to the emergency room while yelling the phrase, "Help, I've had a tragic mascara accident!"  I finally sucked it up and tried it because everyone was talking about TurboLash and I didn't want to be out of the loop.  (Apparently, my desire not to be left out is stronger than my fear of causing myself physical harm...)  I'm so glad I tried it because it's awesome. Seriously - run out and get it if you haven't already succumbed to the power of the Turbo because you'll totally thank me.  Using it is a cinch - all you do is twist the container open and the LashSonic Brush starts vibrating - no need to turn it on.  Then you just apply it like you would regular mascara.  You can feel the buzzing as the mascara touches your eyelashes, but it's not forceful and you totally won't poke your eye out (I promise!)  The wand continuously separates and coats your lashes with a rapid gel release formula that covers all your lash bases at once - you get volume, length, curl and separation - all at the same time!  It sounds like it's too good to be true, but my lashes looked amazing when I was done, almost like I was wearing fake lashes.  And the look stayed in place all day, with barely any flaking and no smudging.  I also really appreciate the fact that it comes off easily with regular old eye makeup remover.  I may not like my mascara to move during the day, but at night, I just want it off - and not on my pillowcase because it won't budge when I'm taking off all my other makeup.  Plus, TurboLash is just kind of fun to use - everyone I've shown it to instantly gets excited to try it and that reminds me how much fun makeup can be, so it makes me smile every time I take it out.  (Even in the morning, when nothing makes me happy until I have like, three cups of coffee).  I feel like I'm channeling my grandmother here, but seriously - vibrating mascara?  What will those crazy kids think of next?   

TurboLash retails for $30 and is available at all Estée Lauder counters and esteelauder.com now.

Photo courtesy of Estée Lauder

What is Sensuous?

I've always been a fresh scent person.  My favorite fragrances are the CLEAN line, Sugar Lemon, Bobbi Brown's Bath... You get the idea.  So when I was sent a bottle of Estee Lauder's new perfume Sensuous in the mail and read that it was in a just created category of "Woody Amber" fragrances, I expected to hate it.  I should've known by now that the one thing that's always true is that I'm never right about these things!  I'm totally, completely, beyond in love with this scent.  It's just so different than anything I've smelled before.  I'm actually finding it hard to describe, that's how different it is.  (And I'm never at a loss for words!)  With notes that include Atmospheric Florals (like Jasmine and Magnolia), Glowing Amber, Mandarin Orange Pulp, Molten Woods, Black Pepper, and Honey, it's a warm, almost spicy fragrance that just lures you in.  I don't think any description really does it justice because it's really something that you need to smell for yourself.  I feel like a different person when I wear it because it's so unlike anything I'm used to.  (Now if only that different person could pay off my credit card, we'd really be in business...)

The fragrance is available this month at SensuousIs.com and Bloomingdales.com, but you can't buy it on counters until July (this is why God invented overnight shipping!)  SensuousIs.com also features user-generated content (you can tell them what sensuous means to you), behind-the-scenes video footage from the ad campaign shoot, and a "Question and Answer" session with the models' feedback on their Sensuous thoughts.  (If I was a model, I think my Sensuous thoughts would be about cheeseburgers because I would miss them so much).

The Eau de Parfum retails for $39.50 for a 1 ounce bottle, $49.50 for a 1.7 ounce size, and $69.50 for a 3.4 ounce bottle. You can also layer the scent with a Silk Shower Creme and Satin Body Lotion.  But move quickly - you'll want to be the first one wearing this scent so when everyone catches up to you, you can act all offended that they dared to copy your beauty forward self. 

Photo courtesy of Estee Lauder

Turn Into A Beach Goddess

I've decided that the best fragrances are summer fragrances.  I'm basing this on absolutely nothing, except for the fact that a lot of the ones I've smelled lately are great.  And now I have another one to add to the list - Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess.  Usually when a scent is raved about online, I end up being disappointed when I smell it, but it's the exact opposite with this one - I actually like it more than I thought I would.  (And how often does that happen?)  Bronze Goddess is a blend of Bergamot and Mandarin, with middle notes of Tahitian Gardenia Petals and Coconut, and a warm base of Amber, Sandalwood and Vetiver.  What does that all smell like?  Sort of like a bottle of expensive suntan lotion warmed by the tropical sun with a hint of ocean breeze.  (I should totally be writing advertising copy, by the way.  Feel free to steal that, Estee Lauder!)  It's light and fresh, but very distinctive.  I wish I'd had this last year when my sister got married in Costa Rica because it would've been the perfect scent to wear to her wedding on the beach.  (Although possibly it might have attracted more of those flying beetle things to me and that would've been bad.  Ahh, the joys of a tropical vacation...)  The best part is the price - at only $49.50 for 3.4 ounces, you can afford to buy the Eau Fraîche Skinscent, the matching body lotion ($29.50), and the Body Oil Spray ($29.50) so you'll always have a a bottle of the scent around to make you happy.  But act fast - it's a limited edition and all three products are already sold out online.  If you miss this one, your inner Goddess might just kick your ass.

Estee Lauder products are available at counters everywhere and at EsteeLauder.com.

Photo courtesy of Estee Lauder