ProductWhores

All Clear

Lately, I've been noticing that no matter how many face cleansers I have in my closet (and believe me, there are A LOT of them), when I inevitably decide every few days to switch things up a little, I reach for something Neutrogena. Maybe it's because I have pretty much every product they ever make, maybe it's because they're in the front and I don't have to move forty-seven bottles, tubes and jars to get to them... Who can say? Either way, I'm never disappointed. Their stuff just works for me. And when I want something to exfoliate, it's pretty much a guarantee that I'm going to go with their Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub. It makes my face feel really clean and I know that it's working because when I use toner afterwards, there's no trace of makeup on the cotton balls. That's my litmus test. (Very scientific, aren't I? I'm expecting the call from MIT any day now). I also love the scent - it's a clean, fresh smell without any trace of alcohol. Plus the little scrubby bubble things (another scientific term) are great exfoliators. I also feel like you can't go wrong with any brand that uses Jennifer Garner as a spokesperson instead of, say, Lindsay or Paris. (Do you really believe that when Lindsay is passing out at the end of the night, she takes the time to wash her face? I think not). All in all, a pretty awesome purchase, especially at less than $10. No wonder it's front of the shelf material.

Lazy Eye

I'm lazy. I totally admit it. And I'm also loyal, especially to my favorite brands. So when I can combine my love for a certain product with even less work, all the better! Neutrogena has come out with my favorite eye makeup remover in pre-moistened pad form, so now you don't even need to use cotton balls to apply it, you just open the package and swipe. It's awesome, especially because I keep forgetting to buy cotton balls and having to substitute paper towels instead and I think we all know what a bad idea that is. (I'm pretty sure I've yanked out half of my eyelashes in the past two days). The eye makeup remover in the pads is every bit as effective as the one that comes in the bottle and it still doesn't leave an oily residue. Plus, I'll feel a lot better putting this in my suitcase than I would a bottle, which is way more likely to open mid flight and soak my Joe's Jeans. (It's all about keeping my jeans safe, people). Also, Neutrogena Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Pads are cheap. I bought the package of 30 pads at Target for only $6. So worth it. Now if only I could say the same for everything else I bought there that day. (Seriously, someone stop me from going there. I don't need any more candles!!)

Ultra Sheer May Be Tacky as Clothing, But Great As Sunblock

While this may not be a particularly interesting review, it is a very important one because everyone should be concerned with skin cancer and premature aging due to over-exposure to the sun.  I am a huge fan of Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock in SPF 55.  It sinks into your skin almost immediately, is unscented and boasts Helioplex which is something dermatologists are super excited about (hey, they're dermatologists, they're allowed to be excited about something).  Anyway, I did a little research on Helioplex and basically it blocks all UVA and UVB rays, but the real kicker is Helioplex allows the sunblock to be more effective for a longer period of time.  I don't know about you, but I love to avoid constantly re-applying my sunblock when I'm outside all day if I can.  The Neutrogena Sunblock with Helioplex does not leave your skin shiny and is water proof and sweat proof (really important for me since I seem to sweat in LA when I'm just sitting still).  It comes in both SPF 55 and SPF 70 and while both sound higher than what you'd normally reach for, I'm all about the extra level of protection.  I'd rather slather on something that'll give me color than risk getting skin cancer.  I think all those painful sunburns when I was a teenager have finally made me realize it's just not worth the agony.  I don't know why I thought being a red lobster would get me a boyfriend at Hampton Beach.

Moisturefull

Neutrogena's MoistureShine gloss is really wonderful.  The colors are very pretty, but even more amazing, the gloss is actually appropriately named!  Armed with a ton of moisture, this stuff will not dry your lips out in the least.  Also, the shine is incredibly sexy and lasts much longer than you would think it would considering all the lip-locking you'll be doing in it.  Not sticky at all, I've never had the stray hair stick to the stuff (what a huge pet peeve of mine) so I'm a big fan of the glosses.  While I'm partial to Dreamy and Dizzy (the somewhat neutral pinks) I haven't played around with the shades of brown which look very pretty in the containers.  If you're in desperate need (as we all are) of a gloss that lasts and doesn't dry your lips, you'll have to get to the drugstore immediately.  I can't be held responsible for lipgloss addiction.

Oh How I Glow!

I have found the most amazing gradual sunless tanner for my pale skin!  Neutrogena has come out with Summer Glow Daily Moisturizer SPF 20 with Helioplex technology which keeps me moisturized, but has more importantly, has given me a healthy-looking tan!  It's really amazing.  I have the whitest skin in the world so everytime I use a sunless tanner I end up orange - no matter how gradual the tanning process is.  This one has really given me a non-orange slight tan which is perfectly suited for me.  I have been using it for a week now and I really glow as if I have been at the beach.  If you are a person who likes a deep tan then this would definitely not be the product for you.  But if you're like me, tanning-virgin with pale skin who wants something they can't screw up, then definitely buy Summer Glow.  It gives you a healthy-looking (not South Beach) tan, there is no streaking, it dries extremely fast and boasts a nice SPF of 20!  What's not to love about this stuff.  Bring on the t-shirts my friends because finally I won't be reflecting the sun's rays off my pale-ass arms!

Get A Healthy Glow

When the summer comes, I hate the feeling of wearing foundation. It's heavy, thick and doesn't look all that good when I have sweat running down my face as I attempt to stay presentable in the hot Los Angeles sun. (Sounds cute, doesn't it?) So this year, I decided to go with more of a tinted moisturizer and eliminate all the mask-like qualities of a heavy foundation. So far, I've only tried a few, and the one I'm liking the most right now is Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Glow Sheers. Because I'm darker than usual right now (due to self-tanner, not the sun - I want to be as wrinkle-free as possible when I'm sixty) I bought it in the medium to tan shade, which seemed to work out well. Even though it's thick when it comes out of the tube, it goes on pretty sheer. Really sheer, in fact. That's my only complaint with it - it doesn't have much coverage, so if you're having a bad skin day (or, you know, month...) this probably shouldn't be the first thing you reach for because everyone's still going to be able to see the zits on your chin. But other than that, I really like this stuff. It goes on smoothly, feels light, is loaded with anti-oxidants, and even comes with an SPF of 30. It's the good for you summer foundation! Plus, the tube makes it easily portable, which is a big plus as far as I'm concerned since I tend to be outside way more in the summer and need to reapply my makeup more often (due to that damn sweating problem). I probably wouldn't use this for a night out - I'd go with one of my foundations with more coverage - but it's perfect for an every day summer foundation. In fact, I'm packing it in my makeup bag for a trip as I'm typing this, and since I'm taking the SuperShuttle and therefore responsible for all my own bags, that should tell you something. (Of course, I'm still taking WAY too many pairs of shoes for a two week trip, but what are you going to do? It's baby steps, people. Baby steps).

Tint Perfection

For all you contact wearers out there, I've found a great mascara. It's called Neutrogena Clean Lash Tint and it's perfect for those people who want more defined lashes, but hate wearing heavy mascara. Basically, instead of Tammy Faye lashes, this product just sort of darkens them, letting them stand out more without making you deal with clumps or smudges when you're trying to get out the door at 7am. I really like this stuff - no, it's not Great Lash and I would still use a "real" mascara for a night out, but for the day, this is a perfect product. It's contact safe, so it won't irritate your eyes, which doesn't sound like that big a deal until you remember the day everyone in your office kept asking, "Are you okay?" because your mascara was making your eyes water and you looked like you'd been crying all morning. (Because you know that at least one of those people didn't buy your explanation and still thinks you're one of those girls who sobs over, like, a broken nail). The description also says that you don't need makeup remover to get it off at the end of the day, that it just wears off naturally or with soap and water, but I can't verify that since I always use eye makeup remover. (What can I say? My mom taught me well). And like all Neutrogena products, it's fairly cheap - I got mine in a two for one package at Target, so they wound up being only $4 each. It was one of my prouder moments. I love a good bargain and when it can make my eyes look better at the same time? That's what I call a win-win.

Foam-tastic

When I'm traveling, my favorite cleansers to pack are those dry cloths that foam up under water. I figure that way I stand a better chance of making it all the way to my destination without some sort of liquid ending up all over my Seven jeans. The new Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes are the latest ones I've tried and they're fantastic. The thing that sets them apart from the other ones on the market is that you can even use them to take off your eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. Such a bonus! Now I don't have to go through the trauma of taping my bottle of eye makeup remover shut and putting it in a sealed Ziploc bag in my suitcase (I really love my Seven jeans). They don't leave an oily residue and because they're alcohol free, they don't dry your skin out. Plus, you get to just throw them away when you're done, leaving you more room in your luggage for whatever else you pick up along the way (shoes, purses, a bag of Dunkin' Donuts coffee... Whatever, I'm not picky). I like these so much, I'm even considering using them when I'm at home. Of course, then I'd have to go back to Target to restock before my next trip. Damn, my life is hard...

MoistureShine Rocks

Breaking news! I've found a new lip gloss. (Well, technically I guess this doesn't count as breaking news, since it happens about once a week, but still). It's Neutrogena's MoistureShine Lip Soother and it's my new favorite lip balm. It comes with two really important ingredients - SPF 20 (a must in Los Angeles) and a cooling hydragent. I have no idea what that is, but it must be good because I love the way this gloss feels on my lips. The other thing I like about it is the scent - it tastes kind of like iced tea when you lick your lips, which I do way too often and which probably contributes to me singlehandedly keeping the lip gloss market in business. My one complaint with it is that I bought Glaze, the darkest shade available, and it barely shows up on my lips. If it had a little bit more color, I'd give it a 10 out of 10, but as it is, it's up there with a solid 9 on my must have makeup scale. It's the Mary Lou Retton of lip products!

Nails 911

Let me just start off by saying that I have awful nails – short, bitten, uneven and usually peeling.  Any normal chick would just start taking care of them or at least get a manicure once in a while.  No, not me, I just keep biting them and letting them look terrible.  Lucky for all of us, I don’t aspire to be a hand model.  That said, I actually have to admit that Neutrogena’s new Instant Nail Enhancer really helps me out a lot.  I didn’t mean to buy this product, but it came along side one of their new glosses as an extra added freebie.  I see now why they do this – to get chronic nail-biters like myself, hooked.  My nails look freshly buffed and with minimal effort.  You just swipe on the clear stuff, it dries in less than a second and you have shiny, newly-buffed looking nails.  Kind of brilliant, I must say.  Plus, it comes in a little tube, so it’s easy to stash in your purse for freshen-ups if needed.  While my newly shiny nails will probably not inspire me to actually take care of them, I will likely keep up using the Nail Enhancer.  Much easier and less time consuming than attempting to paint my nails with clear coat (did I mention I’m incredibly lazy).  Oh, and the real kicker for me, the Nail Enhancer means I won’t have to attempt awkward conversation with a manicurist.