Days Off = Less Money

Yes, I know, I haven't posted in a while. It is called Seasonal Depression (or just the general kind) or just laziness. Anyways, I just had a three day weekend and my bank account has shrunk as a result of some new purchases.

Here it goes:
1. Cutler Protectant Treatment Spray (Haircare)

2. Best of Stila (Makeup)

3. Shikai French Vanilla Body Lotion (Body)

4. Kiss My Face Vanilla Earth Moisture Shave (Body)

5. Tigi Catwalk Headshot Recontructive Intense Conditioner (Haircare)-BTWs I am most excited to try this because it smells like a
concoction of chocolate-raspberry-mint

6. Sally Hershberger Supreme Head Style Primer for Wavy Hair
(Haircare)

Ok, so seeing it listed like that makes me think I maybe went a smidgen overboard. However, 6 Stila products for $40 is amazing! You might also be thinking, "Crazy lady, your products can't hold you at night". However they can and they do. So there.

Holiday Gifts

I have been awful with getting gifts this season. I am actually not in the mood for it at all. However, relatives still come over so I finally had to hunker down and start shopping,

Naturally I buy everyone products.

Here is my list thus far:
Aunt- Clarin's Renew-Plus Night Lotion
It smells nice, very baby powdery. The girl told me that whatever gives it the scent is natural, no added fragrance. It's a nice light exfoliating lotion. Perfect for my 60 something year old aunt. I also got a ton of samples which is great because I couldn't afford to buy the Beauty Flash Balm for her.

Cousin-Smashbox Gloss-N-Go Mini Lip Gloss Kit
I got her a mini set of their glosses last Xmas too and she loved it. She carries a very teeny Coach purse making these miniature glosses the only things that fit besides a credit card.

Mom-MAC and Bobbi Brown Brushes
My mom kept saying that she needed good brushes. So, I got her good brushes. She had had a MAC mini set, they were shit. FYI MAC does not give you the same quality of brush in their small brush sets. The bristles come off on your face and they are just crap anyway you want to put it. Individually sold their brushes are great. I got her one for eyeshadow and one that would be good for blending her under eye concealer (larger compared to her actual concealer brush). I made my dad get her the Bobbi Brown Foundation brush. It's a quality brush that can also be used to apply her Pale Pink Pot Rouge (which, BTW's everyone should own).

I Don't Know Karate, but I know Karazee

So Monday night my friend handed me a new shampoo. I read the label which announced the stylist's name, "JAMES BROWN". WHAT?! I don't want James Brown's hairdo. Is this a joke?

Apparently, I have had my head up my ass for a while. This James Brown is the man that gave Kate Moss her lovely post-breakup bangs. For this, I thought, I will try his shampoo. So I did. It is excellent.

I used the shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair. It left my hair clean, smooth, and ready conditioner. I also had no static for once. Something mos def needed during the winter hair months.

In case you have not guessed, I am a product nerd. Once I hear about a new line or product I have to read everything about it. So like a good junkie I immediately went to his website. He won me over with his choice of music (The Clash's "London Calling") and with a shampoo that from what I can tell is one of the most innovative since those powder shampoos.

This shampoo is for Combination Hair.

Excuse me? What? For years people have talked about using 2 different shampoos, etc. to handle the oily scalp/dry ends debacle. James' shampoo uses 'liquid talc' to absorb excess sebum (ewww) whilst wheatgerm oil hydrates the ends. The liquid talc is supposed to continue working through the day and absorb away.

I do not have this hair issue. I will not try a product that doesn't work for my needs so I am encouraging someone else out there to try it and let me know how it goes.

In the meantime I will wash with James Brown and listen to James Brown.

CHANEL. Not For Just The Heavily Perfumed Afterall

So call me crazy, but for some reason I have always been weary of buying cosmetics from CHANEL. I think it was for the same reason that I shied away from Lancome. I don't know why, but both their counter artists are always garishly made up (not in a cool MAC way) women who reek of perfume and look at you funny if you actually want to purchase something and are under the age of 30 (phew that was long). They tend to be the stereotypical make up artist (no offense), the one you wouldn't want to touch your face.

Anyways, back to CHANEL. Again, I have avoided them, but then I saw this:

Sigh. I am in love. This is the Collection Essentielle De CHANEL (shown in Lumiére Naturelle, $85). I just received this as a Birthday gift and it is awesome. It comes in a pouch that also houses an eye shadow applicator, lip brush, and blush brush. The brushes are crappy, but so are all brushes that come with things of this nature. I used the sponge to apply the shadow and was amazed. The sponge picked up the color. When I tried to use my Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow brush nothing happened. The shadows are in wearable super silky shades that (when used with the sponge) go on almost creamy. The colors show up, which is great since too many companies today are doing consistencies that are so sheer they take 20 strokes to actually look like anything.

The lip colors are all pretty hues of different natural pinks, some with shimmer. The blush is a tanner looking version of NARS' Orgasm. Today I just used my fingers (clean ones mind you) to apply to my cheeks and it worked out very well.

I wanted the palette because I wanted something I could travel with. Now I need to get some mini brushes.

And The Ridiculous Cost of Creams and Potions Pt. 2

For about a millisecond I was impressed with the line Natura Bissé. From Spain-exclusive to stores like Neiman's, Barney's-they are known for two lines, The Diamond line and their Glyco Peeling products.

These are okay if you have the money, but why spend $225 for the Glyco Extreme when you can buy something that works exactly the same by MD Skincare for under $100. They say it has 60% exfoliating ingredients. This sounds very impressive because you think "Wow! That is so strong, like something in a doctor's office". Yeah, no. This is just a gimic because with a pH of 4.5 it doesn't actually do much. Spa can do peels above a 3.3, doctor has to do anything lower. When they say 60% exfoliating ingredients, they mean 60% of the ingredients listed are exfoliating NOT that they have a 60% strength.

It definitely makes your face tingle, which is what most people look for. If you like to feel like it's "working" buy it and waste $225. Or get Appleseed Resurfacing Peel by Fresh for $145 and feel better that you weren't scammed in the morning. Okay, maybe you'll still feel scammed.

Their Diamond line which is 3 different weighted creams, all supposed to do everything you would want a cream to do is another disappointment. Their key ingredient is Artemia Salina which they tout as Marine Extract and don't you know? It's supposed to re-energize the skin to give it a glow. What they don't tell you is that by Marine Extract they actually mean Sea Monkeys. Look it up on Wiki, seriously.

If you want to spread some Sea Monkey's on your face and don't feel like spending $300 buy an EcoSphere, drain it, and break out the pistol and mortar to create a paste of the little buggers. I am of course joking though, but it is the same thing.

Thank You Kim!

Kim (being a good friend) sent me this lovely posting direct from DailyCandy NYC. I certainly hope everyone takes advantage of it. By the way it reads I believe is starts Sept 30th, but I am usually wrong about such things.

Bliss Blowout Sale
What: Up to 80 percent off scrubbing, bubbling, polishing, and exfoliating products.
Why: Gimme a little Bliss, will ya, huh?
When: Thru Sun. Times vary by location. Info at 212-219-8970.
Where: 12 W. 57th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves., 3rd flr.; 568 Broadway, at Prince St., 2nd flr.; 541 Lexington Ave., at 49th St.



YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

The Hair Masque Costs WHAT?

After visiting my friend whose job allows her to walk away with free amazing products I became the proud owner of some Kérastase hair care.

The two products I received were from the Soleil line (it's intended as after-sun care for color treated hair) . I got a shampoo (Bain Apres-Soleil) and weekly deep conditioner (Masque UV Défense Active). My previous reaction to Kérastase had been lukewarm. When I first tried their Bain Satin 1 it was $22, now it has gone up to $32. I bought it after InStyle had named it best shampoo, however I did not find it anything other then a basic shampoo with a slightly offensive odor.

Their Soleil line is much better and actually worth shelling out the $32 and $58 for the shampoo and masque (luckily I did not have to do that, but if I could throw that kind of money around I would). My hair (which is a lot of fine and dry strands with a frizzy wave) was left feeling healthier after rinsing out the shampoo. The masque looks like a thick honey and not too much was needed to coat my shoulder length hair. The scent of both is very pleasant, like a strong smell of the wash area of a salon.

Maybe next visit I'll get to sample the Réflection line! The bottles are pretty and purple. I can not wait!