Neutrogena skin iD: Product Review

July 14, 2008 09:29 AM | Comments (0) | Posted in product review, neutrogena, Product Review, Neutrogena

What: Christiana tests skin iD, a new product by Neutrogena Dermatologics, is a personalized acne solution system that’s clinically proven to treating and preventing acne.

The Lowdown: I don’t have much of an acne problem (well, at least not since 8th grade, in which acne + frizzy hair combined for a wide range of issues) but I duly filled out the evaluation. A few days later, I received a cream cleanser, an anti-acne treatment, a hydrator, and a spot acne treatment. The first three are to be used twice a day, while the last one is for emergencies. The cleanser went on first, and my face immediately felt cool, tingly and refreshed. Next, were the anti-acne treatment and hydrator. The instructions directed me to wait for the anti-acne treatment to dry before applying the hydrator, and then wait for the hydrator to dry, which was pesky since I wanted to go to sleep at night or get my day started in the mornings.

After each treatment, my face felt relaxed and cool to the touch. A few days into the ritual, my skin felt and looked smoother. One problem though—the cleanser doesn’t remove makeup well, which meant adding another step before everything else. Smooth skin is all well and good, but I don’t want stray eyeliner and mascara running down my cheeks. That ain’t cute.

Yea or Nay: Yea—judging by the changes I noticed on myself, I think the more potent versions of the cleanser would work well on acne problems.

Buy it: @ skinid.com, $39.99

Neutrogena’s Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation: Product Review

March 2, 2008 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | Posted in product review, make up, neutrogena, Product Review, Neutrogena

What: Robin cuts off her liquid foundation habit to give Neutrogena’s Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation. $12.99, a whirl.

The Lowdown: Since I’m not the biggest fan of powder foundation, I wasn’t sure this would give me the coverage I need and typically receive from my trusty liquid ally. The packaging states that it is the first purified mineral makeup in a mess-free compact, which includes a sponge applicator in a hidden compartment for application. Needless to say, this stuff is the bomb. It’s not a messy powder nor is it a heavy cream foundation. It’s a sheer powder that goes on velvety smooth and offers moderate coverage. It also contains an SPF 20 and time released anti-oxidants. What I love about this product is that it takes seconds to apply, and if you need a little more"help” from one day to the next, it’s natural looking enough that you can build up your coverage without looking cakey.

Yea or Nay: Yea. With eight shades to choose from, you’re guaranteed great coverage with this powder foundation.

Buy It: @ Target, Walgreens

Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Duos: Product Review

February 24, 2008 10:14 AM | Comments (0) | Posted in product review, make up, neutrogena, Product Review, beauty product, Neutrogena

What: Will Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Duos, $8.49, give Robin (as stated on the packaging) “the most vibrant looking eyes you’ve ever seen”?

The Lowdown:  At first glance, the eye shadow duo didn’t look much different than any other shadow on the shelf. No fancy packaging, no crazy colors, just a nice variety of eight different color combinations that look like you could actually wear. The bigger of the two shadows in the case is the base color, which is clinically shown to condition the delicate skin around the eye area with the ingredients of soy, silk, and Vitamins A, C & E. The smaller shadow is the accent color and contains advanced luminizing pearl optics. Sounds so high tech, right? The two are supposed to create a smooth, even lid tone and allow you to go from day to night with however much (or little) of the accent shadow you choose to wear. Yes, the shadow glides on smooth, stays put and is resistant to creasing. Were my eyes the most vibrant they’ve ever been? I hardly think so.

Yea or Nay: I say what-the-yea. They’re nice, budget-friendly shadows that will give your lids a soft hint of glimmer throughout the day.

Buy It: @ Drugstore

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator: Product Review

February 2, 2008 10:36 AM | Comments (0) | Posted in product review, neutrogena, Product Review, skin care, Neutrogena

What: Robin exfoliates her way to softer, more luminous skin with the Neutrogena Skin Rejuvenator, $39.99; Rejuvenating Puff Refills, $19.99.

The Lowdown: Says the folks at Neutrogena:“Exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to promote surface-cell renewal, but finding the best gentle exfoliator that will give you more vibrant, younger-looking skin isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds?” You’d think any cleanser with a slight abrasion in it would help scrub off dead skin cells, but having tested tons of exfoliants over the years, I feel confident in saying not all scrubs are created equal; some leave your skin feeling like your cat’ scratching post, while others turn you red and blotchy. Glad to report this is not the case with Neutrogena’s nifty new invention. This little battery-operated device comes with twelve pre-dosed, single-use puffs that deliver the perfect degree of gentle exfoliation with ultra-fine crystals and mild purifiers. You simply stick one of these pads onto the attachment head, wet, and massage away. With continued use, the vibrations are said to boost circulation and oxygenation to increase radiance—the packaging states there are even clinical studies proving this. While I haven’t used it for eight weeks, at which 72% of users in the study had improved skin firmness, my skin is definitely softer than it’s been in a long time.

Yea or Nay: Yea. My only nay about it is that the applicator vibrations are hardcore for any one with a ticklish side.

Buy It: @ Drugstore.com

Product Review: Mineral Makeup on a Budget

December 6, 2007 01:00 AM | Comments (14) | Posted in product review, make up, neutrogena, cosmetics, Product Review, Sonia Kashuk, mineral make up, Neutrogena

“SOME PRODUCTS ARE NO LONGER BEING SOLD”

What: Angela wades through some of the mineral makeup offerings from the drug store beauty aisle.

The Lowdown: Make-up marketers are savvy folks—and so anyone who makes regular visits to the beauty aisle knows there’s always something new being touted. These days? It’s mineral make-up—and plenty of the major make-up brands are jumping on the mineral bandwagon. What the heck is mineral makeup anyway? Here’s the scoop: mineral makeup is made of natural, finely ground natural minerals, without the requisite chemicals, dyes, etc. The buzz is that it’s better for your skin (natural, and let’s the skin breath) and adds a natural glow. Um, we’ve heard that before. So which one of these new mineral products, if any, is worth parting with your hard-earned money for? I checked out a few, and here’s what I found:

~Sonia Kashuk for Target Mineral Face Palette, $14.99 This product came in a set of three—blush, powder foundation, concealer. Let me just say that I was very leary about power foundation—my skin tends to be uneven and red in places, so I had little hope for good coverage, but I’m now eating my words. It actually goes on evenly, covers surprisingly well, and stuck around. Just about all day. My liquid foundation doesn’t even do that.

The color had me worried too—I have olive skin, and typically struggle to find a good match. I picked “warm tawny” and crossed my fingers, and it was great. Minerals, it seems blend much better with your actual skin tone than traditional liquids (we’ve all seen it—the foundation “mask”—and it isn’t pretty). Loved the blush, too, and I don’t even like blush (it’s a hold-over attitude from the overdone 80s).

Yea or Nay?: Oh Yea. Strangely, this doesn’t seem to be available online, so get to your local Target (Kathryn loves her make-up brushes, too—read more here.)

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers, $11.99 for .18 ounces: Just tried the Powder Foundation here, in “light to neutral,” and had high hopes because I generally love Neutrogena products. The container is genius—powder and brush applicator all in one convenient piece—but the results? Just so-so. The color blended fine, but didn’t cover as completely or stay in place as well as Sonia Kashuk.

Yay or Nay: For the money, a Nay—functioned more as a glorified face powder than a true foundation.

Jane Be Pure Mineral, $6.99 for .18 ounces:: Again, just the powder foundation, this time “colorless.” And again, great container (this time with a puff instead of brush), which gave better coverage than Neutrogena’s. Being that it goes on almost like a pressed powder, I’m actually using it to cover shiny spots—but as a mineral foundation? It’s just okay.

Yea or Nay?: It’s inexpensive, so I’ll give it a Yea for affordability, but I’m on the fence for quality.

A word of caution: While mineral makeup is great in terms of being natural and easier to match for color, we have to note that it can be drying to the skin, which is not particularly good for those of us over 30. The mineral powder does settle into lines a bit more readily, as well. My thoughts? If nothing else, it’s a great option for summer, especially for those of us who live in humid locales where that liquid foundation just seems a bit too heavy.

~Angela

Neutrogena Instant Nail Enhancer, about $7 for .20 oz.

September 22, 2007 08:28 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in product review, neutrogena, Product Review, Neutrogena, nail care

What: Angela buffs up with Neutrogena’s manicure alternative, the Instant Nail Enhancer.

The Lowdown: Let me just say right now that I love this product. For those of us who don’t always have time to indulge in a manicure, or even to sit around and wait for polish to dry, this is the next best option. It promises to brush on fast, dry instantly, and leave a healthy-looking sheen, and it delivers on all counts. It also claims to strengthen nails with Vitamin E and Provitamin B5, while letting nails breathe. Breathing is good, I’m guessing, so thumbs up on that. But I’m just happy that they look so darn nice.

Yea or Nay: Big, shiny-nailed Yea. Just remember, it’s still up to you to file those nails into shape, and keep your cuticles under control.

Buy it: @ the beauty aisle of your local drugstore.

More of Your Favorite Beauty Products

August 19, 2006 08:23 AM | Comments (9) | Posted in beauty, beauty_products, neutrogena, utterly_smooth, paul_mitchell, trader_joe's, www.arbonne.com, www.eyeslipface.com

Trader Joe’s also has this awesome moisturizer called Utterly Smooth—it’s made to be used on cow udders when they’re chapped from milking. It’s very smooth to put on and dries fast and not greasy. Very hydrating and super cheap. I think it’s $2.99 for a tub. But I go through a tub in less than a month!. From Colleen

My absolute “can’t do without” product is Neutrogena’s Advanced Solutions Facial Peel.  For only $25, I can buy a product that gives me the same gorgeous skin that I would pay hundreds for in getting spa facials and glycolic peels! From Julie

Since getting pregnant and having children I’ve become a bit of a naturalist about what I put in and on my body and my family’s. I discovered Arbonne Pure Swiss Skin Care about a year ago and will never go back! Go to www.Arbonne.com to locate a representative. Prices seem pricey, but you can get significant discounts. Enjoy! from Irene

The current perfect formula: Paul Mitchell has a new line out, Modern Elixirs.  The leave in conditioner and the texturizing balm make my hair nice and piecy *without* the hard/oily/wet look.  And they smell good too.

www.eyeslipsface.com cosmetics for only *A BUCK* just got my first order and was not disappointed from Nilda

Eucerin facial lotion, SPF 30. A MUST!!! Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comodogenic. I’ve used it for years on my mega pale, ultrasensitive skin - EVERY DAY. Result: consistently blocking UV rays since I was 20 has kept my 38-year-old skin looking 25. Seriously! From Damienne

The current perfect formula: Paul Mitchell has a new line out, Modern Elixirs.  The leave in conditioner and the texturizing balm make my hair nice and piecy *without* the hard/oily/wet look.  And they smell good too. From Kristi

There are 2 products that I seriously cannot do without: Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque and Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner. The first one has been my nightly staple since junior high and pretty much the only mask I’ve tried that actually works. It smells nice, is easy to use and since my skin is moody, I just leave it on my trouble spots overnight to wake up to soft clear skin the next morning. I even got some of the guys in my dorm in college to use it! As an arden eyeliner fan (I feel naked without it), Revlon’s Colorstay is the only one that actually stays put. I used to live in dry, sunny Southern California where the heat used to sweat my eyeliner right off. Now I live in humid New England where the moisture in the air is also not compatible with eyeliner. So far, Colorstay has lasted through both climates. Just one clean line across both eyes in the morning and I’m good to go for the rest of the day. The best part is even if I wear eyeshadow or cream, it doesn’t make the eyeliner smudge (unlike other eyeliners that claim to be waterproof). It comes off easily with baby oil too (my personal makeup remover of choice). From Suma

My favorite beauty products are:
Foundation: Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse
Concealer: since Almay discontinued their Amazing Lasting Concealer, I now use Revlon Colorstay concealer as eye shadow base.  Makes ANY shadow crease free all day, even in Philadelphia’s summer heat and humidity!
Blush/bronzer:  Physician’s Formula and Jane.
Eye shadow:  Jane has a lot of shades the same as MAC!  I also love Vincent Longo’s trios, The Body Shop, Bourjois, and Too Faced’s compacts of shadow, blush & lip color.
Eyebrow gel:  Revlon has a neat little pencil with matching gel on the other end.  The pencil remains intact but the gel is perfect!
Lipstick:  Too numerous to list!  Mine run from Wet & Wild to Chanel.
Powder, loose:  Clinique.  Pressed:  Avon mark Matte-nificent.
Blotting papers:  The generic blue ones from CVS work just as well as, if not better than, the expensive ones.
Mascara, waterproof:  L’Oreal Splash Out.  Non-waterproof:  BeneFit Bad Gal Lash or Avon’s Daring Curves.
Hair products:  In summertime, I use a mixture of Rusk Wired, Citre Shine antifrizz (just a couple of drops) and Rusk Curl Silk.  My curls do not frizz. From Anne