Super Shopping Secret #2

It probably seems a little unusual that today's shopping secret is a magazine, but after I tell you a little bit about it you will understand why. Lucky Magazine is a magazine for shoppers. Every item that shows up in the mag shows where to buy it and how much it costs. They feature clothing, jewelry, and beauty products galore. I have to say that I'm not a big fan of a lot of the outfits they put together, but you can still find nice pieces in here if you have a good eye. The main reason I am recommending Lucky is because every single issue has a giveaway section called "Lucky Breaks" in the back. There are always tons of things you can register online to win. We are talking everything from flat screen TVs to Benefit Cosmetics. For example, the July issue offered 100 shopping sprees worth $100 in Benefit cosmetics. I subscribed and entered a lot of the giveaways when I received my very first issue. I actually won a $100 gift card from The Limited! (Yes, that's me in the bottom photo.) It is very time consuming because you have to fill out an online entry form for every single item you are interested in. It would be nice if you filled out one form and could click on the items you were interested in registering for, but hey, it's free stuff! Make the sacrifice! There is also a section in every issue that offers discounts on items featured in the magazine. Discounts usually range between 30% & 35%. And throughout the mag you will notice there are numerous opportunities to sign up for sweepstakes and special offers such as the ad from Havaianas I posted above. I have noticed that the last page of every issue features a page about your city in particular and recommends new hot spots to shop at. The "Houston" page I posted above offers 20% off at 2 different boutiques and a skin clinic. The July issue alone offered no less than 35 discounts and 10 giveaways with 841 prizes to be awarded. If you're not interested in subscribing, you can still enter all the sweepstakes by logging onto their website at http://www.luckymag.com/. So this is my Super Shopping Secret for the week. As mentioned before, I will post a new shopping secret each Monday. Next week I will be posting my favorite online designer discount shopping site.

Neckline Slimmer

Okay, I'm going to admit something very embarrassing. You know the commercial with the women with sagging jawlines who use this little contraption to do neck and chin exercises and the next thing you know, no more double chin? Well, I went to Walgreens 3 days ago and bought that little contraption. I am somewhat ashamed of myself for believing and hoping the commercial is true. So again, I am either a fool or a pioneer. The good thing about this blog is that it gives me an excuse to go on these crazy adventures and call it investigational reporting.

Last night as I sat on the couch with my hubby watching TV, I pulled out my little contraption. Husband asks with hesitation, "What are you doing?" I said, I'm doing my chin exercises." Husband rolls his eyes. I commence exercises. Husband cuts his eyes at me and chokes back a laugh. The last thing I needed at a humbling moment like this is ridicule. So at the age of 40 this is what my life has come to.

I took a "before" pic but I am too vain to post it. The only way you will ever see it is if said contraption works and I can post it next to my beautiful "after" pic in which my jawline is right back where it used to be!

Borba

Today I would like to sing the praises of Borba Replenishing Aqua-less Crystalline Lychee Fruit. These are little powder packets that you mix with 16 oz. of water and drink. They were created to promote "Healthy Skin from Within."

I bought this product in the hope that it would make my skin look better, but the nice surprise was that my allergies dramatically improved. I had awoken to a stuffy head, runny nose and sneezing literally every day for the last 2 years. I tried everything under the sun. I drank all different kinds of herbal teas and took vitamins. I had my house tested for air quality problems. I switched to fragrance free laundry detergent, went to my family doctor, an allergist, an endocrinologist, and a dermatologist. The only thing that worked was prescription allergy meds which I did not want to have to take every day. I was so depressed by my allergies and at my wits end because they tested me for everything and I wasn't allergic to any specific thing they could identify. I started drinking the lychee borba, and within 2 days I woke up with clear sinuses and haven't had a problem since. Of course I can still set my allergies off by using irritating products, but the day-to-day misery is gone. I am so thankful to have found this product!

I must warn you, it is not cheap! I found a box on clearance at Ulta for $30 which was the only reason I chose the lychee fruit flavor. I didn't even know what a lychee fruit was, much less how it tasted. But I have to tell you, it is absolutely delicious! I think it tastes like a green apple jolly rancher candy. It tastes sweet, yet has no sugar. It is calorie free, aspartame free, sodium free, preservative free, and has zero carbs. This particular formula is supposed to boost moisture, diminish dryness, sensitivity and roughness and promote healthy balanced skin. I noticed another person commented on a website that they drank it to help stave off colds.

Borba has so many vitamins and minerals in it you wouldn't believe. Check out these stats: 420% Vitamin C, 330% Vitamin E, 150% B6, 420% B12, and it contains papaya, guava, lychee, green tea, flaxseed & grapeseed. They have other formulas for clarifying, firming, age defying, etc. They are all packed with nutrients and come in flavors like pomegranate and acai. I buy the 60 count box. I just started on my second box. Ulta sells a 60 pack for $100. I checked a lot of web-sites and they all sold for $100 except for Amazon.com sells them for $91.20 and a website called http://www.eskinstore.com/ sells them for $65. That is a great bargain! Now, I have never ordered anything from this website but it says they include free samples with every sale and they offer "rewards points." Even if you spent the $100 for two months worth of drinks (you only drink one per day) it would average $1.67 per day. That is pretty cheap when you consider you would spend about $1.50 at a coke machine or almost $4 for a small latte. At $65 for a 2 months supply you are looking at a little over a dollar a day. They also sell smaller boxes of 14 packets. I am sold on it!

If any of you decide to give it a try, let me know how it worked out for you.

Lotion Alternative

Today I wanted to share my alternative to lotion. When my allergies kicked in a couple of years ago, I found it difficult to wear most lotions because of the fragrance in them. And while there are fragrance free lotions out there, applying them after you get out of the shower just takes extra time and effort. So I started using Neutrogena Body Oil Light Sesame Formula - Fragrance Free. As the label implies, it has sesame seed oil in it. I apply it right after my shower - while I'm still in the shower. It's best to moisturize while your skin is still damp because it retains more moisture. I put it on my legs and arms, making sure to cover my elbows. Sometimes I rub it on my heels too because they tend to get dry. If you are a bath girl, you can add it to bath water to soften your skin. You can purchase this at Walgreens, Ulta, Walmart, Target and most grocery and drug stores. Neutrogena offers the same body oil with fragrance. The bottle looks the same but does not have the label "fragrance free" on the front so watch for that. Sometimes a store doesn't carry the fragrance free version or they are out of stock so you may have to shop around for it. Good luck!

Super Shopping Secret

Once a week I'm going to give you one of my super shopping secrets until I just run out of them. Today I've decided to feature Hautelook.com because it is the discounted shopping website where I have purchased the most makeup and skincare products. I have purchased Mario Badescu skincare products at 20% off from this site. I usually order MB drying lotion (which is one of the best pimple healers on the planet) by going directly to their website but you will hardly ever find their products on sale. Ulta now carries MB but even if they give you a coupon to use at their store, they now have a restriction that coupons can't be used for "prestige cosmetics." Anyhoo, I've also purchased some great Stila products, some Freeze 24/7 products, and I am currently awaiting an order of Laura Mercier. And Hautelook offers discounts up to 75% off so there are some really great deals to be had. Of course Hautelook does not carry these products every day. Their sales are special events that typically only last 48 hours. You never know what's going to be on sale on any given day. I suggest subscribing so you will get an e-mail every day letting you know what the current sales are. And be very quick to jump on the items you like because they have a limited supply. Hautelook does a great job with packaging. Just pay attention when you order to what is returnable and what is not. And I didn't mean to imply that cosmetics and skincare items are the only things they sell. I have purchased some beautiful silver jewelry and costume jewelry also. They have men's, women's & children's designer clothing - and I mean BIG designer labels. They also have items for the home. One of their upcoming sales this week will be on Tiffany & Co. jewelry. Everything is brand new and there is nothing to worry about as far as quality is concerned because like I said, these are MAJOR labels. This website has been featured in People Magazine, and on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, and more. I think I was turned on to them by Lucky Magazine. It is no joke. Check it out:

Hautelook: Your personal invitation link is: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/253093

Foundation

Since we covered basic skin care, I thought we could move on to the next step - foundation. This is my current routine and products that I use.

After I've washed and dried my face, made sure all eye makeup is removed, and applied toner, I apply a primer. I'm new to the world of primer. Since my skin is so sensitive and I have allergies, I try not to layer too many things on my face and keep it simple. But I have to say that primer really does make a difference and so far it has not once caused an allergy problem. I've been using Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I just put one full squirt of it on my finger then smear it on the different areas of my face and blend with my fingers. It gives your face a silky feeling. Smashbox also makes a "Light" version which I have also tried and will probably purchase when my regular bottle runs out. I've noticed when I use primer my face looks smoother and more poreless. Plus it has vitamins and antioxidants in it and doesn't have any smell at all.

After the primer, I apply my foundation. I alternate between a dry stick foundation and a liquid foundation depending on if I want a dewy look or a matte look. I have been using Loreal Ideal Balance Quickstick in Pale for years. Unfortunately, Loreal has discontinued the Quickstick, so I had to order it through Amazon.com last time. I just draw stripes all over my face and then blend them with a foundation brush. I love, love, love this foundation stick and I don't know what in the world I will do to replace it! Loreal's website referred me to the new Infallible Powder which I will most likely try and report back to you on.

As far as liquid foundation is concerned, lately I have been blending Lorac Oil Free Neutralizer with Clinique's Almost Makeup Teint Naturel Parfait. I put one small squirt of each on my hand then blend them together with a foundation brush and swipe all over my face and blend. The Neutralizer is meant to even out your skin and cancel out any red in it. You can wear it alone, but be aware that it is extremely light! You don't want to look like you are wearing a mask. Ulta now sells Lorac if you want to check it out.

If I have any blemishes that show through, I use my finger to very lightly dot on some Mary Kay Signature Concealer in Ivory. A little goes a long way. I've been using this concealer for years also. If I feel like applying powder, I use a powder brush to apply Make Up Forever's HD High Definition Powder. It is completely white in the jar, but completely sheer when you apply it. It really diffuses everything very well.

I have had very good experiences with these products as far as them not aggravating my allergies. There is a website called http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ where you can go to check out all kinds of makeup, skin care products, hair care products and more. They rank each product's safety/irritant levels on a scale of 0 to 10. If you don't see a product you're looking for, you can submit it as a suggestion for testing. Smashbox's Light Primer scored a "3" and my Loreal Quickstick scored a "2" so you can see why I'm so sad that it's been discontinued.

Lypossage Update

So yesterday I went in for my 3rd lypossage treatment. My masseuse informed me that she would like to get my measurements and my "before" pics since we hadn't had an opportunity to do so previously. #1 - I'm horrified at the thought of having my picture taken in my underwear. #2 - I'm even more horrified to learn that the circumference of just one of my thighs is what my waist measurement used to be! Anyhoo, she shows me my headless pic - front, back, and sides. While part of me is disgusted with what I see, another part of me thinks it's not as bad as I thought it would be. And I am somewhat comforted by the fact that they are taking so many measurements and pictures. This leads me to believe that they are confident that there will be significant changes. We will see...

Tomorrow my post will be about foundation. Please come back and read!

Skin Care

So today I thought I would start with the foundation of everything - skin care. As mentioned before, I have very fair, extremely sensitive skin, and allergies. I also have a tendency to break out a lot. I have oily skin that often appears to be flaky. These are the items I use daily with the exception of the moisturizer which I only use when needed.


I wash my face every night with Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild. You can rub this all over your face and eyes - it is very mild and non-irritating but removes makeup very well. Whatever eye makeup is left, I use Clinique Rinse-off Eye Makeup Solvent to remove it. This never irritates my eyes, and I like it because it is not greasy at all. I then use Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 as a toner.


My Mom has dry skin and I have oily skin but we both have the problem with flaky skin. The flakes would even be in our eyebrows so when you ran your finger over them they felt gritty. We both went to different dermatologists and were prescribed various creams and given numerous samples and nothing got rid of the flakes. We were at our wits end. It goes against conventional wisdom to put a toner on your face if your skin looks flaky, but I'm telling you it will get rid of the flakes! I told my Mom to try it and she couldn't believe that it worked. She uses a Mary Kay toner and still gets good results.


I only use moisturizer occasionally in the winter or if I'm visiting a cold/windy climate or I'm on an airplane for a long period of time. When I do, I prefer Clinique Moisture Surge. It is a gel so you don't get that greasy feeling at all. My Mom loves it too. Again, I'm oily and she's dry - it works for both of us.


I wanted to mention that a good, and less expensive alternative to the Clinique Cleanser, is Eucerin's Sensitive Skin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. It is Fragrance-Free, very mild, and you can buy it at Walgreens. I usually keep it in the shower and wash my face with it in the mornings then use the Clinique Clarifying Lotion when I get out.


I realize there is nothing groundbreaking here. Everyone knows about Clinique and Eucerin. Probably the thing I'm most excited to tell you about is the Premium Exfoliating Cotton Rounds I buy from Walgreens. You may not be able to tell in the photo above, but one side of the cotton round is soft and the other side has little bumps. They are 100% pure cotton, but the bumpy side is great to use when applying the toner/clarifying lotion. It helps remove the dead skin. Of course the softer side is great for removing your eye make-up. I have to warn you that Walgreens doesn't always have these in stock. The last 2 stores I went to were out, but I lucked out and found them today. I really love these things and now that I've been using them I hate to use anything else.


I hope you have good luck with these items if you give them a try. Let me know how it works out for you.

Lypossage

Two weeks ago I wondered into the salon and spa near my house to get a mani/pedi. While waiting for the manicurist, I picked up a brochure about lypossage. Hmmm. Sounds interesting. I flip through the before and after pics and I am stunned at the results. Women with lumps and bumps who look just like me are gloriously transformed into smooth skinned creatures with nary a lump in sight. I am intrigued even more. Flip over to the pricing page and I'm in shock. I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but my word!

I ask the manicurist if she knows anything about it and she says it is not what you would call a relaxing massage. She says some people can handle it, and some can't. I am afraid. I'm pretty much a wimp and I bruise easily. I put the brochure in my purse and carry it around for a couple of days when I finally decide it's worth a shot.

E-mail to Cousin 8/11/09 at 2:10pm: "...I'm going to get lypossage. This will be my first one. You're supposed to get them done in a series, but I only booked one becasue I heard they can be painful and you can even bruise from it, so I wanted to try it out before I spend a ton of money because you know I'm a delicate little flower. :)

Text to Cousin 8/11/09 at 6:41pm: "I have been literally beaten, slapped, and indian rug burned all over my body! going back friday for some more."

E-mail from Cousin 8/12/09: "You sore today?"

Response: "A little, but not as bad as I thought I would be. Surprised to not find any bruising. That massage is not for sissies. I had to use Jedi mind tricks to stay on that table!"

Cousin: "I am out. Cause I am a sissy."

When I arrived for Round 2 on Friday the masseuse informed me that she would be going a little deeper this time. I'm thinking, "How is that possible?" I lay face down on the table and with my eyes squeezed shut I repeat to myself, "I'm on a beach in Kaui. I'm on a beach in Kaui. I'M ON A BEACH IN KAUI!" I feel that I am either the biggest fool to walk the earth, or I am a brave crusader on a voyage of new discovery.

The morning after round 2 I have a 4 inch long bruise on my left upper arm and 2 small round bruises on my upper buttocks. I have purchased 6 treatments and have 5 more to go. My next appointment is tomorrow. Hopefully my bruises will be gone by then and we can start from scratch!

I will keep you all posted on my progress or lack thereof. Maybe I can save some of you the agony!

Hello World!

Today is my very first experience with blogging. Hopefully it will be interesting to some of you and therapeutic for me. I'm one of those people who have lots of ideas but never actually take action and follow through with them. So, yea me. I'm proud of myself. Anyhoo, I thought I would blog about something that I deal with day after day, and that is having fair, sensitive skin.

I know there are a lot of young ladies out there blogging about products and cosmetics, but my angle is a bit different in that I'm 40 years old, very fair skinned, and extremely sensitive. All you fair skinned girls out there know that our cosmetic color needs are a bit unique. Put the wrong color red on your nails and you look like you're bleeding. Put on some blush with a bit too much pigment and you look like a street walker. Put your colors on too light and you look like a corpse. It's a delicate balance. A walk on a tight rope every day.

This morning I thought I would go for "the natural look." I thought I looked pretty good when I went out the door, but once I got to work and looked in the bathroom mirror, I was horror sticken! Someone bring me some bright lipstick STAT! We all have those days.

And this morning I rediscovered a beautiful neutral colored gloss in my stash. As I swiped it on I thought, "This is my new favorite color! I'm going to wear it everyday!" Well, within 5 minutes my nose was running like a water faucet and I sneezed all the way to work. I mean, is it really necessary to put fragrance in a lip color? It is right under your nose people! That is my new beef with the cosmetics companies. Please do not put fragrance in your skin products and cosmetics! There are so many wonderful products and beautiful colors out there that many of us want to try. Please hear our cry!