Interesting gadget! Lancome's Oscillation Powerfoundation

I received an email update from Lancome for their Oscillation Powerfoundation. I think this may be my new foundation! I need to let my skin fade back to my natural fairness before I pick this up.

Website Information:

The 1st micro-vibrating mineral foundation.
See a pixel-precise complexion with 14 hour wear.
Never messy. Never so simple.

Simply push the button and let the velvety cushion applicator glide effortlessly across skin for perfect coverage.

7000 micro-vibrations per minute break down the featherweight mineral powder for seamless blendability.

Feel newborn skin: Every day, micro-massages work with gentle minerals to revitalize skin, making it smoother, softer and visibly healthier even after makeup removal.

Talc-free, oil-free, fragrance-free. Safe for all skin types, even sensitive.

Available in 12 natural shades. $48

Tuesday Night Mask - MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask

You're probably wondering....
wth is all of this?! I'm in the process of swapping my spring/summer wardrobe with my fall/winter wardrobe that has been in storage. Amidst some of the bins in the closet and the Space Bags underneath The Bed, I emerged a clusterfark of a mess. I have keep & store, give away and transitional categories. I gave up for the night and will continue tomorrow, so I decided to do this instead!

Finally try out my MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask! Hahah! Well, the weather and hormones have caused a few troublesome spots on the mug, so perfect timing to do a clarifying treatment.

I decided not to do a full face picture of me with the mask. #1 because it was ridiculous and reminiscent of a Ted Danson incident. Slightly racial. #2 because I looked like a werewolf. Haha! So the eye is about all you get.

Pros:
-Quick! You leave on for 5 minutes and rinse off.
-Has a lovely scent.
-Warming effect felt nice on my face while working the product in my skin


Cons:
-It is LE! :(
-Don't taste the mask while rinsing. Nast!

I won't be using this often since I have sensitive skin that tends to dry out. Just when my mug needs a that extra bit of help. I still like my sheet masks for weekly use!

Zoya Remove+ Big Flipper

Hands down, THE BEST REMOVER OUT THERE. With one cotton pad and 3 pumps of remove+, I can remove all the polish off one hand! The no mess pump makes using this a breeze without the worry of knocking it over. I'm clumsy like that. :\ If you're in the Seattle area, you can pick up a bottle at any Julep Nail Parlor for $9.75 or from Zoya.com for $9.99. You can also buy the refill online!

Lancome High Resolution - Anti-Wrinkle Travel Collection

During my stop at Nordy's last week, I picked up Lancome's High Resolution Anti-Wrinkle Travel Collection. I happened to be on Lancome's site and was tempted to order online since this is part of their Holiday '09 sets, but I decided to see if they had it at Nordstrom and they did! Lucky me! Priced at $54.50, this set retails for $104. Included in this set: High Resolution Collaser-5X Intense Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Serum, High Resolution Refill-3X Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Cream with SPF 15 and High Resolution Eye Refill-3X Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream. Perfect set to try out these products that includes a serum, moisturizer and eye cream! I also got a gift with purchase that included a cute cosmetic bag and I got to pick 6 samples to go with it! I wasn't paying attention when I was grabbing stuff and actually grabbed 7. Whoopsie! I was just excited to go through those bins and tossed them in my bag.

How did these fare?

-High Resolution Collaser-5X Intense Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Serum: A cream serum, this goes on light and does not leave a heavy or greasy feeling on my face.


-High Resolution Refill-3X Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Cream with SPF 15: Even though this is a cream in a pot, I don't mind since my fingers and face are clean when applying. Just the right amount of moisture on my face without leaving it shiney.

-High Resolution Eye Refill-3X Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream: Light! Most eye creams that I have used tend to feel a bit thick, but this is whipped. Remember to use your ring fingers when applying and massaging in since they have the lightest touch and won't tug or pull the delicate skin around your eyes. I have a tendency to rub in product too hard. :\


There were a couple other skincare lines that had boxed sets similar to this, but the MUA had suggested this since I didn't have any visible lines/crinkles. That's right...I take better care of my skin now, but I have always been avid about using moisturizer with SPF and have been using an eye cream since I turned 25. Now that I have cut down on the drinking and cut out yosi'ing, continued practice of a good skin care regimen will help to ensure that this mug stays looking fab for a long time. My one big downfall which I know I need to cut down on is the tanning. While I do tan with SPF on, I should really take precaution to avoid laying out. :\ I love the golden brown deliciousness, but I can limit the tanning to prevent aging and skin cancer. :)

My regular routine for facial care: wash face 2x a day (once in the AM and before bed), eye cream, spot treatment (if necessary), moisturizer with SPF during the day, moisturizing night cream at night or I spray a little Shiseido Hadasui Skin Lotion Cream (I bought mine at Uwajimaya, but you can find it here Neobeauty.com - Shiseido Hadasui.) Once or twice a week, I'll use a mask depending on how grimy I feel. I love sheet masks since they leave my skin feeling refreshed and are easy to use. If I feel like I need some serious clarifying, I'll use a clay mask, but only on my t-zone since I have sensitive skin that tends to dry out easily. I used to get monthly facials, but that has really become a luxury and will start getting quarterly facials once I have a steady income again. My skin has lasted 5 months without a facial and I haven't had any serious issues!

Sally Beauty Supply Haul & a new hair FAVE!

Oh Sally Beauty Supply, you are neglected sometimes. I can't get over how "hood" it is sometimes in there, but I seem to walk out with at least something. The nearest one to me is still on the eastside, but I decided to head back to my old neighborhood in Renton to visit the one right by Wal-Mart. Classy! The store was not neat and organized, but I made my way through the aisles anyway in search for a few things. #1 was some acetone to safely remove my Nailene So Real Nails. #2 I really wanted to try this Hair One Hair Cleanser and Conditioner that I had seen reviews on the website $11. I also picked up Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat and Orly Top Coat for $5/each. I decided to join the Sally Beauty Supply Loyal Customer program which offers discounts on all products and special deals. The cost is $5, but you get a $5 coupon to use on your next month's purchase.

Hair One: Jojoba for Color Treated Hair - I really LOVE this product! I was interested in Wen, but wasn't pleased with the price and the fact that it is a monthly membership that you have to keep up with. Not my style, so why not try a similar product. The only drawback to this product is the amount you have to use. They advise to use 8-10 pumps on the crown and the back of your head and then an additional 15-20 pumps on the rest of your hair depending on the length. I use 26 pumps to cleanse/condition - 8 on the crown, 8 on the back and 10 on the rest of my hair. I leave this in my hair while I lather my body. You can even use this product as a leave-in conditioner using 1-3 pumps. I use 3 pumps and that is the only product I used. No serum, no gel, no hairspray or pomade. After I blow dried my hair, how did this leave my hair? Soft, manageable and with volume! Move over Healthy, Sexy Hair Pumpkin and hello to Hair One! Uggghh...I have to go through those big containers still! Another plus to this product is that it is Sulfate Free which will help hair color from fading.

Orly Bonder and Top Coat - I picked up the Bonder because I saw it along with the Orly Matte nailpolishes and the display noted to have lasting results, to use Bonder. This may help with my Sephora for OPI What's A Tire Jack polish to stay chip free for longer than a day! I hope! I decided to get the Top Coat as well to keep in line with the same brand of base coat to see how well the brand works. I'll be using these products in an upcoming NOTW post so stay tuned for that.

FOTD: Creme Allure

Named after my new MAC Dazzleglass Creme, Creme Allure, I wanted to play up my eyes in a simple way with exaggerated liner and keep my pout as the main focus. This seems to be my trend lately since I've been kind of lazy to play up my eyes during the day.

On another note, my hair has just been horrid lately. The lack of employment has caused the tresses to become neglected, but not for long! My bestie Cat who is a manager at 7 Salon, managed to snag me a 50% off deal! I'm getting my hair cut and foiled! You'll see some brand new hair in upcoming posts. Yippy! As you can see in this post, you can hardly see my hair cuz lately, I've been rocking the cheerleader ponytail. The ponytail is about 12" long. Accckkk...way too long for my liking.

Products used:
Face:
-MAC Studio Fix in NC42
-MAC Blush in Blushbaby

Eyes:
-UDPP
-MAC Eyeshadow in Femme-Fi all over lid
-MAC Eyeshadow in Rich Flesh in the crease & outer-v
-MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack on top lashline
-MAC Power Kohl Liner in Orpheus on lower lashline
-Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara 2x coats on upper lashes
-Anastasia Brunette Brow Powder (used light powder) & set with Brow Gel

Lips:
-MAC Lip Liner in Soa - lined and filled in lips
-MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Creme Allure


Keeping it simple. Rich Flesh has been a natural look fave for me since it was introduced to me at the MAC Studio Talk class 2 years ago. Keeping it simple, yet defined. I love the look of heavy liner on my top lash line. I have enough eyelid where I can rock it.

Juicy juicy! This is why I LOOOOOVE gloss! Dazzleglass Creme has a lighter consistency and not very sticky which is a ++! I still want the color Amorous, but I do like Creme Allure!

MAC Hauls - Cosmetic Company Store & Nordstrom

I happened to be up in the northend over the weekend and thought, "I'm 1/2 way to Marysville, so why don't I head up to the Cosmetics Company Store?" Haha! Oh what good reason right? I was pleased that I only spent $32, but I made up for that with some other purchases from Nordstrom the day before yesterday, including the items below.

I was super excited to find one of my fave Lip Glasses - Mimmy from the Hello Kitty for MAC line and for $10! I also picked up Femme-Fi eyeshadow for $10 and Orpheus Kohl Power Eye Pencil for $9.50. Femme-Fi is a neutral bone colored Veluxe eyeshadow which I will use as an all-over eyelid color. Orpheus is a deep brown liner with flecks of microfine gold. I love my Powersurge Kohl Power Eye Pencil and think this is a good transition color to Fall/Winter.

Next up - Dazzleglass Creme in Creme Allure and Vino Lip Pencil. I had to buy a replacement for the Vino I thought I had. :\ And I wanted to pick up one of the new Dazzleglass Cremes. I asked the MUA if Creme Allure was the darkest one they had because I couldn't remember which color I wanted. I do like it, but I really wanted AMOROUS. MUA fail. I should have gone to my Tiffy, but I was in DT Seattle. Ah well...just another one for me to pick up!

Congrats to Carol! One more person to experience TATCHA!

***Updated @ 4:22 PM***
Congrats to Carol for snagging the last complimentary TATCHA! :)

I still have one more complimentary pack of TATCHA to give away! Let me know if you are interested in trying out TATCHA and I'll send you the code to redeem a pack for yourself. :) Check out my post on TATCHA last week and see why I love TATCHA and you should too!

Leave me a comment with your email and I'll send you the info. :D I'll choose someone at random if there is more than one response.

Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in Wild Berry Wink

Gotta love the buy one, get one promos! I found this at Target and finally had a good excuse to try this product out since it was buy one, get one!

What the Covergirl website says:

The water-based colorants of Outlast Lipstain give lips a beautiful, lightweight flush of color that won't come off, lasting for hours without the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick. Its pen-like precision applicator makes it easy to define your lips-just draw on color without any hassle!

This color is more RED than a berry color. I have been into darker shades for lips lately, but this is actually pretty bright. This comes out to be a nice orange based red which is suitable for warm skintones. I'll have to try this while eating and see if I can tell if the color becomes lighter if the lips have more contact with things.


Easy pen applicator and the lid has another chamber around the tip to help prevent it from drying out.

It felt like I was drawing on my lips with a fruity scented marker like the Mr. Sketch Markers from my childhood. I was able to draw a precise line on my lips and fill in easily.

Not exactly transfer resistant at first since there was product left after blotting my lips on my hand. I would like to try some other Covergirl colors and possibly some other Lipstains as well like the one by Mark which has the same type of marker applicator. I'll save this red for the Holidays since my latest liking has been deep plum/violet pouts. :)

October's My Pretty Pink Box - For Sale Today @ 7 AM (PST)!

Sephora Haul - Cargo, Sephora & Stila

I am finally getting caught up with my hauls which is both a good and bad thing. Good because I can finally post about things that I have recently acquired, but bad because now Ms. B is going to know what some of the goodies in her hauls are going to be. Ah well...something for you to look forward to my love! :)

My initial purchase on Sephora.com were replacements for my bff Myra's make-up and brush bags. Ask me about what happened to them and I'll tell you personally if you don't know the story by now. LOL & SMH because there are ironic points that are very "Rhonda-esque." While I was picking out the bags, I perused through the sale page and found some very affordable picks! With this purchase I also snagged my birthday present which was a trio of Sephora Sheer Shimmer Lipgloss. I heart prezzies!

Top L-R: Birthday Sephora Sheer Shimmer Lipgloss, Stila Beauty Insider Exclusive Mini Lip Glaze Trio. Bottom L-R: Cargo Red Lips Green Conscience Eyeshadow Palette, Calvin Klein Delicious Pout Lip Gloss in Sparkle.

First up - Calvin Klein Delicious Pout Lip Gloss in Sparkle. The name really does describe it because it is SUPER sparkly! This is a mega dose of sparkle in a sheer pink based gloss. This smells great, but is very, very sticky. Even more sticky than my beloved MAC Lipglass believe it or not. Not a strong contender in my book and I would probably just use this gloss to highlight the bow and center of my bottom lip to make them look juicy and delicious. ;)


Sephora Sheer Shimmer Lipgloss Trio- Sephora's birthday gift for Beauty Insiders! Be sure to sign up today & during your birth month, you can pick up your present! Last year it was Sephora cupcake scented bubblebath.
Precious Pink
Rosy Glow
Bronzed Beauty
These glosses are light and all have the same cherry scent. The consistency is more slippery than the CK gloss & are the perfect pocket or clutch size.



Cargo Red Lips Green Conscience Eye Shadow Palette. This is from their Plant Love line which is: 100% natural origin, no synthetic dyes, colors or fragrances, no parabens or phalates The shadows are quite pigmented, but I noticed they do have a bit of fall out when I was swatching these on my hand. I would use a thin, flat shadow brush like MAC 252, which I seem to have misplaced. :\ I hope its rolling around in my car or something. GAH! I hate misplacing things! Well, this type of brush would be ideal for these shadows and applied by patting onto a the lid. I'll try to do an EOTD with this quad soon since these are beautiful shades for Fall.


Stila Beauty Insider Exclusive Mini Lip Glaze Trio

Apricot
Starfruit
Brownsugar
Out of all the lippies in this haul, I like this one the most! They are all sheer colors, but do have some slight pigment. Apricot has the least amount of pigment and Brownsugar is a more frosty brown. My favorite out of the 3 is Starfruit which is a juicy peachy color. The names of the gloss are the actual scents! I had a Stila Lip Glaze a few years ago and love the applicator and the actual gloss. Not too sticky and the click pen with brush tip applicator makes it easy to use and you have less waste! This can only be purchased if you are a Beauty Insider at Sephora, so sign up to get this and other Insider only treats!

NOTW: Nailene So Real Nails

This is my first round of trying out the Nailene nails. I have had some interesting experiences with glue-on nails - Mookie Nails Round #1. This is why I can be on the fence with glue-on nails! Thank goodness I wasn't out and about when my nails fell off. Haha!

The kit comes with 24 nails in 12 sizes and the So Real Nails set highlights that there is a natural looking moon on the nail. These nails are thin and really do feel light-as-air.

The kit also has a file/buffer and cuticle stick to help in prepping your nails for application. I also made sure to wash my hands and wipe my nails with remover to ensure that there were no oils that would interfere with the adhesion of the glue. Sometimes nails are not the same on both hands. Be sure to size each individual before applying!

And the results! I am impressed at how natural these look and feel. I can type comfortably and haven't had any mishaps so far with these falling off. I would recommend these to wear for a special event when you need a quick & affordable manicure. Be sure to groom your cuticles well before applying these. I used a cuticle remover & clipped any hangnails before putting these on. Looking at these makes me miss having my acrylics, but I told myself no more ravaging my nails. With these nails, I can have a temporary fix and soak these off in acetone to remove. No excessive buffing that weaken nails like at the nail salon. These are easy to use, but do take some time to apply and remove, but having perfect results doesn't have to be expensive!

I'll have upcoming posts soon using the Nailene Runway Designs Nails and the French Tip Pen Kit. :)

Nailene - Salon Results At Half The Price

I was recently given the opportunity to sample some Nailene products and look what came in! I love getting stuff sent to the house! Its like Christmas when I check the mail. :)

A generous sampling of products in this haul: Couture Runway Designs Nails in Platinum, So Natural Nails, So Real Nails, Bedazzle China Doll Nail Art Stickers and French Tip Pen Kit.

The brand's belief is that they provide salon results at half the price you would pay if you went to get them done. You can find Nailene products at discount stores and drugstores and they have a range of products for your DIY at home mani. :) I can be on the fence about what I call mookie nails, but I want to provide my readers with options and my opinions on all types of products. I'll be trying out the nails in an upcoming post this week, so be on the look out for that!

I tried out the Bedazzle China Doll Nail Art right away. Cute right? I have used other Nailene decals and they are easy to apply & come in a variety of designs. Apply a top coat for lasting results.

A Night In & Some Fun Products: Arbonne

A couple months ago my gfs had hosted a night in with food wine and ARBONNE! It was a great idea to spend a Friday night in and just have the girls together. Change of pace from going out bar hopping or to the club!
This is my galpal Grace who recently became an Arbonne representative. She wanted to work for a company where she was behind the products and allowed her a more flexible schedule. Currently, she is also a make up artist for a department store counter & made the choice to cut back her hours so she could spend more time with her family. :)

Here are a few product shots of what she had for us to try!

I looooove sugar scrubs! I did test out the Ginger Citrus Sugar Scrub and followed up with the Shea Butter Hand & Body Wash. So smooth! Sugar scrubs are more gentle than salt scrubs and in my opinion and I would choose sugar over salt any day!

This was actually her FIRST presentation! She has been using the products for several months and provided her own opinions about the products she has used on herself and her kids.

I was lucky enough to snag some samples from Grace and finally got around to trying them!

Seasource Detox Spa Fortifying Hair Mask - After cleansing your hair, you apply the mask to wet or dry hair and leave on for 3-5 minutes. Rinse and you can follow up with a conditioner if you would like. For the best results, you would use this product 1-2 times a week or 2-4 times a week if your hair has more damage. You can also use a plastic cap with this mask for a deep condition. I tried this out in the shower and did follow up with conditioner since my hair is coarse and color treated. This did leave my hair pretty soft after using and did have a pleasant scent. 4 fl. oz. for $30

FC5 Hydrating Cleanser+Freshener, Nurturing Day Lotion with SPF 20 and Moisturizing Night Creme - I really like this line of skincare! The products are light and smell wonderful. All 3 of these products are infused with natural fruit extracts and Moisture Fresh Complex to nourish and moisturize. The cleanser left my skin feeling clean and not tight. The Nurturing Day Lotion has SPF 20 which is a plus in my books since all my facial moisturizers MUST have SPF. The Moisturizing Night Creme left my face soft and supple after getting my beauty sleep. I would probably choose this line if I were in my late teens or early 20's. Now that I'm 30, I lean towards more anti-aging, wrinkle preventative products. What can I say, I want to keep my mug looking looking youthful for as long as I can!

Hydrating Cleanser+Freshener 4 fl. oz. $25
Nurturing Day Lotion with SPF 20 1.7 fl. oz. $39.50
Moisturizing Night Creme 1.7 fl. oz. $42