Lavanila the Healthy Mini Roller Ball Set

Have you began your holiday shopping yet? I know it is early, but it is time to get started so you don’t wait until last minute (like I do, sometimes)!

Many beauty companies are releasing gifts sets for the holidays. It is sometimes difficult to know what women will like, especially in perfume. A perfect idea for this is Lavanila The Healthy Mini Roller-Ball Gift Set ($28.00).

Fragrances in the Lavanila Healthy Fragrance Mini Roller-Ball Gift Set include: 

Vanilla Coconut – top notes: young coconut; mid-notes: Tahitian Tiare flower; base notes: Madagascar vanilla bean

Pure Vanilla – top notes: freesia petals; mid-notes: heliotrope; base notes: Madagascar vanilla and vanilla orchid

Vanilla Grapefruit – top notes: grapefruit, bergamot, lime and orange; mid-notes: patchouli and heliotrope; base notes: Madagascar vanilla

Vanilla Lavender – top notes: Spanish lavender; mid-notes: rose absolute and violet leaf; base notes: Madagascar vanilla

These sweet 100% natural fragrances are made with the finest pure essential oils and plant botanicals and are untouched by harsh chemicals. Lavanila was the first to fuse luxury fragrance with natural science.  What’s unique about these fragrances is that they are free of chemically laden alcohol, petrochemicals and phthalates, and they include the following unusual ingredients: 

Proprietary Marine Technology:  Long-Lasting.  Breakthrough marine derived technology creates an invisible filter on the skin that locks in fragrance and potent anti-oxidants while protecting against environmental toxins.

Goji Berries: Nourishes & Protects.  An antioxidant-rich berry that is loaded with beta carotene & Vitamins C, E, B1, B2, and B6. 

Kakadu Plum:  Nourishes & Conditions.  A potent antioxidant-rich fruit with a Vitamin C concentration 500 times that of an orange

Canadian Willowherb: Calms & Soothes.  A powerful extract with incredible anti-irritant properties

This great gift is available at Sephora, sephora.com, and lavanila.com.  With each purchase of a Mini Roller-Ball Set on lavanila.com, Lavanila will plant 4 trees (one for each bottle) through the Nature Conservancy.

SoleMates High Heeler

It’s cool gadget time! Tired of your heels sinking into grass or mud? Hate wearing stilettos on cobblestone? SoleMates High Heeler ($9.95) is the solution to this problem.

The High Heeler is flexible little cap that fits over your heel to protect it from soft surfaces and cracks and cobblestones. It increases the surface area on the base of the heel that protects it by reducing pressure.   It fits thin stilettos and kitten heels.

It is available in two shades – black and clear. I would recommend the black if your heels are black, because you can barely tell it’s there. The clear would only look good on lighter-colored shoes.

Visit www.thesolemates.com to learn more and to purchase these little heel-savers!

Zotos Diamond Shine

Want glossy hair this holiday season? Try the fabulous, yet affordable ZOTOS Diamond Shine collection. This collection includes volumizing and moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, plus a hairspray, rinse out shine glaze, shine drops and volumizing mousse.

I really love the volumizing products in the line. It’s great that they have combined the two things I need most in hair products — shine and volume! I start with the Diamond Shine Volumizing Shampoo ($6.49) and Conditioner ($6.49), then use the Diamond Shine Volumizing Mousse ($6.99) and blow dry my hair. Once my hair is dry I use a few Diamond  Shine Weightless Gloss Drops ($4.99) and my hair is bouncy, glossy and ready to go!

Visit zotos.com to learn more about these great products and find a salon that carries them. Enjoy the shine!

LORAC Cosmetics was created by celebrity makeup artist Carol Shaw to deliver healthy cosmetics that wear flawlessly. Her products are used by celebrity’s on the red carpet as well as normal ladies such as myself! 

I have recently tried a few products by LORAC and I have to say that I love the quality and feel of these products. My favorites (so far) are:

Double Feature Paraben-Free Concealer Highlighter ($24.00) - This clever face perfector includes a concealer, a highlighter and hygienic blender ball all in one slim stick. The LORAC website suggests, “Cover under eye circles and hide blemishes with the Full-Coverage, Long-Wearing Concealer Stick and then finish the look with the Blender Ball for a hygienic, natural picture-perfect finish. Use the Moisture-Rich liquid Highlighter to lighten and brighten under eyes, highlight cheekbones and help diffuse fine lines.”

I agree. The concealer stick is very creamy and I like to dot it under eyes, around my nose, over blemishes and then take the roller ball and seamlessly blend the lines. I then use the subtle but shimmery highlighter in the inner corner of my eyes, under my browbone and on the top of my cheek bones to make me seem awake and youthful. I think this product is well worth the price for the variety that you get.

I also love the Natural Performance Foundation ($35.00) – This gentle foundation is oil-free, paraben-free and fragrance-free formula and it contains three soothing natural ingredients for sensitive skin – Xyleine, Premier Olive Leaf Extract, and Vitamin A. The website explains that ”Xyleine, the active ingredient that contains Papaya Fruit Extract, Lemon Fruit Extract and Olive Leaf Extract, is loaded with vitamins, flavonoids, soothing polyphenols and natural cell regenerating properties. The Premiere Olive Leaf Extract is rich in Oleanolic Acid, an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant that helps your skin stay healthy and protect itself. It’s also infused with Vitamin A, another antioxidant that helps rejuvenate and improve your skin.” 

I love the top of the bottle. You twist the cap and the pump pops up. This keeps the bottle clean, plus it is really cool. The foundation is light and gives skin a lovely glow. I am a liquid foundation girl, haven’t got used to the powder foundations, and this has a light and beautiful formula.   

Breakthrough Performance Lipstick SPF 15 ($22.00) is a crazy-good lipstick. Not many lipsticks have an SPF, so it gets my endorsement right there – SPF is everyone’s friend! It is also paraben-free, long wearing, and VERY moisturizing and creamy. it is infused with nourishing and moisturizing antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Olive Fruit Oil. My only suggestion is that LORAC introduces more colors in the collection. Right now, there are seven beautiful colors. I like Premiere, a soft neutral pink for everyday and Vanity, a medium red-pink for going out. Beautiful!

Visit www.loraccosmetics.com to purchase these FABULOUS products!

Beaute Cosmetics creates beautiful lip glosses that are so rich and full colored that they border on lipstick! These are luxurious products created by founder Beau Nelson. The formulas are luxe, the colors beautiful, but the best thing is how the lips feel healthy and moisturized while using the glosses.   

Luminous Volume Gloss ($26.00) –This is a great gloss that plumps lips and smoothes fine lines and wrinkles (over 40 ladies, this is a great one for you!). This wonderful hydrating gloss protects the lips and defines surface area. Hello young-looking lips!  I love the plump look plus the non-irritating feel. Comes in a wide range of lovely shades.

Liqui-Gel Stain For Cheeks and Lips ($29.00) easily blends due to its unique liqui-gel texture. This is a very long-lasting stain that is hydrating, not drying! After the gloss fades, a beautiful stain lasts! Available in 4 unique shades for all skin tones. Can also be used as a blush by applying to clean skin that has foundation, but not yet powdered. Dot on cheeks and blend quickly. 

Weightless Lip Creme ($26.00) is a beautiful long-wearing lip color that feels moisturizing and looks lovely for hours. The formula stimulates collagen, moisturizes and hydrates plus it’s paraben free.   This creme comes with a doe foot applicator that helps apply it smoothly. Available in 6 creamy shades.

Visit www.beaute-cosmetics.com to purchase these lovely lip colors.

Being 40 (-ish), I am always looking for skin care that can slow down the aging process. I am fairly lucky with my skin (not many wrinkles), but I do have red areas and larger pores, which help show that my skin is not as young as it used to be!

Annemarie Linder is a German pioneer of natural cosmetics and co-founder of Borlind cosmetics. She devotes her passion to creating natural beauty products like the System Absolute (advanced skin care for mature skin) that I have recently tested. 

Borlind’s System Absolute claims to deliver valuable botanical hydrating ingredients and potent antioxidant vitamins deep into the skin. The products I have tried are:   

System Absolute Cleanser ($53.99, 5.07 oz): A creamy emulsion which gently, yet thoroughly, removes dirt, makeup, and other pollutants. This smells great and is refreshing as it cleans.

System Absolute Beauty Fluid ($92.99, 1.7 oz) : A potent antioxidant gel which hydrates and strengthens skin’s resistance to environmental damage. I love this light gel that instantly absorbs into the skin and gives my skin a nice glow.

System Absolute Day Cream ($109.99, 1.7 oz): A rich cream which provides intensive hydration, care, and protection against environmental damage. This cream is nice, but is a bit heavy for me. I have to wait a while after application to put my makeup on. 

System Absolute Night Cream ($109.99, 1.7 oz): A luxurious cream which works to smooth, restore suppleness, repair environmental damage, support regeneration, and replenish moisture and oil. The cream is too heavy for me that it borders on greasy. My skin does look good in the morning after use, but I have been breaking out.

After a few weeks of trying these products, I have found that I really like them. I do think they are made for skin a little more mature than mine, but I will continue to use the cleanser and beauty fluid as I enjoy the feeling and results I get with these products.

Visit www.borlind.com to learn more and to purchase these products or items from their other skin care collections. Enjoy!  

I love finding cool makeup tools that make application easier. And when its good for the environment? Well, that’s even better! So of course I LOVE the Beautyblender makeup sponge (blender and cleanser is $34.95).

The website explains, “Invented by top Hollywood make up artists Rea Ann Silva and Veronica Lorenz, Beautyblender has been created to leave you with a professional finish and a flawless complexion. Silva and Lorenz know that the key to a perfect face is simple: a perfect blend. So forget your fingers or sharp-edged triangular sponges, these application methods waste make up and can leave visible streaks.”

The  pre=”The “>Beautylender is an egg-shaped (elliptical), velvety sponge that because of the shape, blends with out streaking. Stippling it around the face creates a smooth surface and even helps my pores seem smaller. The pointed side is for around eyes, mouth and nose and the base is for broader areas like forehead, cheeks and chin.     

The really cool think about this sponge is that it is reusable. Use it, then wash it with the Blendercleanser. This will keep the skin healthy and extend the life of the sponge. “Blendercleanser is a lightly lavender-scented cleanser that’s free of dyes and skin irritants. It’s soothing soy-based, low-suds formula breaks down rapidly, making it earth-friendly and fun to use. Soy has the added benefit of being one of nature’s finest moisturizers, so by all means, clean up with class and do it often.”

I clean it after each use by applying a small amount to the soiled areas of the Beautyblender. I lather, then rinse. When it is wet, it is twice the normal size. I then place it on the pedestal on the top of the cleanser and let it air dry. Even if you use it a little wet, it still works great!

To learn more and to purchase the Beautyblender, visit www.beautyblender.net. Have fun with this great product! 

Are your curls not as bouncy and shiny as they could be? The DevaCurl line, which is made to hydrate and de-frizz curly hair, may be just the thing for you.

The DevaCurl line boasts conditioning products that are 100% sulfate-free and won’t harm hair — plus they smell fantastic! I tried a few of these gentle products. They are: 

DevaCurl’s No-Poo ($17.95 8 oz) This is a non-lathering, conditioning cleanser that claims to create the ultimate healthy, bouncy curls. This sulfate-free cleanser is thick and moisturizing like a conditioner, yet it doesn’t weigh my wavy hair down. It contains a unique blend of botanically infused moisturizers and helps with the frizzies. This is nicely scented with Peppermint and Turkish Rose.

One Condition ($17.95 8 oz) is extra conditioner for your curls, keeping them shiny and manageable.  I like to keep this in for a few minutes before rinsing, for extra moisture. The Lemon Grass is nice, too.

Set it Free ($17.95 6 oz) Is a frizz-stopping spray that also gives long-lasting hold.  It is made with shine-enhancing Beeswax and Olive Oil and is scented with zesty lemon-lime. I like to use this on wet and dry hair for maximum shine and hold. 

Visit mydevacurl.com for more information and where to purchase these fab products.

Looking for a way to achieve the perfect lip look for the holidays? Try Alcone’s LipStamp Kit for Lips ($24.95).

This extremely unique product looks like a kids toy, but it certainly is not! To use, choose one of the 10 stamps that are included in the kit and stick it to the stamp base. Then apply your favorite lipstick on the stamp, don’t be shy. I found that a full color, opaque lipstick works better than sheer. I love using my Lorac Breakthrough Performance Lipstick with it. One the stamp is saturated with lipstick, line the stamp up with your lips and press on! If you go out of the lines unintentionally, just blot!

The different stamps can give you different looks and work with various lip sizes. I’m sure you will find one perfect for you.

Visit www.alconeco.com to learn more and to purchase this product and other great beauty tools and products. Have fun with it – beauty is about fun!