March 6, 2009

Thanks for the Borba update, LilSis.  I'm still using the Borba Firming Body Trio, and still liking the results.  I'm really bummed that QVC isn't carrying the products any longer, since their price was so great.

What is it that makes me STILL wonder if there is a better anti-cellulite solution out there, even though I like the Borba products?  I don't know if that's a woman thing, or if I'm just fickle and always searching for more when it comes to beauty and body products.

I've been digging around the internet for a couple of hours looking for well-reviewed anti-cellulite products without caffeine.  Guess what?  I can't find any. Seems caffeine is the primary ingredient in all of these products, but I'm determined to stay away from it.  My search will go on, but meanwhile I'll keep using the Borba trio.

~BigSis

March 5, 2009

You may remember BigSis talked here about the Borba Firming Body Trio Set and the results that she noticed after using these products for just a week.  Once I heard that, I ordered my set from QVC the same day. Unfortunately, I just checked with QVC, and as of today, they no longer offer the Borba Firming Body Trio.

Borba Firming Body Trio

The Borba Firming Body Trio set is still $60 through the Borba website.  I really love all three of these products! I've actually been doing the same routine as BigSis. Instead of using all three products on the same day, I use the Body Polish on one day, the Cleansing Serum on the next day and the Contour Cream every day.

I've been using the trio for about five weeks now and I can honestly say that I can see a difference! My skin is firmer and smoother. I don't want anyone to think that I'm saying that these are some miracle products that will literally melt the cellulite off your thighs, but I have definitely noticed a change. (I dream of a day when I could say that I'm cellulite free. Ha! That will probably only happen in my dreams!)

Since I'm not using the Serum and the Polish every day, I'll have to order more of the Contour Cream before I need more of the other two products.

The Borba Firming Diamond Shimmer Contour is $32.00 from Borba when ordered individually. This product is unlike anything I've ever used before. It's pretty thick and creamy, but it absorbs into the skin really fast.

Borba Firming Diamond Shimmer Contour

In comparison to all the other products I've used, I do have to say that this brand is the only one that has shown me some real results. Worth sixty bucks, if you ask me!

~LilSis

February 22, 2009

The day that changed my life?  It was 8 to 10 years ago.  I can't remember exactly when I first heard about the Chi ceramic flat iron, but I do recall that it cost me $140 at my salon (they were sold only through salons at that point).   I'd NEVER paid that much money for any hair tool, and haven't paid that much since then.  But that first Chi lasted me up until 2 weeks ago with zero problems.  So was it worth it?  Oh yeah!  To go from big curly frizzy poofy Texas hair to smooth silky straight hair for only about a dollar a month?  No question!

After having such great results and endurance from my old Chi, I of course wanted to replace him with the same model.  Dance with the one that brought ya, right?  I got the new Chi home, unwrapped him, and prepared to enjoy his smoothing hotness for the first time.  Damn!  This guy couldn't fill the shoes of my old Chi!  What the heck!!  He wasn't hot and smooth!  He was draggy and warmish and pulled my hair!

Back to the store he went!  Still, I was loyal to my old Chi and got another exact replica of him.  Surely, I couldn't be disappointed two times in a row.  Wrong!  Again, it felt like Mr. Chi wasn't getting hot enough, but he did seem to be frying my hair and pulling the ends.  Back to the store we went for the third time.

I'm loyal, but I'm no fool.  Something has changed in Chi-land since I bought my first one many years ago.  It was time to switch teams, and that's what I did.  The next applicant to be my new flat iron friend was the T3 Tourmaline.  Tourmaline is a precious crystal that is embedded within the ceramic plates somehow, and it is supposed to use negative ions to lock moisture in the hair, and to lessen the damage inflicted on the hair. It did cost me an extra $20, but I was willing to give it a try.  I can't live without a flat iron, and the Chi wasn't an option any longer.  As we say in Texas, he'd done split his britches!

Pink T3 Tourmaline Flat Iron

Did the T3 live up to the claims it made?  Yes yes yes!  I love this flat iron!  I've been using it for almost a week, and it honestly is very noticable to me that it is gentler on my hair.  It seems easier to get the ends to curve under, plus it's much lighter weight than the Chi and the temperature is adjustable.  And did I mention that IT'S PINK??!!  I love this iron.  When your current iron poops out on you, this is the ONE to try!

~BigSis

February 21, 2009

Meow!  Did you get this adorable MAC Hello Kitty purse mirror before it vanished before our very eyes?

Hello Kitty Purse Mirror

No?  Too bad, it has sold on ebay for as much as $71 as of today!

What could be better than this cute mirror and the rest of the new MAC Hello Kitty collection?  If you missed out on some of these impossible-to-find items, how about a contest to win them?  You got it!  I got an email about this new Hello Kitty contest, and I entered it immediately.  You can enter once per day, up until March 31, 2009.

There are 120 instant win prizes, including brush sets, tote bags, t-shirts, bracelets, lipsticks, eyeshadows, makeup bags, plush dolls, purse mirrors (schwing!) and lipglass.  There are 8 Grand Prizes featuring all kinds of goodies, with the winners selected by March 25, 2009.  The complete MAC Hello Kitty contest rules are online.  If you missed out on the Hello Kitty items you wanted, don't snooze annd miss your chance to win them!

~BigSis

February 18, 2009

Hello Kitty! Hello MAC Hello Kitty, that is! I had to go say hello to this new Hello Kitty MAC Collection in person. I just couldn't buy any of this new collection online without seeing the colors in person! If you're a MAC fan, you've gotta check these out; and soon!

I thought the eyeshadow compacts were adorable and I probably would have used three out of the four colors, but I really like my shadows in their individual compacts; makes it easier for recycling.

Both tinted lip conditioners were really nice colors, Popster and Pink Fish, but I know those won't stay on long, so I resisted even though they were in precious compacts!

I really wanted the compact purse mirror, but they were sold out. The mirrors are already being sold on Ebay for over $40.00!! I came home with the petite cosmetic bag and two adorable lipsticks!

MAC Hello Kitty petite cosmetic bag and lipsticks

Here is a close up of the two lipsticks. Unfortunately, my photos don't do the colors justice. I love both of these! The lipstick on the left is ‘Strayin' Frost lipstick from Hello Kitty Wild and on the right is ‘Cute-Ster' from Hello Kitty Mild.

MAC Hello Kitty Lipsticks

Now, look close! See the cute little Hello Kitty imprint that they put in the lipstick?

Look Close!!

Oh, I'm so happy with my MAC purchase…But HayHay definitely tried to burst my little ‘happy with my MAC purchase'  bubble. I ran over to the MAC counter right before I had to pick him and his buddies up from the mall. (I actually volunteered to pick them up so I could run into Macy's).

When we get in the car, he nonchalantly glances into my MAC bag and since it's clear, he noticed the Hello Kitty cosmetic bag. So, HayHay says “You didn't just buy something Hello Kitty, did you?” And, I say “Yes, I did, isn't it cute?”  He responds “What are you, eight?”  (He was just kidding when he said it, obviously trying to get a response from me.) But, I just replied, “Hey, Hello Kitty is cool and you're just not cool enough to know it's cool!” (That's a real grown up thing to say to your child, right?)

~LilSis

February 15, 2009

MAC Hello Kitty is here! Meow!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty!  This MAC collection has been talked about, whispered about, blogged about, and meowed about more than any other MAC collection in recent memory.  Talk about anticipation!  Will MAC's Hello Kitty collection live up to all the hype though?

The collection features Hello Kitty Mild and Hello Kitty Wild products, including two shadow quads, glitter eyeliner (I accidentally typed litter eyeliner…I guess litterbox wouldn't be an appealing color.  Ha!), mascara, powder blush, beauty powder, eyelashes, lipstick, lipglass, tinted lip conditioner, pigment, glitter, and nail lacquer.  There is also a line of Hello Kitty accessories like a brush set, bracelet, purse mirror, makeup bags, tote bag, and a stuffed Kitty.

I got an email from MAC on Saturday with a free shipping offer on a $60 purchase, so I skipped over to the site to see what kinds of Hello Kitty goodies I might be tempted by.  Well, guess what?  Bunches of items in this collections are already sold out, and I don't know if they'll be restocked or not since the Live Chat feature on the MAC site isn't available on weekends so I couldn't ask.  I'm afraid this is a case of once it's gone, it's gone. My advice would be to grab what you want in this collection without delay, either through the web site or a retail store if you're fortunate enough to live near one as I do.

If you think about hot pink, lavender, silver and deep sea green, you'll have a picture of the colors in this collection.  They may not be for everyone, but that's the fun of MAC.  If you wait five minutes, something new will come along that you'll love.  Plus, who knows?  You may have never thought about a lavender lipstick, but when you try it, you find that it's perfect for you.  Some of these colors and products wouldn't be appropriate for my office life, but there are some standouts in the collection that I want.  You KNOW how I love pink, so this collection is right up my alley!

• Hello Kitty Lipglass in Nice Kitty (sheer neon pink with blue pearl) and Fast Friends (sheer bright intense purple with pearl).

Hello Kitty Lipglass

• Hello Kitty Lipstick in Strayin' (frosty mid-tone pink).

Hello Kitty Lipstick

• Hello Kitty Blush in Tippy (mid-tone blue pink).

Hello Kitty Blush

Are these the cutest containers you ever saw?  I'm hissed off that I waited too late to get the nail lacquer, the tote, the purse mirror and the lip conditioner!

It looks like MAC Hello Kitty is a hit!  Get your favorites before they're gone!  Even if you don't need anything, or you're watching your beauty product budget, at least go check out the collection video!  It's fun and mystical in kind of a MAC Alice in Wonderland way, but the sado-masochistic Chippendale's guys with the giant Hello Kitty heads scare me a little!  See what you think!

~BigSis

February 9, 2009

I finally made a much needed trip to the Origins counter the other day. I was completely out of a few of my favorites that I use on a daily basis:  Night-A- Mins, No Puffery, and Dr. Andrew Weil's Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Eye Serum. I talk about my love for these Origins products in this Sister Showdown: Moisturizers and in this Sister Showdown: Eye Creams.

I also purchased, for the first time, the Clear Improvement Mask that BigSis recommended earlier in this Sister Showdown: Exfoliating Products.

Origins Clear Improvement

I've used the mask once already and really love it! I don't know why I waited so long to buy it! My pores were screaming to be unclogged!

(I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get that initial breakout that you hear some women get when they first start using this type of product. I have an appointment with my very handsome dermatologist tomorrow and I'll be totally embarrassed if my skin is in the middle of a breakout when I go see him.)

It's been so dry here in CA lately, that my skin is dry, dry, dry and very dehydrated. So, before I left the counter, the sales person suggested that I try the Drink Up mask.

Origins Drink Up

I told her that I was pretty satisfied with my present hydrating mask and didn't want to purchase their mask right now. If you've been reading our blog, you might remember that I love the Bliss Triple Oxygen Hydrating Mask.  I love it so much that I never would have purchased this Origins Drink Up mask had the salesperson not sent me home with a sample. I've used it twice already and I absolutely LOVE it!

This ten minute mask is truly amazing! It feels silky and smooth and smells wonderful. The scent must come from the Apricot Kernel Oil. I love how Origins describes this mask:

When skin faces a marathon of dehydrating circumstances, fluid levels can run too low. The steady sips of moisture that sustain it under normal conditions simply don’t hold water. Smoothness evaporates. Skin feels tight and flaky. What it needs is a great big gulp. It’s all you can drink as nature’s cocktail of caretakers drown dry skin’s sorrows. Thirst-quenching Algae Extracts deliver an extra helping of hydration while emollient-rich Apricot Kernel Oil acts like a “fountain of youth”. Feel skin drink in the softness, lap up the luxury.

Dare I say it? I like this mask more than the Bliss mask! And, for the icing on a cake, the Origins Drink Up is $21.00, whereas, the Bliss mask is $52.00! Score!

Is your skin is in need of a great big gulp of moisture? If so, then Drink Up!

~LilSis

January 24, 2009

Before you start calling me a MAC traitor, let me explain myself!  Yes, it's true, I did order 10 La Femme eyeshadows from Makeupmania.com, but MissChevious is all to blame!  She talked about MakeupMania.com in one of her MissChevious Channel YouTube videos, and said that La Femme actually makes high-quality eyeshadows for prestigious makeup companies, but most people don't know that.  Since these shadows are only $3.50 each, and MissChevious seems to be pretty much in-the-know, I figured it was worth a little experiment and I went with it.  I was tempted and I caved!

I ordered 10 shadows, and one – Iridescent Brown – is still on backorder.   Here is what I got:

La Femme Eyeshadows

From left to right, the top row is Pink Blush (very frosted), Pink (matte) and Nude (matte).

The middle row is Rose Petal (very frosted), Iridescent White and Bisque (matte).

The bottom row is Plum (matte), Clove (light frost) and Beige Pink (very frosted).

I've now used all of these, and can report that they are indeed high quality eyeshadows.  I applied them as I do my MAC shadows: packed on with a good brush over a thin layer of Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I found that all of the shadows lasted throughout the entire day with no creasing or fading.  I dropped one of the shadows on the tile floor today, and it didn't crack or show any damage at all from the fall.  Most drugstore brands at a higher price point would not have survived that challenge intact.

Although they are good shadows, I didn't love all of the colors I chose, especially the matte shades.  Bisque and Nude were just nothing colors at all, I much prefer MAC Yogurt for a good neutral foundation color if I'm going to use one.  These are not very pigmented and were just blah.  They also seemed a little fly-away during application.  The Pink shade was more of a matte peachy melon on me rather than a pink, and was just ok.  I wasn't a huge fan of the Iridescent White, which I hoped would be a good highlight color. The color doesn't apply very evenly and it can't decide if it's too sheer or chalky…it's kind of both at one time.

There is some good news, and it's mostly about the shimmery La Femme colors.  I really liked the Pink Beige, Pink Blush and Rose Petal.  The frost was just right, and didn't fade away to nothing after 15 hours, even though it's fairly sheer.  I also liked the Plum, which is more reddish than a purple.  I used it to blend in my MAC Corduroy, and liked the rosy brown hue I got.  Clove was more terra cotta/orange-toned than I expected, but it's a great warm color for bringing out blue eyes if your skin tone will allow you to do the orangy thing.

That's my verdict on the La Femme eyeshadows.  The formula is good, they last a long time, the price is fabulous, and the MakeupMania customer service is efficient.  Just choose your colors carefully!  If you get one you don't love, at least you haven't dropped a huge amount of money on it!  The main thing is to have fun, it's just makeup!

~BigSis

January 18, 2009

Here’s a quick alert for the MAC fans out there.  I just got an email for FREE SHIPPING today and tomorrow only.  This offer ends January 19.  Use promo code 2DAY.  There is another promotion currently running for free shipping with any $60 purchase; it doesn’t require a code.

If you’ve been eying the new MAC Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection but haven’t made it to the mall yet, here’s your chance to grab some of those limited edition products with free shipping.

MAC Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection

Get shopping, girls!

~BigSis

January 17, 2009

We've been talking about beauty and skin care products a lot recently, so I have to ask a question that's been on my mind. I want to be transparent, so I'm not going to hide this vulnerability. Tell me I'm not the only one who suffers from this anxiety and insecurity. Please tell me. Here's how it goes. I have to go into a department store to pick up one of my can't-live-without-products, like the foundation I finally found that covers just the right amount AND doesn't cause any breakouts AND matches my skintone AND isn't too dewy or too matte.

Prescriptives Flawless

This should be a quick little errand, right? Bing bang boom. Wrong.

For me, it causes dread and a serious amount of anxiety that sees me looking on the Area 52 website to find something that can help me relax. Because I know that when I – a normal, confident, professional woman – march up to the counter with my request, I'm going to feel like the Hunchback of Notre Dame with a bad case of leprosy within minutes. I can't just pay for my purchase and leave. No, no, no, that would be too easy. The salesperson has to try to up-sell me or cross-sell me, or whatever the heck they call it. I'm bombarded by:

“Have you tried our new eye cream? It really works on those wrinkles and puffiness and crow's feet”.

“Would you like to make an appointment for me to give you a makeover, dear?”

“Do you use our new wrinkle-erasing-lifting-super-duper-youth-restoring-magical-miracle-night-cream? I think it would really help you. Let me give you a sample!”

“Would you like for me to recommend a product to help with that redness/those wrinkles/that dryness/your oiliness?”

By the time I slink away to my car, I feel like the most flawed woman ever to approach the counter. Now, in my mind, I'm droopy, dehydrated, shiny, dry, red, pale, wrinkly, baggy, saggy, and puffy. All at once! In reality, I do have my own little challenges like every woman does, but usually I'm content with what I have to work with. Not overjoyed, (I AM forty-something, for cryin' out loud) but content.

So I'm wondering. Is it just me who feels like a frappin' troll after they've just handed over their hard-earned money for a product? Should we pay for someone to insult us? Maybe it's worse for me since I had skin problems as a teenager, and so I'm over-sensitive to salespersons' “suggestions”? Maybe the dermatological afflictions scarred my self-esteem more than my skin, and I'm still reeling from it years (and years) later, even though I spent a bajillion dollars last year for six Fraxel laser treatments, and my skin is in better shape than it has been since I was 12 years old? I have the feeling that my anxiety, insecurity and paranoia in this area are more common than I know. Does anyone share this with me, or do I need to get in touch with someone like www.PsychCompany.com and arrange some psychotherapy? Give me some support, sisters, before I bow to the pressure to make all my purchases online!

~BigSis