Product: Olay Age Defying Daily Renewal Cream Beta Hydroxy Complex
Use: As an anti-aging facial moisturizer
Price: $9.49 for a 2.0 oz jar
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: C

Why I bought it
My birthday is right around the corner and all I have to say is 25 was a looooooong time ago, ya’ll. I don’t know if the upcoming birthday is the catalyst for all of these anti-aging products that I’ve been using as of late, but hey, it never hurts to get a head start, right?

I’ve been using different AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) products, and although I’ve been mostly happy with the results, I thought I’d try something new with BHA (beta hydroxy acid) product, which is why I picked up this jar of Olay Age Defying Daily Renewal Cream Beta Hydroxy face moisturizer.

What it’s supposed to do
Olay Age Defying Daily Renewal Cream is for normal, dry, oily or combination skin. This oil-free face and neck cream is supposed to significantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and lift away dull, dry skin. The beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, is the fourth ingredient listed.
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Product: Vaseline Intensive Care Renewal Age Redefining Body Lotion
Use: As a body moisturizer
Price: $5.00
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

Why I bought it
I haven’t used Vaseline lotion since I was a teenager, when there was a seemingly neverending supply of super-sized yellow bottles of Intensive Care Lotion in the bathroom. I used it back then ‘cause there was no other lotion option, and I never liked it. It had a weird plastic smell and was never moisturizing enough for my dry legs.

I surprised myself when I bought this purple bottle of Renewal Age Redefining Body Lotion on a whim while at Target a month ago. It contains alpha hydroxy acids and I’m on an AHA kick, so when I found this lotion on sale (my favorite excuse) I couldn’t pass it up.

What it’s supposed to do
Vaseline Renewal Age Redefining Body Lotion bottle says that the formula’s AHA’s accelerate the skin’s ability to renew itself. The product claims to immediately replenish lost moisture and combat dullness. It also claims to even skin tone and make skin more resilient in four weeks. The only active ingredient listed is octinoxate (1.25%), a sunscreen that blocks UVB rays.
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I got my June Allure magazine in the mail yesterday and the first article I read was the Reader’s Choice Awards. I was not surprised to see that several MAC products were voted as favorites in several makeup catagories. Here’s a quick round-up of the MAC faves that Allure Magazine readers voted for:

Lipstick: Mac Viva Glam V. If you don’t have this yet, get it. It’s beautiful, universally flattering, and easy to apply even when you are in a hurry.

Lipgloss: MAC Lustreglass Lip Gloss in Pinkarat. I haven’t tried any Lustreglasses (I’m more of a Lipglass girl) but this is now on my list of upcoming MAC purchases.

Eye Shadow: MAC Eye Shadow in All That Glitters. I don’t have this, but the MAC website describes this “a mid-tone beige with gold reflects.” I will have to check this one out as well; it sounds like a pretty highlight color.

Eyeliner: MAC Fluidline Eye Liner Gel in Blacktrack. I love me some Fluidlines. However, blacktrack is *not* my favorite black. I prefer Blitz & Glitz, which is softer and has a little more dimension to it because of the gold flecks.

Concealer: MAC Select Moisturecover. I recently purchased MAC Select Moisturecover and after feeling just so-so about it for a few months I’ve decided that it’s one of my favorite concealers. It works well with my skintone and it doesn’t budge, even through dance class.

I am leaving for San Diego tomorrow and still have yet to pack. It’s a surf/spa trip, and I haven’t surfed since last July when I was in Hawaii. I dug out my surf wetsuit from the nether regions of my closet yesterday. I haven’t worn it since 2003 (the NorCal ocean is too damn cold to surf in!) so wish me luck – I’m gonna need tons of it when I attempt to squeeze into it.

Friday is right around the corner and I can’t wait. I hope you’re having a great day.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer is just around the corner so I’m really feeling really inspired by bright colors from my summer wardrobe. Here’s a face of the day that I did with coral colors on the cheeks and lips. Unfortunately I was too lazy to use the super-good digital camera to get a better closeup of my eyes, but if you look closely you might be able to see the greens I used.

Face:
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer in Almond
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Cheeks
MAC Fab Blush – This is from the Barbie Collection from a few months ago. There are rumors that the entire collection will be re-released this summer. If the whispers are true then snag this blush if you can. It’s fantastic!

Lips
MAC Lychee Luxe Lipglass

Eyes
MAC Bare Canvas Paint over entire eye (applied w/252)
MAC Fluidline in Sweet Sage over lid and slightly on crease (217), then on lower lashes (209)
MAC Eyeshadow in Swimming on lid and slightly into crease (275)
MAC Eyeshadow Vex on browbone (252)
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Jungle Green

Today is supposed to be a hot one here in NorCal. Don’t forget to slather on your sunscreen if you’re going out to enjoy the sunshine!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product: Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser
Use: As a face cleanser and makeup remover
Price: $ 7.00 for a 5.1 fl oz tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+

Why I bought it
I used to be a drugstore skin product snob, but within the past year I’ve re-discovered Neutrogena products. Their skin care line is affordable and almost everything I’ve tried from their various product lines work for me. I have sensitive, acne-prone skin that is beginning to show the first signs of aging. So I made a trip to Target and bought a couple products to target (ha ha ha) the recent changes in my skin.

One thing I’ve noticed is now I have freckles (hyperpigmentation) and my skin is not as glowy, which is why I picked up this tube of Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser.

What it’s supposed to do
Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser is an exfoliating cleanser that contains “Essential Soy” (which the company says in a natural skin brightener), gentle exfoliators and Vitamin C. This combination is supposed to removes dead skin cells, dirt, and oil; evens out skin tone; and helps improve radiance.

What I liked
One of the best features of this cleanser is the texture. A dime sized amount builds into a very dense and cushiony foam that feels good on your skin. Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser has a light sprinkle of exfoliating beads, which I suppose is just enough for every day gentle exfoliating. Other exfoliating cleansers I’ve tried – like ProActiv’s Cleanser and Beyond Belief’s ABH Pore Refining Exfoliating Scrub – have more exfoliating beads than Visibly Even, so if you’re looking for an intense exfoliator then this product might not be for you.

What I like most about Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser is that it doesn’t dry out my skin after I use it. Some cleansers, like Clean & Clear Sensitive Skin, leave my face feeling tight, but Visibly Even leaves it feeling comfortable yet still clean. The smell is the second thing I love about this product. Smell is a big thing for me, and this smells light and refreshing and I love using it on my face first thing in the morning because the smell instantly wakes me up. When I use it at night I’ve found that although this cleanser also takes off most of my makeup I still have to use a separate eye makeup remover.

What I didn’t like
Despite all of these plusses, I can’t give this product an A because I don’t know if my skin is significantly more “visibly even.” I suppose I could’ve been more scientific about it and taken comparison pictures over the period of 30 days … but damn, I barely have time to smudge my eyeliner, let alone turn this into a science experiment! I’ve noticed that my skin is a little glowier, but that could be because I’ve been using this cleanser in conjunction with a few other new products.

The final word
I think my expectations also may have been unrealistically high in terms of how my skin would change. However, this is a great cleanser for the price and a solid performer. I’d highly recommend this to anyone on a skincare budget who wants light exfoliation as well as a thorough gentle cleansing.

My new favorite thing to do lately is watch music videos on youtube, especially ones from Janet Jackson which I haven’t seen in years. In my youth I watched countless Janet Jackson vids, which I’d play over and over to learn the choreography. So it was kind of a coincidence that during last night’s hip hop class we actually did the butterfly, lololololozzzz, which I haven’t done that since 1994! I learned the butterfly from my fab friend Jen, and from watching the end of Janet Jackson’s “You Want This.” Enjoy this trip down memory lane, and just for fun, sneak in some butterflyin’ today!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen