Gadabout Media » Skincare

Old Spice & the Guy On A Horse

Michelle Hamor — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:23:08 +0000

Did you catch any of the Old Spice excitement last week? The Guy On the Horse, Man You Want Your Man To Smell Like, was making personalized messages for internet users all over the place. My mom called a few minutes ago and said people are still talking about it. He even proposed for a guy….. and the proposal was accepted. The entire thing was genius – a total internet blitz that grew and grew.

My blog, Girl Looks Swell was included. When I come online Tuesday morning, I got to work moderating comments and found one that said something along the lines of , I wanted to thank you for your kind words (I had written up his new commercial – the all-in-one shot spot seen in theaters this July) and I made something for you. What the?? I thought it was a prank, then I clicked the link and this is what I found…..

Dang. Every time I hear, “Hello, Michelle…” my knees buckle a bit. Great job Old Spice!

Summer Skin Care: NEOVA SPF

Michelle Hamor — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:32:38 +0000

This Summer I’ve been trying out all sorts of *sunscreens from a number of companies. One of the most effective that I’ve found is the Neova TI-SILC GT SPF 60.

The Neova is a broad spectrum sunscreen made with micronized titanium dioxide, Octinoxate, and anti-oxidants like green tea extract, vitamin E, and sunflower seed oil.

It goes on a little different from other SPFs - it has a tint to it, which really helps to ensure that you’ve got an even application. It has a pleasant scent, as well. It reminds me a bit of Ben Gay, but the fragrance fades as the product is absorbed into the skin. Skin feels soft and not sticky with use. (Not a fan of thick, sticky sunscreens. Yuck).

Neova feels light on the skin and stays effective throughout 80 minutes of swimming or excessive activity (which means, it stays on when you sweat). The antioxidant ingredients make this a great product for people who want to address aging skin as well as sun protection.

*Samples were sent to me for review

Image credit: Skin Care RX.com

Summer Skin Care: Aveeno Sun Care Products

Michelle Hamor — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:54:04 +0000

My vacation is over, my out of town guests are all gone. It feels a bit like the day after Christmas….. but happily, they will return for a family reunion at the end of the month. Hurray!

While the kids were here, we worked our way through the Aveeno SPFs*. We tried formulas for the face and formulas for the body including; Positively Ageless Sunblock SPF 90, 70, and 55, plus Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 100, 85, 70, and 55.

The Positively Ageless formula contains EnviroBlock which is a triple defense technology that combines antioxidants with broad-spectrum photostable UVA and UVB protection. It works to fight the signs of aging, while also protecting your skin from further damage from the sun.

The Continuous Protection formula contains Active Photobarrier Complex. The broad-spectrum photostable UVA and UVB protection is formulated to last longer than traditional sunscreens. It contains both Avobenzone and Oxybenzone. If you have issues with oily skin or breakouts, look for those two ingredients and skip the formulas that contain titanium dioxide.

I like the Aveeno products. In fact, over the past couple of years I’ve tried a lot of Aveeno products and I’ve never met one that I did not really respect and feel comfortable recommending. (I’ve been hooked on the hair products since reviewing them, too).

The kids did not complain when I applied the products. The cream didn’t feel overly thick and uncomfortable on the face. No one broke out. The products work well to avoid sunburn. I was careful to put on a good, healthy dose (1 ounce for the body, 1 Tablespoon for the face), but I didn’t notice the higher SPFs working differently from my usual SPF 30. We’d spend an hour or two at the pool or creek and still come home with a little pink on the shoulders and chin. The higher number didn’t translate to more protection with regular consumer-type use.

The only truly safe sun protection is no sun, but no sun tends to lead to a boring Summer. The important thing to remember when using sunscreen is to apply enough product and to reapply frequently, especially after swimming. Wear a hat, try to avoid the time of day when the sun is strongest, and limit the time you stay in the direct sunlight.

To learn more about the Aveeno Sun Care Products, click here. I still have a few more sun care products to review, so stay tuned for more information. And always wear your SPF!!

I also tried the new Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock. Good stuff.

*All products were furnished to me for review.

Image credit: Aveeno.com

Beauty Ticket Bargains For Your Lips

Michelle Hamor — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:31:01 +0000

How is June treating you? I’ve been entertaining fabulous out of town guests (my nephews and niece) this week, in case you’ve been wondering where I was. While they’ve been here, we’ve been doing a lot of product testing on many, many sunblocks. I’ll share the results with you all very soon.

In the meantime, here’s a few crazy-good bargains that I found at BeautyTicket.com…

The Summer heat can be tough on your skin, especially your lips. A good lip balm can be a life saver. The Balm To the Rescue Vegan Lip Treatment (MSRP $16, on sale for $7.99) is made with micro-exfoliating crystals, jojoba, and shea butter to smooth and condition the lips.

After treating your lips with The Balm, show them off with Smashbox Reign Lip Gloss in Crowned (MSRP $20, on sale for $10.99). It’s a creamy nude shade with “scandalous shine.”

Image credit: Beauty Ticket.com

Travel-sized Skin Care Kit

Michelle Hamor — Fri, 07 May 2010 23:34:39 +0000

Sephora has a new Sephora Collection Sun Safety Kit available online. It’s a $95 value, on sale for $25. If you have any travel planned in the near future, this kit is full of travel-sized samples, perfect for slipping into a travel bag.

The kit contains eye creams, moisturizers, lip therapy, and makeup items all with an SPF of at least 15. There are also 2 single us UV monitoring bracelets. All of the net profits from the Sephora Sun Safety Kit will go to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Here’s the complete list of what you’ll find in the kit:
*0.14 oz Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15
*0.23 oz DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew UV Moisturizer SPF 15
*0.10 oz Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 in Lemon and Chamomile
*0.25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Lotion SPF 30
*0.16 oz Kate Somerville Protect SPF 55 Serum Sunscreen
*0.27 oz Clarins Delectable Self Tanning Mousse SPF 15
*0.16 oz Cover FX BritePrep FX Brightening Foundation Primer & Photo-Aging Defense SPF 50
*0.34 oz Bliss Best of Skintentions Daily Moisturizer SPF 15
*0.23 oz Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 60 PA+++
*0.25 oz Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Cream SPF 15
*0.25 oz Smashbox Photo Finish UVA/UVB SPF 15
*0.02 oz Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Multi-tasking Face SPF 20 in Summer Bisque
*Pink Sephora makeup bag
*2 x single-use UVSunSense UV monitoring bracelets

I received a big box of SPF products to sample for review today. Watch for further posts on this subject. Healthy skin is really the foundation for any look, so take care of your complexion. In the meantime, don’t forget to enter my Lubriderm skin care givewaway.

Image credit: Sephora.com

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Moisture Lotion with SPF 30 Giveaway

Michelle Hamor — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:53:55 +0000

Spring. I love everything about it, except the allergies. (Achoo!) The weather is warm. My patio garden is in full bloom and my kids have enjoyed a few days at the pool. Time to get serious about sun protection again.

Many of the complaints people have about sunscreen center around the heavy feeling it has on the skin. Lubriderm has a new product – Advanced Therapy Moisture Lotion with SPF 30 - with something called “Sheer Protection.” It’s the first product of it’s kind – an every day moisture lotion with the added benefit of sun protection. It works for 8 hours and contains good for your skin ingredients like Vitamins B5 and E, plus essential lipids that are in healthy skin naturally. These form a barrier that keeps your skin soft, smooth, and hydrated.

You can find a $2 off coupon for any Lubriderm product here. While you are there, check out the new Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Moisture Lotion with SPF 30 commercial, featuring the iconic alligator, Mr. Freeway.

Lubriderm is giving me 5 tubes of Advanced Therapy Moisture Lotion with SPF 30 to give away to Gadabout Media readers. To enter the giveaway, you need to be a resident of the US and you need to leave a comment on this post. I will contact the random winners next week. Good luck!

**I’m running this same giveaway at Girl Looks Swell. Feel free to enter at both places, but you can only win once.**

Image credit: Lubriderm.com

New From Kenzo: Perfumed Beneficial Waters

Michelle Hamor — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:12:57 +0000

As part of their Kenzoki skin care line, Kenzo launched a line of scented Beneficial Waters containing minerals, trace elements, and essential oils. The waters come in 4 elements; Relaxing Lotus SHH (relaxing, soothing), Energizing Bamboo Splash (tones, energizes), Blissful Ginger FIZZ (activates, energizes), and Sensual Rice MMM (softens, soothes). The 3 ounce bottles retail for $45 at KenzoUSA.com.

I was offered a sample to try and I picked the Sensual Rice MMM, with the fragrance of Rice Steam. I am a big fan of Kenzo’s Barefeet Fantasy foot balm (great for hands, too) which also carries the Rice Steam fragrance.

The purpose of the Beneficial Waters is to combine a fragrance with a moisturizing mist. The scent lasts about as long as an eau de toilette.

What did I think of the product? Well, here’s where I give you a quick explanation of my fragrance point of view….

My first fragrance of choice, as a young girl of 12 or 13, was Love’s Baby Soft. With notes of Sandalwood and Musk, it’s still a favorite smell of mine and the first Big Girl fragrance that I purchased for my own daughters.

The Rice Steam fragrance, it has a strong Love’s Baby Soft smell to it. I looooove it. I’ve worn it every day, spritzing myself a couple of times a day, since I got it. It’s one of those fragrance that makes want to just keep sniffing. Feminine, but not flowery. A good edition to the Kenzo line.

Image credit: Michelle Hamor Smith

Natural Skin Care From Bioethique

Michelle Hamor — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:13:47 +0000

When I first started writing beauty, I covered fragrance and “natural” beauty. I still write about fragrance, but I’ve expanded the scope of the makeup and skin care I cover. That said, I have to admit that the natural skin care is still my favorite. The idea of putting pure, organic ingredients on my face just feels right.

I recently had the opportunity to try Bioethique. It’s a skin care line out of France that is certified organic according to guidelines set by Nature et Progres, which is Europe’s very strict certification agency.

The product samples sent to me included Antioxidant Serum, Day Cream, Night Cream, and Eye Cream. The botanical extracts used in the products were obtained with a bio-extraction method. This leads to a strong, potent concentration of antioxidants. A higher level of antioxidants leads to healthier, firmer, smoother, younger-looking skin.

The eye cream was full size, but the other samples were small, only enough for a few days. It didn’t take long, I noticed a difference in my skin right away. My cheeks in particular felt so smooth and silky. The products weren’t heavy, they were light, effective, absorbed quickly. This is a wonderful skin care line. You can find more product information here.

Here are a few key points about the products:

*The products are vegan and never tested on animals.
*All products are 100% natural.
*All oils are cold pressed, extra virgin, and certified organic.
*Water used in the products is from the alps of Haute Provence. It’s rich in minerals, trace elements, and vitamins.
*There are no parabens, waxes, artificial colors or fragrances, or petro-chemicals used in the products.

Image credit: Bioethique

Look Younger & Save Money

Michelle Hamor — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:24:28 +0000

This is the weekend to save on skin care at AVON. If you purchase one product in the Anew Clinical line, you can get a second product for $5. In addition, the Anew Reversalist line is also on sale.

One of my favorite AVON Anew products is the Anew Clinical Eye Lift. In one product you will find two formulas – one to firm andone to smooth and decrease eye circles. The firming gel is made with Dimensional Lift Technology which gives instant lift, but also continues to tighten the area, working to alleviate sagging and drooping near the brow bone. The Derma-Refine Technology found in the Under Eye Cream section is made with Sweet Almond Extract. It reduces shadows found under the eye (a big problem for me) and smooths the skin under the eye, reducing fine lines. I really like that both the firming and the smoothing are available in one product – really convenient and a great money-saver.

When it comes to the Reversalist line, I highly recommend the Night Renewal Cream. You can read my review of it here. This stuff really gets the job done. In one night, I notice a difference in tone of my skin and nothing else that I’ve tried is better at fading freckles and age spots.

Take a look at the AVON online shop to see the complete list of products and special offers.

Image credit: AVON.com

New From Philosophy: Blackberry Bath & Body Products

Michelle Hamor — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:17:23 +0000

When I was a kid, I lived for a time in a lake-side cabin. It was a great adventure for my sister and myself – lots of hiking, fort-building, exploring. Next to our house was a big Blackberry bush. Have you ever tried Blackberries? They are incredibly sweet and have these little tiny seeds in them. We’d stand beside there and eat the berries right off the bush. The only problem, we had to watch out for the rattlesnake that lived under the bush. Yikes!

Philosophy has a couple of new Wild Blackberry Blossom scented products made with Blackberry fruit extract. The Body Lotion is made with shea butter, beeswax, aloe, and rice bran. The packaging is a departure from the usual Philosophy packaging with a Spring-time flowers and vines theme. Cute.

Philosophy Wild Blackberry Body Lotion
$24 at ULTA

Also included in the line is a 3-in-1 Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath product.

Philosophy Wild Blackberry 3-in-1
$16 at ULTA

If you are making an online purchase at ULTA this week, they are offering 12 samples ($40 value) for free with any purchase $40 or over. Find more information here.

Image credit: ULTA.com