DERMAdoctor Physical Chemistry Facial Microdermabrasion

It is not often that I share with you all a product I don't like, but I have seen so many positive reviews of this product, I feel I have to add my two cents. I read about DERMAdoctor's Physical Chemistry in Allure magazine awhile back. They said it was the closest thing you could get to a microdermabrasion at home because of the high acid percentage. I got a jar of it from a friend who had tried it once and thought it didn't compare to her beloved ExfoliKate by Kate Somerville. Thank god I didn't purchase it, because at $75 for 1.7oz. this stuff is not cheap! Well, after a few uses my reaction was the same as my friend's. It didn't really seem to do a whole lot. Usually after a great exfoliate, my skin feels smoother and looks brighter. Neither was happening after this stuff sat on my face for a few minutes. So anyways, I thought you should know if your were in the market for a new exfoliant, try anything else, namely my favorites: Philosophy's Micro Delivery Peel or ExfoliKate.

Exfoliate Lovely!

Philosophy The Recipe Box

I can't believe it is December already! But that means holidays, parties, family, and presents so I'm ok with it. I am especially excited about all the great gift sets available this holiday season! I'll be devoting most of my December posts to them, so get your shopping lists ready.

A very fun, inexpensive set is Philosophy's The Recipe Box, only $18 at Sephora. It is perfect for anyone who loves to bake delicious desserts. The adorable box includes three yummy recipe-flavored, 3-in-1 shampoo, bubble bath, and shower gels (strawberry shortcake, red velvet cake, and sweet creamy frosting), as well as recipes to bake them! What a fun idea!

Gift Lovely!

Guilt-Free Showers by Philosophy

Nothing makes me happier in the morning than jumping in a hot shower, grabbing my huge body puff, squirting on a gigantic dollop of body wash, and sudsing up to my hearts content. I want the scent of my shower to remind me of the pleasures in life and Philosophy does it best. Right now I'm indulging in Key Lime Pie every morning, which on fortunately is no longer available. But next time I think I'll try Mimosa. A perfect start to a morning, hung over or not, without the sleepy after effects like the drink. Sound good to you? $16 for 16oz of alcohol-free fun.

Suds Lovely!

Check Out What's in My Bag!

My girl Sarah over at Cupcakes Taste Nice had a great idea for a way to keep her blog going while she is on vacay. She is asking her reader to post pictures of their makeup bags and what in them. I thought, how fun, especially since I just bought a new camera! Thanks to Lilan from The Daily Cookie for recommending her digi, I now am the proud owner of a Canon Power Shot SD750. So far I love it, espeically the HUGE 3" display screen.

Anyways back to my purse! I am currently still looking for the perfect makeup bag, so I literally just have all my products thrown in the bottom of my purse. Terrible I know! So I did the whole contents of my beloved black Francesco Biasa (in no particular order):-Micheal by Micheal Kors sunnies, the only big sunglasses that sit on my nose and not my cheeks
-Hobo wallet, I just love the opalescent color
-Advil, tampon, allergy meds, gum, ya know basics
-Nvey Eco Organic Erase Concealer in Neutral, a great pan concealer for when serious coverage is needed
-Cargo Wet/Dry Powder Foundation in 20
-Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer in 2, just picked it up, will review soon!
-Bvlgari Au The Blanc Refreshing Towel, they were handing them out at Sephora, thought I'd keep it in my bag for a smelly day... hope it smells good!
-MAC Tendertones Lip Balm in E-Z Baby, an almost colorless shine and tons of moisture gloss
-Philosophy Lip Gelato Soul Mates Grapefruit, a super shiny gloss that tastes delish
-Philosophy Kiss Me Red Lip Balm, a touch of color but mostly moisture as well
-Rosebud Salve, a classic balm even the boys can enjoy without feeling girly
(Gosh, can you tell I love/need/have to have lip stuff with me at all times?!?)
-Fresh Firebird Mascara, a free sample I just got today. Can't wait to try it out! Not available yet in stores.

What's in Your Bag? Dig Lovely!

Favorite Mini Beauty Items

Whenever I shop at Sephora, I am always tempted by the little bins lined up next to the register. They are full of small sized of great products to try and test. Some of my favorites are:

Philosophy Purity Made Simple To Go ($10): A great face wash in the perfect size to take on trips or an overnight bag. Although, at 3.5 oz, its too big to bring a plane... stupid TSA rules!

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream Travel Size ($10): A perfectly wonderful hand cream to keep in your purse. It's small yet powerfully moisturizing.

Tocca Candelina Travel Candle Collection ($16 each): These candles are the perfect addition to any travel bag. To add a touch of comfort to a lame hotel room, light one while taking a bath or getting ready for a night out. My favorite is Celopatra, a clean, fresh scent.

Stila's Jade Blossom Perfume Solid ($20): I love the concept of perfume solids. A quick, easy dap and you smell fresh as a garden party on a summer day.

Cool Gelato On a Hot Spring Day

This past weekend was the warmest weather we've had in San Francisco in  months. The hot sun baked down on all of us so as we shed our winter coats and boots for t-shirts and flip-flops, and sought fun in the sun. I headed to the gelato shop for a cool refreshing treat, but not before I popped into Sephora for some gifts. And to my surprise, I found a new kind of gelato.  

I've always loved Philosophy's Lip Balms. They are a fabulous stable that really moisturizes. Their new lip gelato collection is equally as pleasing as the original but they have 5 delicious flavors to choose from: tangerine, lime, grapefruit, lemonade, and pomegranate. I got Soul Mates in my favorite scent/flavor, Grapefruit. It has great shine and adds a bit of a plump to your lips.  But the best part is how not sticky it is! This one is staying in my purse for sure!

Gelato Lovely!

Create Your Canvas

I have been a slacker lately when it come to blogging, and I am truly sorry for that. Hopefully, I will get back on schedule now that 2008 has settled down a bit. This morning I was looking at my cluttered beauty product shelf and I noticed that I had three primers lined up in a row, and I thought what a perfect topic for my Monday post, comparing them head to head. After trying each of them a few times, here are my conclusions:

philosophy's The Present Clear Makeup: I tried this hoping to love it just has much as I love my other philosophy products, but I was disappointed. It feels much more like a moisturizer than the others, but then it creates a strange thick layer on my skin that actually makes my concealer harder to blend in, especially under my eyes. Next!


Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: I originally did not loved this product that much. I had heard so many people rave about it, but then the sample tube I got it in made it separate a bit. After a few more tries, I am now in love. It creates this amazing silky, matte finish on my skin. My favorite part is that then my concealer and foundation glide on like nobody's business. I am definitely buying the full sized pump bottle which will most likely eliminate the separating problem.



Laura Geller Spackle: I got a sample of this in a goodie bag from Sephora at this fancy New Years party I went to, and I am happy to say I really like it. It has a more dewy look that the Smashbox but it still makes my skin feel really smooth and ready for makeup. I might have to get this one too. It also comes in a pump form which will eliminate contamination.


Prime Lovely!

Cleanse Your Best

With the great success of my Christmas wish list, I received Philosophy's Hope In a Jar from my longest and best friend. Through the genius of Sephora, she also got me Purity Made Simple, as part of a gift set. Now I have another Philosophy product I love.

Purity Made Simple is the ultimate face wash. It feels gentle and yet it really cleans off all your makeup and the grim collected from the day. My skin feels clean after, but not too tight or over-dry, just fresh and clean.

Cleanse Lovely!

Peel it Yourself

After reading my blogging buddy Lilan's review on Philosophy's The Microdelivery Peel back in October, I knew I wanted to try the stuff for myself. Unfortunately, I was going through a bit of a financial melt down, and the $65 price tag was too much to swallow. Thinking ahead, I put it on my christmas list. I don't think I've given my family such a good wish list in years. It was awesome to actually get a few things I really had been pining after (my new hair dryer!) and this was no different. I tried the peel out Christmas night and then did another application last night. Lilan was not wrong! This stuff is awesome! It feels like the citrusy acids are gentle sloughing off your dead, unneeded skin cells, leaving you with softer, smoother skin that glows. I just love it! I think I can probable use it more than once a week even, being that it is so gentle feeling. My skin can get really sensitive so I'll be careful though. Just follow the directions on the labels (or read Lilan's review) and voila! A new face... at home! Really $65 is the price of a cheap facial but this it will last you at least 10 uses and no one is going to squeeze your pores if you don't want them too. Not bad!

Peel Lovely!

Holiday Beauty Gift Guide: Bath and Body Gift Sets

The best kind of gifts to give are those that they wouldn't spend money on for themselves. A luxurious bath or body product will make your friends feel pampered and loved. Cuz they're worth it, gosh darn it! This holiday, treat your well deserving friends and family to some fabulous bath and body gift sets, sure to put a smile on their face:

LaVanilla Laboratores's Three Wishes Healthy Body Butters ($28) are a sweet treat for the under-moisturized lady in your life. The set includes three 2.75 oz. tubes of wonderful body butter in pure vanilla, vanilla grapefruit, and vanilla blossom. Pure shea and cocoa butter is infused with anti-oxidants Goji Berry and Kakadu Plum, to provide moisture and nurishment.

Got a jet-setting friend who needs a little euro-luxury in her life? Tocca's Bagno da Viaggio in Cleopatra ($48) has everything she needs to feel beautiful and relaxed far away from home. The set includes a body wash, a body lotion, and a candle all in Cleopatra, a crisp, fresh scent of juicy grapefruit and soothing cucumber enriched with almond oil. Molto Buono!

For your friend or relative who entertains a lot, get L'Occitane's Lavender Hand Duo ($32) for their guest bathroom. The set comes with a hand wash and a hand lotion in classic lavender straight from Provance, all in a practical metal mountable caddy.

Anyone would be delighted to recieve Kiehl's Delights ($34), a gift set with travel sizes of some of their best products. It includes Creme de Corps body lotion, Amino Acid Shampoo with coconut, the fab Lip Blam #1, and Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. How Delightful indeed!

And for some good enough to eat holiday pampering, get your buddy Philosophy's Candy Cane Hat Box ($35). The set contains the scrumpcious candy cane shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath, candy cane hot tub/shower scrub, and candy cane lip shine. Sounds delishious to me! Just make sure your friend like candy canes.

Shop Lovely!

Acne "Cure" Update and Body Butter Sale

Just a quick update on my purchase and experience with Philosophy's Acne Kit: I still love it! For the first time in week I don't have any new pimples, and my blackheads look like they are slowly rising to the surface (gross, huh?!), soon to be gone forever. I am using all the products in the kit, but I am staying on top of how dry the serum and H2O2 cream can make me, so as not to over do it! My favorite product by far is the Protection Cream. It makes my skin soft and smooth, perfect for makeup application, but you have to be sure and give it a full 2 minutes to set into your skin or you'll rub it off. When I do have a bit of dry skin from the Blemish Serum, I use a dab of The Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Day Cream on top, because it's gentle and won't clog my pores.

Speaking of The Body Shop, they just started one of their best promos ever: 2 for $30 Body Butters and Body Scrubs! Time to stalk up and save $10! The sale starts today online, and Friday in stores.

Shop Lovely!

An acne cure? Nah... but close.

I've been battling acne since I was old enough to look in the mirror and find my blackheads. Yuck. I'll admit, I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my complexion. When I tell others I'm going to a dermatologist to try this new lotion or pill, they look at me like I'm crazy. "What acne?" they say, but I don't care. I can see it and that is what matters to me! I have tried every modern form of acne medicine even Accutane, the supposed "cure," twice in high school. But the acne always seems to come back. I was on antibiotics this summer and they did an exceptional job. For once, my skin felt baby soft and blemish free for two whole months. The problem is you can't stay on the antibiotics forever, so after a month or two off them, my acne and blackheads were back. My doc suggested Retin-A, a lotion with a type of Vitamin A in it, but I haven't been too impressed. I'm not always good about applying it every single night, which hinders its effectiveness, and it causes my skin to flake evrywhere. Yuck.

On a whim, I picked up Philosophy's Acne Kit at Sephora, with 4 of the On a Clear Day products. Usually I wash my face with cheap Cetaphil for Normal/Oily skin, but it doesn't seem to be cutting the bacteria enough. I like that the kit is benzoyl peroxide free (I hate that stuff, it burns my face and ruins my sheets and towels!) and uses ingredients like sulfur and salicylic acid. Both have been researched extensively for their effectiveness at disinfecting and exfoliating, important in the fight against acne.

So far, I love the kit. It was a great value at $47! The 2% salicylic acid Serum alone is $30, and all the products are full sized. The face wash feels very gentle and your face feels very clean afterwards. The Serum stings a little, but you know its working. I know my skin gets sensitive sometimes, so I skipped it this morning, after using it twice yesterday. The hydrogen peroxide cream is very different than anything I've used, but it seems like a gentler version of benzoyl peroxide creams. I'll probably use it every other night, so I don't over dry my face. I thing my favorite is the protection cream, which is supposed to seal in the other products and keep out the bad stuff. It feels a bit like a primer since it smooths out the texture of of skin and makes it makeup ready. So if you are in the market for a new acne fighting regime, try this one out. I know its only been three days, but I think I'm going to like the results. I just have to keep it up! No more sleeping in my makeup, its battle time!

Cleanse Lovely!

Fall Makeup Trends from Style.com

Once again Style.com has concisely listed all the trends I have been spotting for this Fall season. They list 12 trends and a few products for each to help you achieve the look on their Beauty School page. While I don't like or agree with some of them (red hair? only if your born with it!), there are a few that I must share.


Smokey Eyes: They were all over the shows both in the fall and spring. I love a good smokey eye, especially when you throw in a little color to mix it up a bit. They recommended Smashbox's Master Class Expert Eyes Kit, Stila's Smokey Eye Palette, and DuWop Payoff Eyeshadow Enhancer, which I just ordered off eLuxury.com (they are offered a free gift with any DuWop purchase, while supplies last!).

Bed Head: Messy, matte hair has been showing up everywhere, even on the red carpet I'm afraid. I kinda like the look, especially if my haircut has chunky layers, and the products I use add massive volume. They recommend John Frieda's Sheer Blonde Tousled Tresses Fine Mist Wax (I'll have to try!) , Bumble and Bumble's Hair Powder, and Aveda's Pure Abundance Hair Potion (I love this stuff! The perfect product for this look, without any sticky clumpy residue!).

Fresh, Clean Face: As my friend pointed out to me, the more makeup you have on, the older you look. So I would love to look like I'm wearing no foundation at all! Style.com recommends these products to help you achieve a fresh, glowing, bare-looking complexion: Philosophy's The Microdelivery Multi-Use Peel Pads to exfoliate dead skin cells and sooth and protect new skin, Bare Escentuals bareVitamins Prime Time face primer, and Clinique's Supermoisture makeup to get the bare, dewy look you want with just enough coverage for your imperfections (who doesn't have some!).

Style Lovely!

Just a Quick Word

This is going to be a quick post today cuz I actually have a lot of work to do...yuck! Anyways, thought I would just list a few things I'm eying right now, but trying to hold off on, say, until my next cc bill cycle:

MAC's Antiquitease hit stores today. I am lusting after the Mineralize Eye Shadow duo in Family Silver and the Fluidline in Uppity.

NARS Night Series Mini Palette, a limited edition available at Sephora. Such a grat combo of colors to create the perfect evening looks! mmmm

Philosophy's Hope in A Jar. I bought the mini jar on a whim in line at Sephora (those bins by the check out always get me!) and now I think I'm in love. Its rare for a face cream not to sting or irritate my skin, espically when I'm using Retin-A from my dermatologist, but Hope in a Jar is great and has a nice light scent.

Browse Lovely!

My Birthday Philosophy

What I did give my friend for her birthday, in addition to the two Smashbox lip glosses I reviewed yesterday, was Philosophy's perfect "Birthday Girl" Gift set. The bag is very cute, perfect for all your toiletries for a weekend or week-long trip. Inside the bag is a 2 oz. amazing grace perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath, a 2 oz. purity made simple one-step facial cleanser, a 1 oz. time on your hands exfoliating hand cream, a 1 oz. soul owner exfoliating foot cream, and a .5 oz. kiss me red highly emollient lip balm. (My favorite lip balm of all time reviewed here.) To be its important to give a present that is both fun and useful. Whether or not my friend really needs these little things, I know she will enjoy them. And the "philosophy" prescribed on the back of the bag is sure to lift her spirits and make her feel great about getting a bit older. "Celebrate!" I say, and what better way than with cosmetics to pamper yourself with!

Gift Lovely!

Lips are meant for...

I am a lip gloss addict, I'll admit it. If I realize I don't have any lip stuff in my purse, I start to get all panicky. I think because when I am stressed, I chew on my lips and then they dry out. I have tried so many different lip balms and glosses over the years but once I found Philosophy's Kiss Me, I knew I had hit the jackpot. It provides the shine and moisture I love, while tasting good without being sickly sweet. Some lip glosses just taste awful! I'll occasionally wear something with a bit more sparkle or color, but my everyday lip gloss of choice is Kiss Me. I've tried all three colors, and they are all awesome. The clear (looks yellow in the tube) and the red have an orangey flavor and the pink tastes minty fresh.

Smile lovely and have a fabulous weekend!