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Frownies are simple and effective, the best part?  Frownies are easy to incorporate into your bedtime routine.  I’m admittedly late to reporting on Frownies, I don’t have (m)any wrinkles yet but I figure it can’t hurt to pre-emptively train my muscles, right?!

How to use Frownies

Sometimes when things are simple, they stump me!  it’s true, I’m like, that’s it? are you kidding, it’s that simple?!   Well sweets you just open the box, fold at the perforations to have a diamond or triangle shape.  Massage the area you will apply for a few seconds.  Moisten the shiny side of the Frownie, gently un-wrinkle the area and apply the moistened Frownie.  You should keep the Frownie on for at least 3 hours but it makes sense to use at night while you’re sleeping.

So who made these miracle papers, that don’t hurt at all and rid your face of wrinkles? Frownies were created in 1889 by Margaret Kroesen to help her daughter get rid of wrinkles.  As a testimony to their efficacy, Frownies are still going strong 125 years later.  Use Frownies on your laugh lines, crow’s feet, frown lines or any other place you need to get rid of wrinkles.  This product is keeping angry mommy faces wrinkle free, love it!!

The word ‘balance’ is often used in skincare and health talk.  I can’t help but think of myself delicately trying to balance on a beam.  Did anyone else have to go through the balance beam drill in school?  I could NOT stand it. 

I was terrible at it to begin with but in addition to that it seemed like it was too little too late.  I mean if you’re in junior high and have lousy balance is 20 minutes per week going to turn that around? probably not.  Very very annoying.  Anywho, I survived all that thankfully so I’m now balancing with a foam cleanser. 

NARS balancing foam cleansing mousse

A delicate and light botanical scent, just a tiny little bit goes a looong way.   You probably know NARS for their makeup, now it’s time to get to know NARS skincare a little better.  I’m so happy with this product, maybe my expectations were low, thinking NARS does such a great job with makeup, there’s little chance they can get so much right.  I stand corrected, not only is NARS makeup awesome, so is NARS skincare.

An instant personal fave, the balancing foam cleansing mousse  is so satisfying, easy to use, perfect to display.  I love the way it takes off all my makeup and grime.  At the same time it leaves your skin refreshed and soft, not stripped like some cleansers can.

Sun Protection is Vital, Kiehl’s All-Sport Year Round sun block is available in different strengths and applications. 

Choose from lotions or sprays and don’t forget those lips.

Protection for active adults, this stuff will stay on through your daily activity.  

A lightweight, moisturizing formula, contains Vitamin E and Aloe while providing UVA AND UVB protection.  Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention it stays on while in water?!  protecting you and your loved ones in water up to 80 minutes.

It’s great, it takes a little while to work in but once it’s there it gives your skin a little sheen.

Light, bouncy shiny hair is just a wash and condition away with L’Oreal’s Vive Pro Shampoo & Conditioner. I’ve had L’Oreal on the mind since the Total Beauty tour of L’Oreal’s ultra swanky store in LA in May. 

The shampoo is great, I love the pop of color in my shower and my hair is super shiny and manageable, totally love it.

I’ve been using the normal to fine hair.  Pro Style & Body Infusing is also available in Normal, Fine Hair and Curly/Wavy Hair.  I love that the conditioner sits upside down, wish the shampoo was the same way, saves soooo much time, don’t you think?  Head on over to your favorite retailer to pick some up.

Read some more L’Oreal Hair Care reviews on Total Beauty.

Redpoint’s Rejuvenating Bronzing Silk comes in a gorgeous red compact.  I love the weight of it, luxury, finery whatever you call the things you love, this is it.  I’ve used the bronzing powder a few times for the purpose of this test but truth be told, I generally use bronzing powder in the dead of winter when I haven’t gotten any sun rays. 

This comes from working for some rich ladies during my time in NYC.  They always looked pale in the summer, like they’d been spending all their summer time on a covered porch or air conditioned museum.  Just a hint of just pinched color on their cheeks. 

In the winter, these same women looked sun kissed and golden from cruises and lavish, tropical trips.  There’s something about looking totally out of place that’s quite attractive and intriguing to me.

As for the color, I’m a medium tone and love the color, it’s a nice natural tan look without the effort of actually tanning.  The compact is packaged with a kabuki brush for a streak free application… thumbs down on the brush made of natural hair.

Redpoint’s Rejuvenating Bronzing Silk & Kabuki Brush sell for $38 

 Too Faced has won my heart with this cute little pocket palette!  It fits in the palm of your hand.  I can’t stop opening and closing it, looking at it and dabbing some lip color, looking in the mirror - repeat, look, repeat. 

6 lip glosses and 4 eyeshadows with adorable little brushes.  The make up itself is passable.  The lip glosses were a disappointment, none of them showed up on me and had a faint scent to ‘em (perhaps vanilla?)  The shadows are worth getting to and make the set worth taking on vacation or in your purse because of the tiny size.  Truth be told the cuteness of the set at this price point make it totally worth it. I can’t wait to run through the makeup and refill with my favorite glosses!

Too Faced Glamour to Go retails for $18.50 @ Sephora

What a life changer, not only is the product good but my favorite part of this product is that it is a spray.  It’s so much easier to get it on the kids without a hassle because it’s fast to apply.   Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock 45 is very effective, we’ve been out in the sun quite a bit these last two weeks and the kids are looking great, no signs of sun damage at all.  It has an active photobarrerier complex, is oil free and waterproof.  I’m going to get some more of it to keep as a permanent fixture in the car this summer.

Find more reviews on Total Beauty and find out more about the CEW Awards and Winners.

There’s also a great opportunity to get your skin evaluated in a city near you, check out the Aveeno website to find out about the Road to Healthy Skin Tour.

Another great product from Burt’s Bees.  This is the After Sun Soother with Aloe & Linden Flower.  The scent is divine, a MUST try, it’s a fresh scent for spring.  We’ve been spending a lot of time at the beach and although I’m very good about putting sunscreen on the kids, I’m not as dilligent with it for myself.  I haven’t gotten a burn but give me some time, it’s early in the season, I’ve been putting this on AND using a lotion with spf and my arms not only feel better, they look 10x better than before.  A 100% Natural Product.

Find more reviews on TotalBeauty and find out more about CEW 

WHO IS CEW? OVER 4,000 WOMEN WHO WORK IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY.

I’ve been using Luzern products exclusively for a week now and I am totally in love with the line.  I’ve been dying for Luzern to be my one and only but had some stuff to finish off first - I told you I’m a stickler for FIFO!  

This post is about the first product that needs to be called to your attention: Luzern’s Purifying Cleansing Gelee. 

A mild cleanser that left my skin feeling soft, clean and slightly moisturized.  Luzern’s products are totally natural sans chemicals.  If no one else will take care of you, this gelee will nurture and coddle your skin in these harsh weather times.  

It comes in a pump bottle, just pump out a nickel size and apply to your face.  It says it foams up but that wasn’t my experience, it glides on.  I used warm water just like the directions stated but the suds eluded me.  You just have to know it’s working and after you see the results you’ll be totally at ease and not need the suds.

A cleanser that’s gentle enough to care for windburn but also removed my eye paint without a problem.  I did take off mascara afterwords but I don’t like to rub too much cleanser in my delicate eye area.    

If you try it, let me know your experience!  Check out this video with some great style tips presented by StyleBakery on ABC.  If you haven’t heard of Luzern, get to a spa or their website ASAP to find out all about it.  There’s also a great definition of what Organic Cosmeceuticals are on their homepage.

 Quick Facts about Luzern:

• Certified organic plant extracts
• Pharmaceutical-grade actives
• Fresh-Mixed in small batches
• Paraben and formaldehyde free
• Hypo-Allergenic
• Non-Comedogenic
• No Animal Testing

There’s only one way to combat dry hair and that’s with the right products to keep your strands silky smooth.  First thing, out with the old hair dryer and in with the new, I just got the Featherweight by T3 and I can’t recommend that highly enough, it’s cut drying time in half, I even use it on my girls - whose hair I’m ultra protective of.  It’s taken so long for girl2004 to get her hair past her shoulders, there’s no way I’m going to risk any burns to her strands or scalp!

Another thing I’ve been using for all three of us is the Kerastase Nutritive Masque.  It’s been great and we have very different hair textures.  Just shampoo your hair, rinse and apply the Nutritive Masque to the ends of the hair, wait five minutes and rinse out.

The conditioner rinses very easily and leaves hair soft and smooth.  My daughter’s curly hair has light bouncy curls that just won’t stop shining.  My thin flat hair has miraculously peeled itself off my face and actually has some lift and take off.

Kerastase Nutritive Nutridefense Masque is billed as an anti-drying treatment for dry and sensitized hair and in my experience that is true.  It uses Gluco-Active Technology (Glucose + Protein + Lipids) which help combat the effects of harsh external elements.  The main thing that I like about about the Nutridefense is that it is lightweight and doesn’t weigh down the hair.

People who would really benefit from this product are people who work outside, snow bunnies, beach babes, people who avoid hat head syndrome and expose their hair to the elements regularly and anyone else who just likes to have silky soft hair.