You're Such a Flirt

Free Full Size Jane Iredale Lash Conditioner, Deluxe Sample of Longest Lash Black Ice and Six Best-Selling Lip Colour Deluxe Samples with $49+ at SpaLook with coupon code: JILASH Exp. 8/21/09

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L’Occitane certified organic range

French skincare brand L’Occitane has a new skincare range that is certified organic by Ecocert, the Olive Tree Organic range. The products are:

Cleansing Foam 100ml $44
Cleansing Milk 150ml $44
Toning Face Mist 150ml $44
Moisturising Face Mask 50ml $58
Moisturising Face Lotion 30ml $65

Favourite product of autumn

People keep saying it's winter, and I keep reminding them that technically, it's still autumn. Well, it is until tomorrow. Anyway, autumn has come to an end, and my favourite beauty product of autumn is Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub, AUD$39.95 It smells yummy, it's nice and gentle, and it's a generous size (110ml), so I can see it lasting a long time - and it has fantastic plantable packaging (which I really must get around to planting - but perhaps not in this cold weather).
It was sent to me by the people from Ikigai, an online organic beauty boutique - check them out at http://www.ikigai.com.au/ .

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent

I've always been a big fan of astringents and toners, no matter how much grief they've been getting of late. Yeah, they can be drying, and yeah, they can be hit-or-miss when it comes to effectiveness. But seriously, if you've ever spent much time in the trenches of a huge Third World metropolitan city you know how extremely satisfying it is to wipe that toner-soaked cotton pad across your face and find evidence of that layer of dirt right on the pad.

Try as I might, though, I couldn't help but gaze longingly at the large collection of toners available on the market. Seems like every company of significant size offers a variation of it. So I succumbed.

Neutrogena has always been a long-time favorite of mine, not the least because they seem to understand best the skincare needs of women like myself, i.e., acne-prone, oily, occasionally sensitive. They have their share of overly harsh products, but seriously, when I lived and worked in Japan after college, I made sure to stock up on Neutrogena's acne products whenever I went home for vacation. That stuff saved my skin more than once.

My skin still breaks out and still insists on clinging to some stubborn blackheads, so I checked out their Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent. Love the aquamarine color, despite my usual aversion to artificial colors; I think I like how it reminds me of the ocean. Cooling and refreshing, no? Perfect for hot summers. The price, of course, is so right, and it's available just about anywhere, including Target and your local drugstore.

More importantly, though: does it work?

Well, the copy says that it's "specifically formulated to instantly remove surface oil to control shine and to treat and help prevent breakouts," including blackheads and acne. It's active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) known for helping problem skin out by providing gentle exfoliation and oil-sucking capabilities.

This baby did the job of clearing my skin of oil, but probably because of my slight sensitivity, it left my skin looking slightly flushed and red for a few hours afterwards. I felt the slightest tingling, which may or may not bother you, but for some sensitive skins that may be a sign that this isn't the right product. After three weeks of use, though, I saw very little improvement in the blackheads on my nose, nor did my pores look any noticeably smaller. In Neutrogena's defense, though, nothing you can buy over the counter can shrink your pores permanently. And it did do a good job of keeping pimples at bay.

This would be a good, reliable option for those with very oily complexions who are looking for a well-priced BHA exfoliating product. If your skin is at all sensitive, though, you might want to try a patch test first and check out your reaction. I used this once a day, during the evening after washing my face, but those who live in more humid climes (I live out in the high deserts of Western Colorado, where humidity percentages are generally no higher than the teens) can use it up to twice a day, morning and night. More sensitive skin might tolerate this on a less frequent basis, say, every other day.

Price: $5.00-6.00 for an 8-oz bottle. Available at drugstores and Target.
(I am very thank full Lille who write This post for me)

Skin Balancing Toner for Normal/Oily and Combination Skin

Like tons of other women and men, I've been a huge fan of Paula Begoun for at least a decade, ever since I discovered her book, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition . Cosmetics companies loathe her, some people don't trust her, but anyone with a healthy skepticism about the oft-inflated claims made by the beauty industry and its handmaiden, the women's magazine industry, should celebrate her intelligent, balanced, detailed, and often funny reviews of just about every beauty product you can think of.

Not to be outdone, Ms. Begoun has created a fairly extensive and well-reviewed product line of her own, including everything from cleansers to cosmetics. What distinguishes her from many -- if not all -- her competitors is that she's happy to recommend worthy products made by other companies. She just thinks hers is just as good, and rightfully so.

I recently tried out a number of products from her skincare line, Paula's Choice, specifically, the Skin Balancing Toner for Normal/Oily and Combination Skin; the Skin Balancing Super Anti-Oxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum for Normal to Very Oily Skin; and the Skin Balancing Daily Mattifying Lotion SPF 15 for Normal and Oily/Combination Skin. I love them all.

Finally! I have a wonderful, affordable and effective skincare line that works with my fussy complexion. The toner, which I used morning and evening, feels silky soft and soothing to my skin right after cleansing. The serum does the same thing, depositing tons of valuable antioxidants into my skin and making it feel touchably smooth. It's the last thing I put on at night; with my oily skin, especially in this humid Dallas climate, I don't need any additional moisturizer. The daily mattifying lotion is a godsend; it's very lightweight and easily absorbed, giving my skin a clean, matte finish. I still need to use blotting sheets several times throughout the day, but hey, this is the hot and moist Southwest; I'm happy that it doesn't make my face look like an oil slick by the end of the day, which is the frequent problem I have with a lot of daily suncreens. The only thing I wish for it is that it provided a higher SPF -- say, 30 or even just 20 -- but if you're mostly officebound or otherwise spend little time outdoors in a day-to-day basis, this is perfect either under your foundation or on its own. It's probably my very favorite product in the Paula's Choice skincare line, as it makes my morning routine so much easier: cleanse, tone, lotion, voila! I'm done in less than five minutes.

The bottles are pretty simply designed, all plastic and white with either blue or green lettering, but I would guess that Ms. Begoun would rather focus her efforts on creating effective products than on pretty packaging, and that's fine with me. Antioxidant-rich products are contained have pump-style dispensers, which is ideal because open jars and bottles would expose the potent ingredients to air, rendering them useless.

You can only order these products online, but they're definitely worth the purchase. I ordered mine on Wednesday and received them by Friday via USPS, even though I only requested the Standard Delivery. Now's a good time to order, too, as Paula's Choice is offering a great sale. If you want to try them out, the company offers cheap samples (you're also offered free samples with any full-sized order). Folks with oily/acne-prone skin will especially benefit, as the PC line specifically targeting that skin type is well formulated and is the best I've seen anywhere.

Note: the antioxidant concentrate may seem pricey, but remember that you only need to use less than a pea-sized amount for your entire face. I've had mine for a week now and use it every night, and I'm nowhere near the bottom of this tube. I would guess that it will last me a month and a half, if not more.

Toner: $15.95/6 oz.

Mattifying Lotion SPF 15: $20.95/2 oz

Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate: $24.95/1 oz

Aloe Soothing Night Cream (The Body Shop)

The Body Shop can be found just about anywhere in the world...outside of the United States, that it. I knew of it when I lived in Japan, having seen it in a mall or so back in Dallas, but it enjoys enormous popularity overseas. In England, for example, they have a lovely shop inside Heathrow Airport, where you can score full-sized bottles and tubes of sweet-smelling lotions and potions for less than you would pay back home. (How they can do that, I've no clue, but it's a godsend if you forgot to pack for the cold, dry climates of northern Europe.) In shops throughout Southeast Asia (at least, in the Philippines, Singapore and Japan, where I've visited Body Shop outlets), women and men pack the aisles, trying out the different products and usually leaving with at least a bottle or two of a favorite item.

I'm not sure why it's less well-known here, but it does have a presence, albeit a small, unassuming one. The stores haven't changed much in terms of interior design -- they still sport the dark green paint and the atmosphere is reminiscent of one's fantasy of an old English shoppe -- but if there's one thing that the Body Shop is known for throughout the world, it's their fierce environmental consciousness. The late Anita Roddick -- the Body Shop founder and environmental advocate -- and her shops were proudly green long, loooong before Al Gore made the movement hip. I don't know if they still offer this service, but for years they would allow customers to bring in their empty Body Shop containers for refills. To this day they still make a point of sourcing ingredients from sustainable farms, and they still eschew flashy marketing and design to focus their efforts on the quality of their products.

My favorite Body Shop product of late is their Aloe line, specifically the Soothing Night Cream. It comes in a small pot and is especially made for those with sensitive skin. Although my face isn't very sensitive -- it's very oily and acne-prone, but not sensitive -- my neck is a different story. I've yet to find a sunscreen that it can tolerate, and forget about any kind of moisturizers. A mere drop of a forbidden lotion, and an angry red rash will flare up that won't go away for at least a day or two.

Not with the Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Night Cream, though! It's not super-rich, so if you have very dry skin you might need something more emollient, but for those with normal to slightly oily skin with dry patches, this could be the perfect solution for you if you're sensitive. With shea butter and sesame oil, it moisturizes very well but doesn't leave a greasy film; rather, it absorbs quickly and leaves your skin touchably soft. And it has never ever given me even the slightest hint of a rash. My skin has responded very well to this product.

The Day Cream, which has a slightly lighter texture, works equally well. However, the downside is that it doesn't come with added sunscreen protection at all, so you'll need to make sure to include that in your routine if you wish to use this. Personally, I don't use day creams or lotions that don't include sunscreen, since I prefer to minimize the number of products I use on my oily skin.

The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Night Cream: $20.00 for 1.7 oz.
The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Day Cream: $16.00 for 1.7 oz.

Dove Hair Silk (Regenerating Hair Mask)

I’m practically drowning my hair in conditioner this summer because it’s just too sunny around my area. I got a Dove Hair Silk for dry or damaged hair.

The packaging is very practical and the price is in the lower bracket so those are already 2 pluses! The texture of the product is very thick. I first shampooed my hair and then massaged some of the conditioner into my hair and left it on for 3 minutes as recommended. I noticed the difference immediately upon rinsing it off. My hair felt smoother and I realized I was going to have no problems combing it. I let my hair dry naturally to avoid splitting more ends and yet my hair looked shiny, healthy and fantastic. My friends actually asked what I used on my hair!

On the negative side, this conditioner smells a bit soapy. It smells very much Dove which is weird for me because I associate Dove with body lotions and shower gels not hair products.

Otherwise, aside from the smell, I really can’t complain about this product. So thumbs up from me!