Archives for 2016

What to Know About MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow

November 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment

If you are interested in the MAC Cosmetics eyeshadow in the shade Beautiful Iris, you have likely seen that the various swatches online appear very different from each other, ranging from an almost white to mid-purple.

This is our experience with MAC Beautiful Iris eyeshadow:

THE MAC Eyeshadow in Beautiful IRIS Swatch

Monitors vary but we think this is a fairly good representation of the color:

MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow

THE MAC Eyeshadow in Beautiful IRIS Experience

COLOR:

It is a lavender, not lilac or mid-purple, as it may appear to be in some online swatch photos.

Notable is a sort of fairy-like, light opal blue shift in the sheen, at some angles, it seems more opalescent than lavender.

TEXTURE:

Not chalky, VERY Sheer and requires multiple layers for coverage.

If you are more familiar with Urban Decay eyeshadows, the MAC veluxe shadow is not as opaque or thick feeling. It is different in texture from a UD shadow. It does not crease.

FINISH:

Shimmer, not cakey. Not glittery. The sheerness negates the old lady, overly cakey, frosted look that some lavenders and lilacs tend to have.

USE:

This is suitable for a highlight on the brow, for the sheen on the eyelids, or as a blending shade for creating a seamless look between other purples and maybe some blues.

FALLOUT:

I did not get any fallout with use, but it did wear off in a few hours when used without a primer.

WHO WEARS IT BEST:

The opal sheen of the shade picks up the golden glint of green, hazel and brown eyes.

WHERE TO BUY IT

Most eyeshadows in the MAC permanent collection are just $6 if you buy the pan refill, $16 in the pot.

Find it at MacCosmetics.com.

MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow

Skincare: InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer Anti Aging Cream

November 1, 2016 · Leave a Comment

A good Retinol can turn back the clock on aging skin and make the skin of those in their 20s and 30s glow with rapid cell turnover, acne reduction, and decreasing the appearance of enlarged pores. Skin just looks more refined with regular Retinol use. There is a balance with Retinols though, as it is helpful to pair them with other active ingredients geared towards specific skin concerns such aging, wrinkles, sun damage, acne, and discoloration. It is also necessary to adequately moisturize the skin, so it does not become irritated and dry. InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer strikes an excellent balance in this regard, packing in skin treating ingredients and moisturizers to make the most of your nighttime skin care program.

InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer Anti Aging Cream

INSTANATURAL RETINOL MOISTURIZER FEATURED INGREDIENTS
I love Retinols, but I tend to get dry quickly when I use them, especially in tandem with Vitamin C. Some of the ingredients I find particularly useful in the InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer include:

Aloe Leaf Juice is a moisturizing agent that packs lots of skin nutrients to feed, hydrate skin as well as soften and protect it from any excess irritation. When used in cream formulations such as this cream, it is not sticky or gooey feeling.

Vitamin C is an anti-aging, acne reducing, dark pigmentation fading powerhouse that helps to build more collagen. More collagen means fewer wrinkles, less sagging, and less dark spots due to sun exposure, age, or acne scars.

Sunflower Oil and Jojoba Oil both soothe and moisturize skin without causing acne breakouts or leaving skin feeling greasy.

Botanical Hyaluronic Acid is a super moisturizer because it holds massive amounts of water in the skin, plumping wrinkles and fine lines. It also helps other active ingredients sink deeper into the skin.

Vitamin E reduces blemishes while softening the texture of skin

Green Tea works as an antioxidant to fight the appearance of aging and also soothes red and irritated skin.

APPLICATION AND USE
I use the cream nightly after washing my face, including on my throat and crows feet, as well as the undereye area. Some people report sensitivities to Retinol above the upper lip area and choose to skip application there; I did not have this problem. It absorbs well, it is a white cream and does not have any detectable scent. It applies like a regular moisturizer, but it contains powerful ingredients, so apply sparingly.

InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer Anti Aging Cream

RESULTS
Likely due to the combination of ingredients, I found this to be a more potent Retinol than many I have used. My acne was reduced quickly, and I did have some very light dryness around the upper lip and chin area, so I applied less when I used it the next night and that issue resolved. I like the effect on the undereye area; that skin is smoother and more refined even after a few night’s uses, and after a few weeks my skin tone is becoming evener.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
This is a very generous sized bottle for the price, it is almost 2-3 times the size of other retinol products even though it has several additional active ingredients and is very well priced. There is a pump on the bottle, one or two small pumps is all that is needed to cover the face, undereye area, and throat. I am pleased to be able to combine the application of both a retinol and moisturizer into one product instead of taking the extra step at night to wait for a retinol to dry before applying a moisturizer. With some competing retinol products, I have applied the retinol but skipped moisturizing when I am tired at night and just want to go to bed, and in the morning my face is often dry and irritated. Having a moisturizing retinol that is potent and is efficient is a real time saver. I also like having Vitamin C and E in the retinol, as with aging skin, there is a temptation to apply Vitamin C both morning and night, but I don’t have to make a choice with InstaNatural Retinol Moisturizer.

Easy to use, effective product at a great price.

Find it at InstaNatural.com

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrVNyUbIA3M[/embedyt]

I received this item for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask

November 1, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Every time the seasons change my hair gets dry. As we swiftly moved from 80 degrees to something slightly resembling Fall to snow this past weekend to seasonal Fall temperatures today, my hair has taken on a bit of a crunchy feel. So I reached for Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask to see if it was up to the task of bringing my hair back to its previous bounce and shine.

Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask

A lot of hair masks give a temporary softness and shine but only leave hair feeling drier once the initial luster wears off. Since Keeva’s Hair Mask has a number of highly effective ingredients that get deep into the hair, it is a highly humectant conditioner.

The five big ingredients in Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask are argan oil, tea tree oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and keratin. Not a bad combination, is it? The blend of softening and strengthening oils with carrier oils mean that the mask penetrates deeply. When I put it in my hair, it was like it just soaked it in!

Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask

I really love how it feels on my scalp when I massage it in. I make a point to get it into my roots really well, and my scalp always feels relaxed after a nice massage with this. I put my hair in a processing cap for about an hour before I rinse it out, and my hair is bouncy and shiny!

Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask

The mask also contains Green Tea and Grapeseed Oil for more conditioning properties. Keeva is cruelty-free, which is great!

The scent is pleasant and not overwhelming and doesn’t linger when it is washed out of my hair. I dislike when the fragrance of a conditioner stays on my hair after I wash it out, so I’m happy on that front. If you work in a scent-free office, this will work out fine unless your co-workers are truly hyper-sensitive and work in very close range to you.

Find Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask at Amazon.

Keeva Deep Conditioning 5-in-1 Hair Mask

I received this item for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and I’ll do my best to answer it!