Boscia Luminizing Peel Off Black Mask

product test kit

 

Luminizing Black Mask

product out of the tube and after peeled from your skin

Happy Friday my gorgeous readers! Before I get into today's post I want to wish everyone living here on the East Coast in the path of Hurricane Irene a very safe weekend! Especially you guys in Long island, New Jersey and The Rockaways. I'm actually kind of freaked because Mayor Bloomberg evacuated residents of Coney Island in Brooklyn into city shelters if they didn't have relatives they could stay with. Although I'm away from that area it's not far from the water. First an earthquake, a tornado in New York this past winter and now this! What's up Mother Nature??? So here's hoping I'll be around next Monday if Me and Toto aren't blown away to the Land of Oz! Fingers crossed XOXO

I was recently given the opportunity to test out a full size product line from the Japanese natural skin care brand Boscia. Publiicty sent me a variety of skin care cleansers, moistuirizers, exfoliators, etc. as well as some other natural brand lip care products and sanitaizing sprays. I'll get to all of them as soon as I can but for now I'm ready to review Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask Peel Off.  This mask is outrageously fabulous! I never tried Boscia before and am gratfeul fro the opportunity so I can pass along my results to my subscribers. Product info below before getting to my results.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask-Peel Off: 

What it is: 

A groundbreaking, mineral-rich mask that peels off to deliver powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening effects.  

What it is formulated to do: 

This jet-black, mineral-rich mask creates a unique peel-off effect that delivers powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening results. Made with a premiere-quality clay, its deep-cleansing properties draw out dirt and oil. Other natural ingredients go to work exfoliating skin and refining pores. Powerful antioxidants shrink pores, firm skin, and reduce inflammation. Once dried, the mask strips away dead skin, impurities and excess oil to reveal immediate and visible results.

Pro: cruelty free, vegan, natural, very exfokiating, cleanses skin, softens skin, clears skin of debris, non irritating, travel friendly, skin glowing qualities, pore size appears to reduce, neutral scent, skin feels nice  and firm and skin redness appears lessened, helps with ingrown hairs

Con: pricey! you need a large amount of product to cover your skin allowing a thick layer to form or it will not peel properly, this tube should have double the amount for this reason.

My results: I have to say hands down this is the best peel off mask I tried so far! When I removed it from my face I found all the debris and dead skin peeled away! It unclogs the ingrown hairs trapped under your skin as well. The only fault this product has is it's size and price. It's 2.8 ounce and normally that's not bad for a mask since you need a little to cover your face but with this mask you need a large quantity of product which I found out the first time around. Since this is a peel off mask you need a lot of product to form a thick layer so you are actually able to peel it off  your skin. If you don't apply the right amount when it dry's on your skin you can't peel it off in one sweep. You have to sort of crack a smile and allow it to peel on your face then grab layers wherever you can and peel away. The rest that does not come off you can just wash it with warm water. I stopped adding product when I realized I was emptying out the tube but I did need to add more. Next time I use this I will add a super thick layer allowing me the ability to peel it off in one swoop rather than bits and pieces. You can see from my photo swatch that it peeled of in little bits rather than a whole mask because I didn't apply more product. For this reason the product might last you 4 uses if your lucky, that's awfully expensive even though it's a amazing product.

Packaging: This is packaged in a sleek black plastic tube and is a travel friendly container. I feel this is more of a sample size than an actual full size because you need so much product to form the mask properly.

Formula: What is unique about this mask is that it is black, not green or mud like the typical peel offs on the market. The formula has a creamy gel like consistency and is a little sticky. It dry's up fast so you have to work fast with this. You need to apply loads of the product on your face especially around the top of the forehead , under the chin and on all the corners that will serve as the peel away spots. Avoid around the eye area, around the lip and the nostrils. The box includes a picture showing exactly how to apply it and in what areas. It has a neutral scent which is nice and does not irritate at all. Your skin will feel refreshed, cleansed, exfoliated and very soft. And your pores appear to be minimized. It's an amazing formula!

The only fault for this mask is it's price and size. It should be twice the size or larger which would make the price more valid. I think for this size this price point is way to high and even if you splurge on it the tube will not last you a month if you use it weekly. It's too bad because I need to use this every week or even bi-weekly, it's that great! I'm hooked on it. I really hope Boscia improves on this in the future because people would try it once and keep coming back for it. I think the price may affect that. Of course if you can afford to splurge then you probably wont mind. I can't splurge on this but I will save up for it and use it less because it's that wonderful on your skin. You have to try it for yourself to understand what I mean. I would definitely recommend this product as promising what it says to do but giving it a little lower rating because of the price.This gets a fabulous 4.5 starfish rating for quality, cruelty free, vegan ingredients and it's overall ability to exfoliate and soften your skin. Any try this? Opinions? Stay beautiful! Stay safe this weekend  XOXO

Availability: Sephora $34 2.8 ounce 

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

EXFOLIATING QUALITY:: 5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

CLEAN & SOFT SKIN:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 5 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4.5 stars
OVERALL PRODUCT:: 4.5 stars

Montagne Jeunesse Clean-Up Mud Masque

 mask is creamy white fluid like

Up for review today is Montagne Jeunesse Clean-Up Mud Masque which was sent to me as part of a review kit-initial post can be read by clicking the side bar link. I believe this is the third mask I have gotten around to testing for you guys. It's different form other mud masks because it's not actual mud colored nor is it the green mud type but rather a white liquidy milky paste type mask. This is really great for deep cleansing your pores.

Clean Up Mud Mask: Targets acne prone skin for squeaky clean skin. Contains Aloe Vera juice, witch hazel, willow and rosemary for deep cleansing 

Pro: clean skin, cruelty free, travel friendly, natural ingredients

Con: scent is a bit antiseptic, must apply fast as not to dry up

My results: As you probably know from my past reviews on this brand I completely love them! I love the prices, the natural ingredients and the way my skin feels afterwards. Honestly, I still can't get over the affordable prices. And brands like this always prove what I mean when I say cosmetic brands who still find excuses for animal testing because they have no choice are always proven wrong. I have found so many lovely brands these past months and there are more brands on the way which I have yet to review so no more excuses corporate cosmetic mongers, take a note and go cruelty free!

The Formula: This particular mud masque has a white liquidy milky consistency but it is not runny at all. The ingredients consist of  aloe vera juice and has a slight antiseptic scent to it. It's still pleasant to work with. A note-work fast when applying on the face because it drys up quickly. This is a great treatment for your clogged up pores, acne prone skin and also makes your skin super soft afterwards. You need some quiet time to use this because your face will be tightened for 15 minutes and you don't want to talk and crack the mask. It's easy to rinse and if you want to it remove more quickly use a cloth instead of your hands. 

Packaging: The packaging is in a aluminum foil type packet and should give you about 3 uses just wrap the unused portion in a small Ziploc bag and it will be fine until you need to apply it again. This packaging has the added convenience of being able to travel with lot's of these masks instead of hauling jars everywhere.

I definitely recommend you try this or any other MJ mask that you feel might benefit your skin type the most. I'm giving this a full five star fish rating for it's price, cleansing abilities, travel friendly pack, natural ingredients and for being cruelty free. Anyone try this particular mask out yet? Stay tuned for more Montagne Jeunesse reviews. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Montagne Jeunesse.com 1 GBP

In USA: Neotericcosmetics $2.25

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

NATURAL INGREDIENTS:: 5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

EASE OF USE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 5 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 5 stars

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Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser

Up for review today is a deluxe bonus of Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser I received as a gift with purchase from Sephora. Deluxe size samples are much easier to test rather than those packet samples that aren't even good for one try allowing me a couple of weeks at best to use the item before talking about it or committing to a full size version. This bonus size is a decent 1 fluid ounce and it lasted me all week with day to night use. As you can see I didn't even hit the half mark so a little goes a long way with this cleanser. I'll post some product info below before adding my results.

Jurlique balancing Foaming Cleanser 

Balancing Foaming Cleanser  

What it is:

A complexion balancing cleanser.

What it is formulated to do:Jurlique's Balancing Foaming Cleanser harnesses the living energy of calendula, daisy, and peppermint to gently lift away surface impurities, leaving the skin balanced and hydrated. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates

Pro: naturals botanic, lasts long, cruelty free, skin feels cleansed, good price for large size

Con: burns eyes!!!, doesn't  foam unless you apply more than a dime size

My results: I love that this cleanser is cruelty free and has a nice citrus essential oil scent to it but it burns my eyes! I have sensitive eyes and try to avoiding getting it around my eye area but can't be helped when the foam action starts. This totally kills the product for me! It's a great value but my poor little eyes are always burned with my makeup testing so alas I will have to say I won't be purchasing this item again. If you don't have eye allergies or are prone to sensitivities in this area then maybe you will enjoy it.

Formula: A fresh citrus essential oil scent with the consistency of a light gel. The scent is nice but it is a strong essential oil, if you are not familiar with essentials oils you may not like it but it is natural. It foams if you are generous with application but it burns and stings the eyes if any gets in there. Your skin is left with a clean feeling and no residue.

It's too bad that I will not be purchasing this item again due to the pain, irritation and burning sensation on my eyes but for those of you who are lucky you will enjoy how squeaky clean your skin feels and it's also a good value for a super large bottle at 6.7 ounces. This item gets a 3 starfish rating from me due to the irritation it caused to my eyes and I wish it didn't burn so much. Eye allergy sufferers skip this one. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Sephora 6.7 ounce $34

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

INGREDIENTS:: 4.5 stars

SENSITIVE EYE USE:: 2 stars

CRUELTY FREE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 3 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4.5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 3 star

 

Montagne Jeunesse Masque Chocolat

Up for review today is Montagne Jeunesse Masque Chocolat from the publicity sample pack sent to me and I chose this facial for the second review in a row because most of you commented on wanting this to know about it next. If you were interested in another type mask from the kit sent to me-initial review can be read here- don't worry because I will be reviewing each and every one of them. This chocolaty little mask was just heavenly! In scent and in skin softening the mask is going to be one of my favorites from the entire line for future purchase. I'm adding some product info below this and if you want to read more about the brand and how I feel about it you can do so by reading that initial review posted in the blue link above in this paragraph. My results will be posting following product detail.

Montagne Jeunesse
Chocolate Mud Masque
Deep cleanses to help to unblock pores, allowing impurities to be drawn out. 

Chocolate, yes, it's chocolate. A guilt free treat! This masque offers a feast of creamy delights.  It's outrageous! This deep cleansing masque helps unblock pores and moisturizes for skin that glows with health. It smells incredible - imagine these - Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter - creamy heaven. Enjoy!

•    .7 oz.
•    For normal, oily & t-zone skin types
•    Contains Dead Seal Salt, Cocoa & Shea Butters

How to Use:
Thoroughly cleanse face with warm water only (no soaps or cleansers).  Apply evenly to face and neck, avoiding eyes and lips.  Lay back, relax and let the the masque do its work.  Leave on for 10-15 minutes or until dry.  Rinse with water.  Pat dry.  Use weekly.

Pro: stress relieving scent, natural ingredients, super affordable, travel friendly packet, cruelty free, skin softening, skin cleansing, non-irritating

Con:  can't really tell if it unblocked pores in one use but will continue to use it weekly

My results: Another hit for Montagne Jeunesse and i'm glad I finally had a chance to try this for myself after seeing it everywhere on the web. Trying to describe the scent is impossible because it's just heavenly and yes it does smell like actual chocolate. It has a fresh bitter sweet cocoa scent and I love that the ingredients are natural. The product description from the site fails to mention it is an anti-stress mask and for me I think this and for it's a super skin softening feature is mostly what I experienced from it. It' supposed to unblock pores and honestly I can't tell if it did that for me in one use but it did give my skin a nice cleansed feeling. I'm sure I will see better results with my skin with continued use as this is on my list for future purchase.

Packaging: The mask is packaged in a sanitary aluminum foil type of packet and good enough for about 3 uses each if you don't just flop the entire contents on your face. The fill weight is about 20 grams which is good for the couple of dollars you pay for it. To keel it fresh just roll up the unused portion and place it in a clean little Ziploc snack baggie. It will not go hard on you for the time it takes to use it all up. It's also very travel friendly so you can choose many scents to place in a travel bag rather than lugging jars around.

Formula: This chocolate mask is very rich and thick so you will need to work with your fingers in smoothing it on your face. It smells so much like a chocolate desert that I was tempted to dip my little pinky in and dab on my tongue, it tastes like it too! Don't worry I wasn't poisoned as the ingredients are completely natural. The scent as I mentioned above is fresh and fantastic and really relaxes you when you need a mini escape from a stressful day. It didn't irritate my face at all and I had it on for 15 minutes. It does tighten on your skin so make sure you won't be interrupted when using this because it will be hard to talk with it on.

This chocolate mask is getting a five starfish rating from me for it's formula, price, ease of use, skin softening and for being cruelty free. It's such a small amount of money to pay for a completely natural product when there are other masks on the market with chemicals and do animal testing at three times the price. You do the math, it's a no-brainer. Stay tuned for the other Montagne Jeunesse facial reviews. Anyone try this? Stay beautiful! XOXO 

Availability: Montagne Jeunesse.com 1 GBP 

In USA: Neotericcosmetics $2.25 

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

NATURAL INGREDIENTS:: 5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

EASE OF USE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 5stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 5 star

 

Montagne Jeunesse Facials!

Today's review is for the Apricot scrub 

apricot scrub-very creamy with micro fine scrub particles 

One packet gave me 3 separate uses

I'm absolutely thrilled to bring you today's product review of Montagne Jeunesse Crushed Apricot & Mango  Exfoliating Scrub. This was sent along as a part of a very generous sample package from the wonderful publicity department of Montagne Jeunesse USA office. They are located and sell in the United Kingdom but they do offer retail here in the states and abroad as well. They even have some American exclusive products that can be purchased only here. I received a bundle of eight full size different types of facials, tonic masques, peel off masques and exfoliators in my package of which the apricot scrub will be reviewed below. I'll post a separate review for each type as to bring you the results experienced with each different product.

Facial Packs  I received were

	Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Mud Masque Deep cleanses to help to unblock pores, allowing impurities to be drawn out.

	Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Anti-Stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals When you are in a rush to look your best or when you just want to recondition tired, stressed-out skin.

	Montagne Jeunesse Deep Cleansing Passion Peel Off Deep cleansing masque cleans, purifies and protects your skin

	Montagne Jeunesse Clean-Up Mud Masque NEW!!! Naturally targets your problem areas for a squeaky clean complexion. Contains Aloe Juice for blemish-prone skin.

	Montagne Jeunesse Ultra Fast Pore Cleansing Tonic with Spearmint and Tea Tree Feel the lift & zing of Spearmint & Tea Tree for deep pore cleansing. Reduces excess oil, deep cleanses & clarifies.

	Montagne Jeunesse Warm Exfoliating Crystal Masque A warm exfoliating masque sparkling with Honey & Sugar Cane crystals.

     Apricot Scrub: A "skin-friendly" natural exfoliant, 

      helps remove impurities for clearer skin.

	Montagne Jeunesse Pore Cleansing Fruit Smoothie Crushed Raspberry and Mango leaves skin fresh, clean and smooth.

Item I'm reviewing today 

Apricot Scrub Exfoliate with our new Apricot Scrub as part of your regime for a radiant, glowing complexion. Bursting with sweet mango this rich facial scrub deep cleanses & revitalises. Crushed Apricot Kernels removes dead skin cells whilst Aloe Vera softens & soothes leaving skin super soft. Tired, dull looking skin will be radically transformed to smooth, bright looking healthier skin. Suitable For Vegans Gluten Free Dairy Free No Added Parabens KEY INGREDIENTS Crushed Apricot Kernel - A "skin-friendly" natural exfoliant, helps remove impurities for clearer skin. Apricot Kernel Oil - Excellent moisturiser, devitalises wrinkles and penetrates the skin without leaving an oily feel. Mango - Contains high amounts of antioxidants which play a vital role to protect & repair of skin cells.

*** If there is any particular one you want reviewed next please drop a comment below and let me know. And please allow me some time to get to all of these wonderful facials.

I have always seen these on other blogs and was extremely curious about them, especially the chocolate mask which seems to be a popular one so I'm excited to have had the opportunity myself in trying these products. These are made with natural ingredients and are cruelty free as well. The prices for the products are outrageous crazy so there is no excuse for you guys not to try them! And each pack can give you up to 3 uses unless it's a facial peel off pack which is a single use. The brand also carries lip products, body care and anti aging items as well. I'm posting some product info below and am adding a link to the Montage Jeunesse Facebook page at end of the review so you can join & like them.

Since we began in 1988, Montagne Jeunesse has been passionately against animal testing. We believe that the best way to test the safety of our products on humans is to test on humans, so this is what we do! The Montagne Jeunesse Promise: We guarantee that none of our products have been tested on animals since 1978: 

We don't buy any ingredients that have been tested on animals. We operate a Fixed Date Cut Off Policy of the 31st December 1978 - which means that no materials that have been tested on animals from this date can become a Montagne Jeunesse product!

We do not do any form of animal testing, or get others to do it for us. We never have and never will. The only guinea pigs we use are human!

Our suppliers must also not test specific ingredients on animals or use others to do it for them - this ensures that none of our, or your money funds cruelty to animals! 

So simple, so fresh… keep Montagne Jeunesse products part of your everyday routine by purchasing your favourite top-to-toe treats online in one quick step. All your natural beauty care needs are just one click away, perfect for part of your daily detox program or just natural living – an essential shopping item! products are made with natural ingredients and paraben, gluten free.

Pro: quick easy to use sealed product packs- extremely affordable- decent size 12 to 20 grams-exfoliators can be used about 3 times while remaining fresh in packet-( just store in a ziploc baggie)- fantastic variety's and a plethora of scents-skin feels refreshed and soft-cruelty free- natural ingredients-travel friendly-no parabens or gluten-large assortment for different skin types and skin issues

Con: I can't think of any....

My results: This result is for the Apricot & Mango exfoliating scrub pack and from the moment I teared opened the seal getting a whiff of that fresh fruit scent I was hooked. The results were my skin was very smooth from being properly exfoliated without any irritations or redness. I have sensitive skin and found no problems using this. You can really get a sense of how fresh it is and you almost want to dip your finger into the product and eat it. It smells like fruit smoothie!

The packaging: The way these are packaged are in sealed foil time packets with a fill weight anywhere from 12 to 20 grams depending on which item you buy. The Apricot scrub was 12 grams and gave me three separate uses. For about $2.25 a pack, that's awesome! And if your wondering if it went dry or bad after the first use, it did not. All I had to do was roll the foil down and place the pack in a small snack size Ziploc baggie. It stayed fresh all week and none of the product evaporated. The convenient packaging is great because you can travel with tons of them in your bag and pick and choose which products you need without taking up space. For instance- you can grab an exfoliator, a peel off masque, anti aging product and bring them all along without having to carry three different size jars. Awesome! It also ensure you get fresh product all the time seeing that natural fruit ingredients are used without chemicals large size jars might go sour fast.

The Formula: the formula for the apricot mango scrub is very thick and creamy. It easily spreads over your face without any heaviness. The formula contains apricot, mango and aloe vera along with these tiny gentle micro scrubbing beads. It's real easy to use: clean your face first then spread the product all over your face and gently massage in the beads. Then you let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse off. I have to mention that it tightens on your skin in a very firm way so if your using this makes sure you wont be interrupted because you wont be able to speak as it has a firming effect on your face and around your mouth. It's pointless to have it on then crack it up while taking. So sit back and relax with it. I went to full 10 minutes and splurged in the "me time" I seldom have soaking in the delicious fruity scent.

  

When it was all over my skin felt tightened, fresh and super clean! It was nice that three entire uses came out of one package while covering my  face completely each time. I'm excited to try all the other packs especially the chocolate and peel off masque. I just love peel off masques! While there might be all kinds of facial products on the market they can't compare to the prices for this brand. I used to buy Rachel Perry since discovering it in high school but the prices were too high for me. This brand starts at $2.25! Wow! But more importantly they are natural, cruelty free and paraben free so this gets a super starfish rating from me! Seriously people...A couple of dollars to get fresh clean skin for whatever skin  issues you might have from acne to anti-aging issues. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to try all of them. I'm thrilled to discover amazing cruelty free natural brands and pass the discovery on to my subscribers. Has anyone tried this brand yet? If not step to it! Stay natural... Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Montagne Jeunesse.com 1 GBP

In USA: Neotericcosmetics $2.25

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1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

NATURAL INGREDIENTS:: 5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

EASE OF USE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 5stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: SUPER STAR: 5 stars plus +

Give Your Skin It's Daily Dose Of Vit. C

Finally! My long awaited review for the last product in the batch sent over to me, Beauty Without Cruelty Vitamin C Vitality Serum With CoQ10 Enzyme. I wanted to save this product for last until it was completely finished as to give a thorough review of the product. It was also exciting for me to test this out because as you know since dropping all my products that were not cruelty free brands it was hard to find a decent replacement  to my beloved Regnerist with all the sought after ingredients my skin was used to. It's thrilling for me to know this serum also contains Vitamin A and green tea extract which are important factors when looking for a great anti-aging product. My initial results after using this are very promising and I plan on purchasing this so I can bring you another review after extended use. Stay tuned for this in the future. I'm not going to stop looking or testing other brands in the future but I can honestly say that Vitality Serum has me hooked. I know this review is going to be a bit longer than my others but if your interested in a quality anti-aging serum that is cruelty free with organic ingredients then please read this post fully as I will try to provide every little detail as possible. Also keep in mind my results are based on my skin type/tone which is pretty well toned and not mature skin. I don't know how this works on more mature skin but for the price and ingredients it's worth trying out. Some product info from the manufacturer and some of my tips posted below:

BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY VITALITY SERUM: uses active forms of vitamin C
and Co Q10 to improve skin circulation, clarity, tone, and texture.
Anti-oxidant vitamins A, C, and E combined with green tea and grape seed
extracts help neutralize sun and environmental damage to keep skin firm and
youthful.  Powerful humectants deeply moisturize your skin to smooth and soften.
Natures botanicals and organic, aroma-therapeutic essential oils nurture
and rejuvenate while rich emollients soothe and protect.
pH balanced
Benefits all skin types
Paraben Free
Organic Ingredients
No Animal Testing

To Use: Apply drops of serum to clean face and decollete for complete coverage.

Gently press into skin. Use morning and night. May be used alone or under any
BWC moisturizer or make-up.

Pro: cruelty free,fast absorption,dry's instantly allowing perfect base 

for your foundation,no flaking,non irritating,instant skin firming-tight

action,Green tea extract,Vit. A (retinol), Vit. C, fresh citrus scent, long

lasting,super saver value-one pump covers entire face, non oily silky

smooth fluid formula

Con: dispenses too rapidly,if your not careful with the pump 

the product can waste easily. Scent might be too strong citrus for some. 

It was fine for me, you can smell the natural botanic essences. Would also love if it had

some amino peptides I'm used t0 having in past products. I would have to use this at

more length to see results with prolonged use.

My results: This serum lasted me well over a month with once nightly use with full face/neck coverage. I'm sure it would have lasted a little less had I used it both morning and night then again it seemed that I may have wasted too much because the serum which is creamy fluid like in consistency flowed out rapidly. This is something you need to be careful of  as not to use up too much. Because it is so fluid you seriously only need one full pump to cover your entire face with a little extra to cover your neck area. The first thing I noticed besides the strong floral-y citrus scent (it's actually fresh once you get used too it) is how it instantly firms and tightens my skin. You need to work really fast with this to cover your skin because it absorbs quickly and dries off nicely. These two factors also made me fall in love with the serum because your face wont stick to your pillow and you can use this as a base over any type of foundation! I'm not able to say how it changed my skin tone yet because my skin tone was fine with all my Regenerist use but having stopped using Regenerist I was worried my skin would suffer but instead using this serum my skin maintain the same great tone. I don't know how much of a difference it makes with this product not having amino peptides in the formula but it keeps my skin toned, firm and no breakouts. My skin feels moisturized without any oiliness to it. Drier skin types might want to use an added moisturizer over this which BWC also makes. I'll add this as a little side tip because I discovered when using a serum you should also use a moisturizer on top. All these products to keep a gal youthful, staying young is hard work! You younger girls should start thinking about anti-aging because experts now say you should start in your 20's! I'm completely thrilled for discovering a cruelty free product with natural ingredients which also contain retinol and green tea, my only complaint would be the absence of amino peptides. I highly recommend you try this for yourself as I have read other online reviews and women seem to love this product. This gets a full five starfish rating for being a promising serum, cruelty free, cost efficient and for it's ingredients. Please comment if you use it. Stay beautiful!  XOXO

Availability: Beauty Without Cruelty $24.95 1ounce

Tarte Maracuja Oil Exclusive!

Just got this exclusive new beauty product alert form a Tarte Cosmetic newsletter:You guys who have been following me for a long time know how I love my oils and this sounds like an amazing treat for the skin. I'm definitely adding this on my to try list in the meantime read the description from the manufacturer below. Thios product is only available at QVC. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Pure passion. Derived from the Amazonian passion flower, this pure maracuja oil is a powerful and intuitive elixir that instantly absorbs into the skin, delivering a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate.

In a consumer-use study, 96.3% of subjects agree skin appeared smoother and 90.7% of subjects agree there is an overall visible improvement in skin after three weeks of use. From Tarte.

Includes:

1.7 fl oz pure maracuja oil with dropper

Woven display box with logo knob and faux suede ribbon closure

Box measures 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 4-3/4

Oil made in Brazil; Box made in China; Packaged in USA  

Availability:QVC Tarte Maracuja Amazon Oil $46.00

New! Sephora Skin Care Collection

I received a Sephora Beauty Insider alert informing me of the store brands new skin care line a few weeks back but never got around to checking it out but as you know now I'm looking for cruelty free replacements to my usual skin care products so naturally this peaked my interest again. The website offered no information if the line is cruelty free so I contacted Sephora by phone a couple of days ago and spoke to one of the supervisors for about a good thirty minutes while she explained to me that anything from the Sephora  skincare brand is 100% cruelty free and no components from start to finish in the manufacturing process have been tested on animals. She also informed me the products are all made in France and the packaging is manufactured in China. I told her that this information needs to be listed on the website so people can know for certain with some sort of stated guarantee as to make them purchase the line if there interested in cruelty free products. I also told her I asked the question in the review section but had no answer and she told me it will be answered so others can have this information as well and sure enough the answer was posted! Nice customer service. The drawback to the line is that it seems a little too expensive to be buying on a monthly basis but the reviews seem good so far. I'm itching to try the serum and if I sample any of these I will surely post my reviews in the meantime check out the products form the collection at Sephora. Anyone try these out yet?  Stay beautiful! XOXO

What the products are formulated without Parabens,Sulfates, Phthalates, GMOs,Triclosan

Is this line tested on animals?Can someone please tell me if this line is tested on animals, thank:)  

3 days ago lolalolita(NYC)  

Sephora Collection is a cruelty-free brand, meaning the products have never been tested on animals. For questions about other cruelty free brands available at Sephora, please email at customerservice@sephora.com or call 1-877-SEPHORA.Thanks! 1877SEPHORA 

Availability:Sephora $9 to $32 

Top Five Products 2010

Good morning lovelies! I finally found a moment to put together my choices of favorite products from 2010 and because there were multitudes of items I went through last year it was hard to pick only a handful so I'm only adding the things I use on a daily basis religiously or that impressed the pants off of me! As you can see there is absolutely no cosmetic pick of any kind (eye shadow, lipstick,etc.) this decision was based on me considering a product for it's usefulness,practicality and function in improving, correcting or enhancing my skin & hair. And while cosmetics enhance your features by making you beautiful with product application these items I have chosen go beyond a physical beauty. On a side note, I love all my make up palettes and plethora of cosmetics in my beauty arsenal collected over the year and if I had to pick one of my absolute faves it would have to be my Urban Decay Naked Palette-loves it! These top five choices in my opinion are the best products used by me all year. Two of these picks genuinely improved my skin and hair of which are my Clarisonic Mia Sonic Cleansing System & MorrocanOil Curl Creme which by the way is still only half used even after daily use throughout the year making it a super economic value as well. The Mia has changed the way I cleanse my skin making it virtually impossible for me to ever want to go back to manual cleansing. My skin feels softer and cleaner with less breakouts. It's also a great investment & peace of mind with it's warranty so if any problem arises a replacement will be sent. The MorrocanOil Curl Creme has added loads of moisture to my dry ends and keeps my frizzies in check. The trick is using only the barest amount on dry ends while avoiding the crown of your head as not to way your hair down. I love that it has rare Argan oil in it's formula which is a natural healing moisturizer oil coveted by cosmetic company's. My third choice is for Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Creme. If you follow my blog then you know Olay Regenerist is my Skin God! It was hard to pick just one from the line  and while I'm still beyond faithfully loyal to the original serum this was the best for me. The level of moisture it added to my face was unbelievable! It also improved my skin texture while firming my face up. An added bonus was it was super absorbent, no peeling or stickiness and the amazing intoxicating lavender scent. This purple creamy souffle wonder is now part of my daily routine. The next item didn't change my skin but the fact that it really works and I can't stop using it on a daily basis has earned it a mention as a top product. Urban Decays All Nighter Make Up Setting Spray is a must have! My foundation gets really set while keeping my "face" perfect till night time. It's lightweight, non irritating, no harsh odors and sets your eye makeup look as well. LOVE IT! I don't know what I would do without it as I'm constantly unconsciously grabbing for it every time I'm done applying my foundation. Lastly I have chosen an item that was sent to me as a sample and even still in that one use it exfoliated my skin better than weeks of the Serious Skin Care system used in one of my challenges. It's the Dr.Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Skin Peel Cloths and if it were more affordable I would purchase this product by the carton loads. Still, it's easy to use, effective, non irritating and deserves a mention as well. There you have it, the best of the best for me this year. If you didn't have a  chance to try any of these last year, don't worry because there still available for you to buy. I added links to my original review posts on each of these items which you can access by clicking the links below for more detailed information,availability and images. I'm looking forward to testing & discovering new products  this year allowing me to pass my findings on to you guys. I hope my reviews have helped all of my fabulous members/subscribers this past year in any way at all & that they continue to do so. In other news-I have  chosen a winner for that fun New Year Fortune reading contest  by randomly selecting a name out of a jar  and the winner is Charles from Charles B Good Blog. Congrats! Email me for your prize information.  Have a great weekend. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel

Urban Decay All Nighter

Clarisonic Mia System

Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Moisturizer

MorrocanOil Curl Creme