Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Neocutis Bio-Body Bio-Restorative Cream

*This product was provided for review purposes*
Neocutis Bio-Body Bio-Restorative Cream - $120. Can I just start by saying this is one of the best skin creams I've ever used? Seriously, we are loving it! It's intensely moisturizing. And it left my skin feeling smooth hours later. The price is pretty steep, but this is a luxury cream available in 6.76 ounces. Once thing to note is this is professional strength. I was able to find this online as dermstore.com, but it's generally sold directly through dermatologists offices.
Neocutis is a brand that is new to us. You will rarely hear me rave about a brand that is new to me, but I just found my new "Go-To" for getting my skin re-hydrated or event ready. In fact, I'm so impressed I'm already looking for other products made by this company.
The packaging is the first thing we notice on any new product and I really love the colors of the packaging and bottle. It's a blue/turquoise, which doesn't come through too well on the pics, but it really very pretty in person. It reminds me of the Caribbean sea. The box and bottle match nicely (I tend to notice when companies carry the branding through to the packaging). The box it came in was an appropriate size and there were no "filler" papers in it, it was all product. The bottle itself is a nice thick plastic, and the cap stays in place securely.
The Neocutis Bio-Body Bio-Restorative Cream formula is fairly thick, but not too thick. It was not greasy at all and absorbs quickly. This is ideal for all skin types. The button to push down was very easy and even a mild case of carpal tunnel should not be bothered by it.
Neocutis Bio-Body Bio-Restorative Cream is non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested, free of color additives, fragrance free, and has not been tested on animals. Its a Swiss formula and powered by PSP, although I'm not really too sure what that means. What I do know is, it works! The primary ingredients are Ceramides, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, which works well for dryness, skin dehydration, itching, and body firming.
If you are looking to get your skin in shape for an event, or just for summer, I am personally recommending this. We will definitely be on the lookout for more of this in the future.
~A

Monday, May 30, 2016

Bosom Couture Boob Glue Review

*this item was sent for review purposes*
Bosom Couture Boob Glue - We are asked to test and review this product. I had never heard of anything like this, and since we really like trying items that are new to market, this was an easy yes for us.
Basically, the Bosom Couture Boob Glue takes the place of taping. I've personally never tried taping. Even though it's been mainstream popular for years, I can't say I ever cared enough about that type of thing to ever get around to trying it. I mention this so you can see how I was a little naïve about how to put this to use. This is latex, silicone, and Paraben free. This product was tested on tatas, not animals.
This is the tube the Bosom Couture Boob Glue comes in. I wanted to show the packaging it was held in, because even though it's plastic, the design is so pretty and I appreciate these types of extra details.
The branding artwork was consistent throughout every bit of packaging for the Bosom Couture Boob Glue, from the plastic container, to the instruction booklet, and the actual product container. I especially love the deep red against the White/Grey/Black colors because it really pops.
The instruction booklet was detailed, however it primarily focused on "lift" and not keeping the garments in place. The latter, in our opinion, is the best use for this product.
 
This first pic I've included in this section is from the instruction booklet, and it's of a lady going braless in her dress, with the Bosom Couture Boob Glue giving her incredible lift. This is the first one I tried to emulate. I did not turn out like her. And frankly, I'm not seeing how she could have either. Flimsy jersey is unable to provide any support. It's a material designed to flow with your body, not reshape it. So, if you glue your boobs to it then you will still have flimsy jersey unable to provide support but now your boobs are glued to it.
We then tried this out with strapless bras. They generally stay in place well enough on their own, but if this was a concern then this would be helpful to keep it attached to you. As far as lift goes, you're still better off investing in quality bras as this did not provide a noticeable change with cleavage. We also tried this with regular unpadded bras, and a jogging bra. We could see a slight difference, but nothing we would describe as "gravity defying".
The Bosom Couture Boob Glue is easily applied because it's a roll on. It dries quickly so you need to ensure you are really ready to place garments as soon as you are done applying. And yes. It does feel like ripping off a Band-Aid when taking the attached articles of clothing off. It's not really painful, but it's not exactly pleasant either.

The best and most practical use of the Bosom Couture Boob Glue is to help prevent wardrobe malfunctions. This can literally help keep those loose or low cuts from exposing more than intended. And for strapless dress, the Bosom Couture Boob Glue can literally keep you from popping out of your dress/top and it will prevent the clothing from going a different direction than your body moves to. Because it's glued to you it has to move as you do. This works PERFECT for these uses.

I also wanted to mention that as promised, this was easily removed with water. We used plain water and it was quickly removed from both our skin AND our clothes. TIP: if you are having concerns with removing the garment that is glued to you, just add a few drops of water to your fingers, slide it along the area you are detaching, and it will easily remove without any pain.
`A

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment Review

*This item was provided for review purposes*
 
Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment - $10. This is a clarifying treatment that takes care of buildup for your hair that develops over time. What it does?

  • Gently removes dulling product buildup
  • Balances scalp for healthy hair growth
  • Smooth's cuticle
  • Enhances shine
  • Boosts volume

  • You use Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment after shampooing and conditioning. This removes buildup and helps maintain healthy hair. I have been using my current shampoo forever, so this worked really well for me. I tried it and my hair felt really manageable afterward. You can style as usual and use your normal hair styling products, which I did. You use once or twice a week. This works on ALL hair types & even for color-treated hair.

  • Adds Shine
  • Seals Cuticles
  • Maintains Healthy Scalp
  • Prevents Frizz
  • Seals in Moisture

  • Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment - works great. And I have to mention the lemon fragrance. LOVE! I am happy to report that even with color treated hair it did not make my hair feel dry.
     `A

    Saturday, May 28, 2016

    Worry Free Pedi Review

    *This item was provided for review purposes*
    Worry Free Pedi - is a foot bath sanitation tablet. This is designed to be 99.99% effective against harmful bacteria and athlete’s foot fungus. This is a product that you can take with you to the nail salon and discretely place into your foot bath, to protect yourself.
    The cost is $9.99 for a pack of 8 tablets. The tablets come in little packets, two to a packet and both sides are sealed. This is a great idea to use in the salons that do not use liners in the foot spas. Since the packet is so small it is easy to carry with you.
    I decided to try this at home prior to using it at a nail salon. I wanted to know exactly how it worked, how long it took to dissolve, and how discreet it would be.
    The Worry Free Pedi looks just like an alka seltzer tablet, and functions similarly. I ripped open one side only.  I did not rip into the other side, as you can see from the pics, but it did break the seal on the other side which was disappointing.
    The tablet fizzed up, just like I thought it would. It ended up making a circle, and then began to spread around the water. My home foot spa has a vibration mode, which I believe sped up the process to distribute, and I also believe if I had a whirlpool option like the salons have, this would have both dissolved and spread out much faster. Regardless, it was about 45 seconds for the tablet to fully dissolve.
    Worry Free Pedi was very easy to use. It will also be fairly unnoticeable in a salon. The one thing to note is when I was soaking my feet I could definitely smell a "bleach" like smell. This gives me peace of mind when using an unknown salon, because it makes me think of "clean", but it wasn't exactly pleasant. I would like to see this come with flavored fruit scents, such as citrus or lemon smells. I love the small packaging and how it dissolves so quickly.
    `A

    Serendipty by LLB May 2016 Review

    Serendipity by LLB is a bi-monthly subscription that includes 5-7 samples, with the occasional full size item. This is pretty much a box of items that Little Lace finds that are not an exact fit for their full size box. This ships on the off months that Little Lace Box does not. Products can be makeup, skincare, tools, and other useful household items.
    Cost: $9.99/month, $59.94/6 month subscription
    How Often: Bi-Monthly
    Ships To: United States (including Alaska & Hawaii & Puerto Rico) via USPS Priority
    Serendipity by LLB does not have theme at all. So, the products are kind of random. But always cute and original. I don't know how they do this for $9.99/month.  
    The booklet talks about the items that are included. It also talks about the inspiration for next months box. This month, they wanted to "set the table" for next months LLB box, which is theme "Heavenly Day".
    Pack-N-Go Insulated Tote (cannot find online) - $6.99. This is a mini size tote. I have it pictured on a regular sized place mat, so you can see the size. I do not have a brand name for this. This is perfect to pack some snacks or water bottles for the car or a ball game. This came in either red or green. I like the green.
     
    Modish Nail Polish in Kim K. - $12. I am unfamiliar with this brand. This is supposed to be a luxury nail crème lacquer, created by two sisters who wanted a vegan product. This is, of course, "5-free". This color is said to be a "soft creamy mauve that gives a natural yet opulent polished look", but it definitely looks more "carpet color" to me.
    Laguna Salt Company - Tuscan Rosemary - $6.95. This is definitely my favorite item this month. I am super excited to see try this out. I love getting different seasonings, you can use on pretty much anything. I plan to try with potatoes soon.
    Alfresco Stemless Wine Glasses -(can't find online) $7.99. These are really nice wine glasses. I am showing with a quarter, but that was to balance the glass, not really for scale. I personally prefer my wine glasses with stems, but I can see them also being useful for juices as well. These are not too fragile, or too thick (heavy).
    Annie B's Sea Salt Caramel Popcorn - $2. I just received this in another box and loved it! I am very much looking forward to eating this bag as well. This is the original popcorn. I am happy I got the caramel again, and I heard there were other flavors sent out as well.
    This is a 10% off coupon for Elizabeth and Clarke - which is a clothing subscription box. Good quality. If you cannot read the code, it's LLB10.
    This months Serendipity box has an approximate value of $35.93. I love the curation this month, everything is useful. Some of the items can be found at the LLB store.
    `A

    Friday, May 27, 2016

    Beauty DNA May 2016 Review

    Beauty DNA - is a monthly subscription service that will send you one FULL SIZE skincare or hair care item each month, I’ve occasionally received two items. The cost is $25/month. They have a unique matching system, where you fill out your likes/dislikes profile and you shouldn’t ever receive items with ingredients that you just don't like. You will also never receive the same product twice.
    Cost: $25/month
    How Often: Monthly
    Ships To: United States via UPS Ground
     
    Epionce Enriched Firming Mask - $38. This mask is intensely hydrating with botanical ingredients to help soothe and improve the visible appearance of elasticity and firmness of the skin. it has extra hydration for tightet and firmer feeling skin; helps reduce visible redness; helps calm and reduce the effects of irritating factors. You leave it on for 5-10 minutes. If you want additional hydration, just don't rinse. I can tell you this is effective and even though I did rinse, it still worked wonders.
    `A

    Orange Glad May 2016 Review

    OrangeGlad - is a monthly subscription service that will send you a variety of sweets and desserts every month. You should receive five items. Boxes are normally shipped during the 1st and 2nd weeks of the month.  If you find something you really love you can visit the online store to purchase more of it. There are occasional full size products, but mostly this is sent in snack size portions. Therefore, I generally won't be providing a dollar value.
    Cost: $19/month
    How Often: Monthly
    Ships To: United States via USPS 
     
    I'm still on the fence about keeping this box, but for now I've been sharing at the office.
    The theme this month is Let the Adventure Begin!
    Carolina Girl Cooks Rose Tea Cookies - These are made with dried, edible rose petals and delicate rose water. But just so you know, they did not taste like roses, they tasted like shortbread cookies. They were good for shortbread cookies.
    Annie B's Original Caramel Popcorn - This popcorn was really yummy. I ate the whole thing at once. You can really taste the caramel flavor. This is made with all-natural & gluten free ingredients.
    Quin Candy - This was a huge hit with my IT Manager, but I never got to try any. From what I hear it's soft chewy candies with a lot of flavor. Made in the Pacific Northwest, specifically, Portland. They say they do not use any fake ingredients, but even I'm not sure what that means. I'm guessing it means artificial flavors?
    Rustic Bakery Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread - This is a coffee lovers cookie. And I can see why, it's great for dipping in your morning (or afternoon) brew!
    Annie B's Caramels - These are hands down the best caramels I have ever eaten. Really. I liked it better than the caramel popcorn. These are really good. Apparently even Oprah agrees with me. She gave her stamp of approval in 2014.
    This month, my coworkers enjoyed the box much more than I did. I loved the Annie B's caramels. I do not know how much longer we will be keeping this box, so just keep that in mind if you are tracking the reviews.
    `A

    Glossybox May 2016 Review

    GlossyBox - is a beauty subscription box that sends five products each month. There are a lot of brands that you cannot get here in the US. They send makeup, skincare, beauty tools, and other related items. They have a great rewards program that allows you to get a free box annually, and more often if you refer friends.
    Cost: $21/month or $222/annually
    How Often: Monthly
    Ships To: United States (excludes Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico) and Canada via USPS


     
    Nioxin 3 system Cleanser and Scalp Therapy Conditioner - $5. System 3 is specially designed for normal to thin-looking, fine, chemically treated hair. It amplifies hair texture while refreshing the scalp and providing moisture balance to colored hair. Since it's still a cleansing formula, which generally means stripping formula, I wouldn't use unless I was actually ready for a trip to the salon. This is great for male or females. They also included Nioxin $5 off coupon for Night Rescue - which is a leave in treatment for nighttime. I doubt I am going to use this coupon though, and to purchase is $30.
    Talika Photo-Hydra Day - $29.  This hydrates your skin, as well as plumps and smooth's it out.  This contains hyaluronic acid, which is said to retain moisture. This is an ingredient I seem to be seeing in a lot of moisturizers these days, but maybe it's because I'm paying more attention? This is designed to be used in the morning after cleansing.
    Rituals Cosmetics Shower Foam in Zensation - $3.75. Meh. I'm not a fan of this brand because the products are way to flowery/perfumy for my tastes. This is a foaming shower gel.
    Benefit Cosmetics RollerLash Mascara - $8. I've gotten this many times before in subs. I really like this mascara, it's great to add curl to lashes, but this is one I use for layering not one that I wear on its own.
    Adore Cosmetics Cellmax Elite Facial Serum - $220.29. Um, did I read that correctly?? I have double checked and that is the value. I'm going to use this for sure. The expiration date is 03/2018. I would never purchase a serum for this price, it's way overinflated for the modern beauty market, but I'm still very happy to get this. I was just looking for a new serum this morning now that my current one is emptying. This is designed for all skin types.
    UPDATE: This stuff works great! Remember, this is a serum, just a drop or two will cover your entire face. Do not put it on like a cream like I did the first time, just a drop will do.....Did I mention it works awesome?
    The approximate value this month is around $266. (not including the coupon). That is really great! I'm thrilled with the face serum, and of course the Benefit Roller Lash!
    `A