New Beauty Testtube Summer-Fall 2011

This is my second Testtube from New Beauty. I am very excited to see they have included some makeup products for this edition. As I have mentioned on my previous post, I will update this blog post as I review each product.

Inside the box are the following products:

MAGAZINE

NEW BEAUTY SUMMER-FALL 2011 MAGAZINE
On this magazine, you will see new discovery that goes beyond erasing wrinkles, ways to get sexiest body, secrets to looking younger in 60 minutes or less, celebrities without makeup and their secrets behind amazing transformation. There's so much more including Gwyneth Paltrow's organic approach to beauty, losing inches and dropping pounds in minutes, exotic spa treatments that deliver a better body with dramatic age-defying hair makeovers.

GIFT CARD

SPALOOK BEAUTY ONLINE $20 GIFT CARD

Redeem the gift card at spalook.com. Just enter the promo code at checkout. It is valid for $20 off of any spalook order of $100 or more. And can not be combined with any other offer. Some restrictions apply. Expires in one year after receiving the gift card.

BODY

SPARITUAL HANDPRINT HAND SERUM

It contains pumpkin seed extract which builds collagen and promotes elasticity with ginger root extract that softens and smoothes texture and licorie root extract to treat discoloration. To use, place a nickle-sized amount on your hands every morning and evening.

EYES

LASHFOOD NATURAL EYELASH CONDITIONER

It is formulated specifically for those with sensitive skin and does not cause side effects such as stinging or irritation. It improves appearance of your lashes within 4 to 8 weeks with natural eyelash conditioner that is packed with herb extracts, copper complex and essential pro-vitamins. To use, apply every morning before makeup application and every night onto clean lashes.

MALLY EVERCOLOR STARLIGHT WATERPROOF EYELINER

Versatile and easy enough for anyone to get red-carpet-ready results. Its waterproof, long-wear and professinal quality, this eyeliner will not come off until you take it off. To use, always start with a clean lid that has a layer of Mally's Eye shadow base or a light dusting of eye shadow for a long wearing foundation.

HAIR

L'OREAL ELNETT SATIN HAIRSPRAY

Its micro-diffusion technology allows for this fine mist and even application to set your style for hours. To use, remove the security tab and shake can. Spray Elnett in short bursts from about 12 inches away.

MACADAMIA NATURAL OIL HEALING TREATMENT & DEEP REPAIR MASQUE

Suitable for all hair types, beneficial for dry, damaged hair. It provides intense nourishment for the hair, eliminating tangles and frizz with no oil residue. The Deep repair masque contains macadamia and argan oil with tea tree, chamomile and algae extracts that rejuvenates dry and damaged hair. While the oil treatment reduces drying time by 40 to 50 percent. To use, apply a small amount of healing oil treatment to damp or dry hair and comb through evenly. For the masque, rub a small amount of deep repair masque between palms and apply evenly to damp hair. Comb through, leave in for five to ten minutes then rinse.

LIPS

YBF BEAUTY POSING PLUM LIP LINER

This soft, creamy formula provides a high pigment payoff in a hue that works for all skin tones to your lips a pretty pout perfection. While forming a barrier to keep your lip color from migrating into the fine lines and crinkles, the liner helps to accentuate the natural shape of your lips. It comes with the handy sharpener built right into the liner's cap. To use, start with a good lip base like ybf neutralizing creme, fills in fine lines giving your lip products something to adhere to. Begin lines at the outer corners of lips, drawing up and in.

SKIN CARE

DR. BRANDT PORES NO MORE VACUUM CLEANER

This is my second one from testtube. I'm not sure why they didnt send me the right product on my previous testtube but I will definitely check it out with them. This has salicylic acid formulated to help loosens blackheads while absorbing dirt and excess oil from the pores. To use, apply a thin layer to areas of concern. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes until product turns light blue. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

ORLANE ANTI-AGING SKIN CARE

This product preps, cleanse and moisturize dry, unbalanced and sensitive skin types to restore a natural balance and a youthful appearance. Best results when applied regularly as part of your skin-care regime.

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July Favorites

Hi Beauties! Let's get started for my July Favorites!

STILA MAKEUP MUSIC PLAYERNo. 1 on the list, Stila Makeup Player! This is like an ordinary train case with speaker on it. It's huge, lots of space and sturdy. Its using batteries and you can use any of your fave MP3 player to play music of your choice. Who doesn't like music while doing your makeup, isnt it cool?! And its portable, you can bring it anywhere, including the beach! It's lightweight and comes with a handy bag for protection. I love this! except that when it was delivered, items like the information booklet, card, DVD, batteries and few makeup products included with the player were missing, so I had to contact Stila. That's the only hassle, hope it won't happen again Stila because I love your products. I am a huge fan of your Lip glaze too.

STILA COLOR WHEEL EYE PALETTE

I ordered this together with the Makeup music player and I'm loving it! I've been dreaming about getting this for a long time until I found out that its on sale for $20.00 from regular price of $38.00, not bad at all. But what's cool about it is that it comes with 16-page Lookbook with photos of models and numerous looks. It's very helpful and I have tried several looks already, and the outcome were great. The pigments and color payoff are amazing, great if use either wet or as dry eyeshadow.

CLEAN ANTI-BACTERIAL MOISTURIZING HAND CREAM

This I got from my New Beauty Testtube. Its a hand cream I use every night, but you can use it every three to four hours. It claims to kill 99% of germs on contact. Its very gentle on the skin, very moisturizing for an anti-bacterial cream. And what I love about this is that, it doesn't dry out your hands like any alcohol-based anti-bacterial hand creams. So its good and must have!

JOSE MARAN ARGAN OIL

This is very lightweight oil I used on tips of my hair. You can use it daily as moisturizer or treatment for your skin, hair and nails too. It brings a certain glow on you, I'm not sure though what it is but it's one product I can not live without right now.


SEDU REVOLUTION NANO TOURMALINE IONIC STYLING IRON

I bought this at Ulta and have been using this ever since. I have bought several hair irons in the past, they don't usually last but this one hopefully is for keeps. I used this to create beach hair wavy look as seen on the picture above right of this page header. It uses tourmaline infused ceramic and unique polishing process to create smooth plates that glide through the hair without snagging or pulling. You can control the heat settings to reduce frizz and create long lasting results, either straight, wavy, and curly. Infra red heat technology seals in hair's natural moisture and protects hair from heat damage. I love this!

OPI SHATTER CRACKLE IN SILVER

I used this several times last month. Use it with dark colors as base and you're good to go. It lasts for me at least a couple of weeks before it starts chipping, I love this! very versatile!


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New Beauty Testtube Spring-Summer 2011

This is my first Testtube package from New Beauty. Inside the box contains products from anti-aging to sun protection. Truly, it is the ultimate product sampling program from New Beauty.

After I got my first magazine at New Beauty few months ago, I fell in love with it the very first time. It contains information about the new products in the market and products they've been recommending for millions of beauty enthusiast like me. And then I found out that they have a subscription for a delivery of testtube products quarterly and so I signed up. You'll be getting 4 tubes in a year filled with the latest beauty products delivered to your door. The cost of each tube is $29.95 plus $8.95 for shipping. So you're paying $38.90 quarterly. It includes the New Beauty magazine which is $9.95 alone, with $20 gift card from spalook plus 10 beauty products.

It came with a box and inside the pink box is the testtube and magazines. I received my Spring-Summer edition with Jennifer Lopez as the front page model and SpaFinder magazine. I'll be updating this blog post for my review as I will have to test each product myself and will give you honest feedback afterwards.


Inside the testtube are the following products:

ANTI-AGING

LUMENE VITAMIN C + RADIANT DAY CREAM & RADIANT BEAUTY DROPS

The Vitamin C + Radiant Day Cream is applied to cleansed face and neck every morning before makeup application. It contains wild berries from arctic regions of Finland that are proven to contain higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants than berries found in the south. This highly potent cream has a unique composition of ingredients that soften, strengthen and smooth the skin.

The Radiant Beauty drops on the other hand, instantly makes the skin soft and brightens tired, dull and lifeless skin. To use it, just remove the tip of the capsule and squeeze the content onto your fingertips. This should be applied to cleansed face before day cream.

EYES

LASHFOOD NANO-PEPTIDE, NATURAL EYEBROW CONDITIONER

According to the booklet, lashfood is a registered product of the FDA. It consists of a natural blend of essential amino acids including arginine, which assist in hair growth. The ingredient biotin (a crucial B vitamin) also promotes hair growth and reduces hair loss while soy protein strenthens and conditions new and existing lashes. To use it, just brush clear serum on the root of clean eyebrows, concentrating on sparse areas. To see quicker results, apply day and night on clean dry brows.

HAIR

MOROCCANOIL LUMINOUS HAIRSPRAY

Infused with famous argan oil, this hairspray leaves hair feeling soft to the touch with a brilliant burst of shine. It claims to hold any hairstyle from fun ponytails to flirty waves all day long without weighing hair down or leaving any sticky buildup or residue behind. To use, just spray on any style for a long-lasting hold.

MAKEUP

BOOST-IT! BY LUMINESS AIR INSTANT COMPLEXION ENHANCER

It instantly tightens and brightens the appearance of skin in seconds. It awakens the natural beauty in skin with a fusion of natural humectants, vitamins and silk peptides to soften and hydrate the skin. It illuminates the complexion for a refreshed youthful appearance. Can be used to prep the skin before cosmetics by absorbing excess oil, minimizing the look of pores and tightening the skin. To use, apply in the morning on the face for an immediate complexion boost. Can be worn alone or used as a makeup primer.

SKIN CARE

AHAVA ESSENTIAL DAY MOISTURIZER (NORMAL TO DRY SKIN)

All ahava products contain Osmoter, a unique blend of minerals that optimizes cell metabolism, protects the skin against UV damage and significantly increases moisture retention. Aside from that, it also contains mineral alanine, which enriches skin with protein and helps to bind moisture in addition to its antioxidant properties. To use, just apply daily after cleansing and toning.

DR. BRANDT PORES NO MORE VACUUM CLEANER BLACKHEAD EXTRACTOR

The box should include Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion body and crease release but instead got Pores no more vacuum cleaner blackhead extractor. According to Dr. Brandt website, this product is formulated with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, silicone dioxide and eijitsu rose for maximum performance. It helps loosen blackheads while absorbing excess oil from pores. To use, cleanse face using pore no more cleanser, then apply a thin layer to areas of concern. Avoid eyes. Leave on 5 to 10 minutes until dry and product turns light blue. A cooling sensation will occur. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. This can be used 2-3 times per week for maximum results or as needed.


CLEAN ANTI-BACTERIAL MOISTURIZING HAND CREAM

This hand cream can be used to dry dirty hands and kills 99% of germs on contact and continues to do so for up to four hours. It contains grape seed oil, jojoba oil and Vitamin E to hydrate and soothe skin. To use, apply a dime-size amount of cream to hands. Reapply every three to four hours and after washing hands.



PHILOSOPHY PURITY MADE SIMPLE FACIAL CLEANSER

This product eliminates face and eye makeup buildup while it deep cleanse pore. It contains natural oils to tone and condition the skin. Use it on morning and night. Gently massage a quarter-size amount onto a lightly damp face and massage for 30-60 seconds. Rinse and pat dry.

SUN

DR. DENESE GLOW YOUNGER SELF TANNING GLOVE

Flaunt summer skin all year using this foolproof application giving you instant sun-kissed color with no orange tint or messy streaks. It contains hydrating anti-aging ingredients to help reduce the signs of aging and keep the skin moisturized for a gorgeous youthful glow. To use, just apply 1-2 times a week to body and face. Let dry for 3 minutes before getting dressed. Color develops over 3-4 hours and continues to deepen over 24 hours. Wash hands after application.



KERSTIN FLORIAN CORRECTING OIL-FREE DAILY DEFENSE SPF 50

This is oil free moisturizing lotion that protect skin against sun damage, firm skin and prevent wrinkles. It contains vitamin C+ complex that helps brighten skin by reducing the formation of melanin in the skin and preventing the appearance of age spots. To use, just apply to face daily for moisturization and sun protection. When in direct sunlight, apply at least every two hours.

GIFT CARD

SPALOOK BEAUTY ONLINE $20 GIFT CARD

Redeem the gift card at spalook.com. Just enter the promo code at checkout. It is valid for $20 off of any spalook order of $100 or more. And can not be combined with any other offer. Some restrictions apply. Expires in one year after receiving the gift card.

MAGAZINES

NEW BEAUTY SPRING-SUMMER 2011 AND SPAFINDER MAGAZINE

New Beauty volume 7 Issue 2. It features Breakthroughs for future beauty cutting edge treatments. Advice from the experts from celebrities who stays sexy at every age and defy aging. It also contains high-performance color makeup from concealers to makeup innovations. Science behind powerful products , beauty quick fixes, uncovering fact from fiction, fast fixes for fuller lips, age fighters products, spa finder magazine, sun-damaged skin savers and to control signs of aging. It also includes articles how to get a white smile, solutions to stop saddlebags and how to get a perfect body. Lastly, the beauty expert guide, a guide to finding qualified doctor in your area.

You can also view this blog on its mirror site. Stay safe and be healthy everyone.

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June Favorites

With the heat of the sun, I make sure that I’m using products that contain SPF to protect my skin before sun exposure. Wow, another month had passed and here we go again for the monthly favorites.


I purchased some products at Macy’s one time which includes bonus offer including products shown at 1-A to 1E with other few more products. Im impressed with how much I used it for the past month 1A Lancome Color Design Molten Shore quad. It includes beige color named Flower (sheen), right top is Turquoise Blue(metallic), bottom left is Violet heat (metallic pink gold) and lastly Lava (shimmery dark bronze). Isn’t it perfect for summer?! 1B is Lancome color design Blush in Shimmer Mocha Havana, looks natural with your tan color. 1C Color Design in color Pink Attitude (shimmer) 1D Color Design in color Oh! My! 1E Color Design in color Vintage Rose (sheen). These three are very light and shimmery. Perfect for everyday use. For the face, I make sure that my foundation comes with SPF, 2 its MAC Studio FIx Fluid No 35, a little dark for my skin but I feel its perfect for summer. It gives full coverage, I just hate the smell. But overall, I never had breakouts with MAC products which is great. 3 Benefit Pore fessional Pro balm -- I used this as face primer before applying foundation to minimize the appearance of pores. What I love about Benefit is its gentle to skin and mild to use. I never had problems too with benefit products. I recommend them for face primers and cheek stains. 4 NARS bronzer in Laguna color. Again perfect for the season, I used it to contour my face, I used it at the sides of the face, jaw line and top of the forehead. 5 Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in No. 3, I used it on my dark spots, I love its consistency, also perfect for under eye. 6 MAC Suntints SPF 20 Lip balm in Full of Grace color. Again, rarely you can find lip balm with SPF, I apply it before sun exposure, typical lip balm, highly shimmery and i love it to death. Too bad it comes at 10ml, I wish I could find bigger one for the future. 7 MAC Splashproof Lash. This is a great mascara. It certainly does its job. It makes your lashes stand out and volumizes. Its super black and a great top coat to other mascaras so they don't smudge. Made for sports, I used it often when we go to the beach. Thickens and lengthens! Don’t forget your favorite lash curler too. 8 Clinique bottom lash mascara in black, its long wearing formula, ideally made for bottom lashes. 9 Okay, I have tons of mascara, another favorite is Lancome Hypnose Drama, if you want instant volume, this will do the job, i love it so much! 10 MAC Retro in Satin, perfect red for me at least, I used it when I want to add color to my face, love it! 11 MAC Pro Longwear in Faithfully Yours, a little dark brown, highly pigmented, I used it with blue or gray eyeshadows. 12 My favorite cologne for the month, Fresh in Redcurrant basil, I love Fresh products, you need to try it yourself. 13 My inexpensive secret for wavy hair. I got lots of compliments when Im using this moose -- Tresemme Flawless Curls. I used it on my damp hair and just let it dry. The result is amazing!

Above are my favorite nail polishes last month, I bought the Butter products at Ulta, China Glaze can be found anywhere, the fourth one is new OPI Nail Shatter Lacquer, I will post samples when it shatters on top of any regular nail polishes. The fifth one is OPI too and lastly is Hello Kitty in yellow color, I used it with my kids too, very light yet fun. Perfect for summer!

Hope you guys are enjoying the weather, stay safe and healthy!

Favorite Music of the month: Buddha Cafe Lounge Bar Music Club Album

May Favorites

Its a bit late but better late than never! Here’s a list of my favorite products that I often used last May.

1 I used to love Pantene but stopped using it for quite a long time. Guess what! now I’m loving it, its Pantene Restore Beautiful Lengths Shampoo, 2 Conditioner 3 Replenishing Mask 4 Smoothing Balm. It provides damage protection for your long hair and strengthens it to help avoid future damage. This is also good for those trying to grow their hair out. 5 MAC Fix+, I had this for years but really never used it that often. Now Im using it after my makeup and the result is amazing-- you’re makeup will look refreshed. It’s gentle aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of Green Tea, Camomile, Cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. I love it, you can also use it to blend mineral eyeshadows. 6 Rimmel London Lash Accelerator-- my eye lashes have never been healthier looking than ever before. The formula in this mascara is supposed to help repair lashes and keep them from falling out and this is exactly what it does with my lashes, so I’m happy with it. And its very inexpensive mascara, you can buy it at any drugstores. 7 MAC wonder woman powder blush in Amazon Princess, its bigger than any MAC blusher that I know, its a duo, one side in magenta and the other in berry, when combined, its perfect for spring look, i love it! 8 Neutrogena Makeup remover cleansing towelette, inexpensive than MAC Bulk Wipes cleansing towelettes that I used before, it also removes waterproof mascara, very gentle and smells good too. I bought mine at costco. 9 Lush Bubble gum Lip scrub, I love using it, taste good but its main use is to exfoliate your lips by rubbing sugar-bubble gum flavor-like scrubs on your dry, cracked lips to make them smooth and supple again, I love it! 10 After exfoliating or simply make my lips smoother, I use Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm, I bought it Sephora, its gentle and okay to use for kids. 11 Naked Palette, perfect for everyday makeup, perfect for spring. You can do simple to dramatic eye makeup from this Palette, I highly recommend it to all beauties out there to add it in their makeup collection! 12 MAC Ravishing, its a cremesheen lipstick from Mac, coral in color and perfect for spring. It is smooth and stays on for hours. I spice it up by putting Viva Glam Gaga lipglass over it and it makes beautiful peachy glow on your lips. 13 Another product from Wonder Woman collection of Mac, Athena’s Kiss Lipglass, swatches below, highly pigmented, a cool-toned fuchshia pink with white and fuchsia shimmer on it.
Below were my favorite nail polishes for May. 1 Finger Paints in Paper Mache, I tweeted this before and I got a lot of compliments when I use this color. 2 Gelous Advanced Nail Gel Coat, has thick consistency but dries fast. It lasts longer than Seche Vite top coat, so I love it. 3 China glaze Wild mink, gorgeous rosy pink perfect for spring, very opaque, two coats do justice. I love it!
Lastly, my fave list won’t be complete without perfume. And the winner is Katy Perry’s Purr, very light , playful, and feminine. I used it almost everyday last month. The packaging is cute too, see picture below.

November Favorites

Another month had passed and now I’m ready to show you my favorites for the month of November! I know its a lot but definitely worth sharing. I’m not affiliated with any of these companies mentioned, I bought all the products myself. If you want me to review something, email me.

Here are the following products I’ve been using a lot for the month of November.

Urban Decay Palette

Book of Shadows Vol III

This is my fourth palette from Urban Decay. It is inspired by the big apple featuring collage of iconic new york city statue of liberty, yellow tax cab, buildings, city life. The shadows are hidden in a drawer. It consists of 16 shimmering shadows, two 24/7 glide-on pencils and eye primer potion. I always recommend Urban Decay because its highly pigmented and good quality eyeshadows. You can never go wrong with the book of shadows. I love this!
(Sephora)


Painted Love Lipstick Set
by Kat Von D

I love these six miniature lipsticks. Its perfect to throw in your purse at any occasion. The lipsticks are rich and long lasting. It includes 2 reds, 2 pinks and 2 neutrals. And the set is only $28.00, you’re like buying drugstore makeup with the quality you’ll be confident to wear at anytime.
(Sephora)


Stila Lip Glaze Set

Finally, I found the perfect lip gloss for me. This set includes awesome colors and smells, great choices for the holidays. It includes eight luscious lip glaze in Stila’s clickable pens that will add splash of color and shine into your lips this holidays. From eight colors, I love Majesty, Blush, Apricot and Merry Merry. Great product to include in your makeup collection!
(Sephora)


Make up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation
This foundation gives a great coverage while remaining invisible in the spotlight. Yes, it can withstand bright and harsh lighting, so this is good for photoshoots. It leaves your complexion with such a flawless finish. Its kinda expensive but definitely worth it.(Sephora)


Eve Pearl Eye Palette Diva Eyes
Six radiant eye shadows, very compact to throw in your purse. From upper left corner: sugar plum, cinnamon, desert rose. On lower left corner:black frost, midnight blue, emerald green. I use this whenever I’m in a hurry. I use midnight blue on my lid, and apply sugar plum or cinnamon on my crease. Then I love using black frost on the outer right corner of my eyes. I bought mine at Hautelook but you can check it out on their website.(Evepearl)


Powder Blush in Her Blooming Cheeks by MAC
Part of MAC Tartal Tale holday Collection. This Powder blush is perfect for this holiday. Very bright iridescent blue pink, when applied thinly on your cheeks goes a a long way. Very natural looking and stay longer. (MAC)


MAC Tinted lip conditioner SPF15
This tinted balm is formulated with SPF15, thats why I love this. Its sheer and all-natural, it conditions lips especially on cold weather. Very moisturizing, I apply this before applying a lipstick and locks in the moisture. I love this for years and I’m using Plum Perfect! (MAC)


Benefit Eye Bright Pencil
This works magic to brighten and make your face feel more awake. I use this pink pencil stick on the inner corner of my eyes, under my brow to highlight. Very handy, good to go for afternoon touch-ups. (Sephora)


Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb
This fragrance is very sweet, one spray goes a long way. Check this out and my my favorite fragrances in my previous post. I love the packaging and its very feminine.
(Sephora)


MAC Wipes
This is by far my favorite makeup remover. It smells good, swipes away your makeup easily-- smudges, dirt and grime, name it! I bought the 100 sheets. This cleanser is infused with protective vitamin E that hydrates and nourishes your skin, leaving your skin clean, and refreshed. Totally addicting! The packaging is sturdy, re-sealable, and ready to go!
(MAC)


Shea Cashmere hand cream and body cream by Bath and Body works
I love Bath and Body works. So far, I’m in love with these cream for hand and body. Its super moisturizing, smells great too, like creamy vanilla and cupcake. I always thought of oven, baking when I smell this. Its addicting. I will definitely buy this again, kinda expensive that the rest but worth it. Its amazing how it leaves your skin smooth and silky.
(Bath and Body Works)


Bath and Body works anti-bacterial hand gel
I never run out of these hand sanitizer. Isn’t it obvious, hahaha. The first row are from their holiday collection. Its handy and works perfectly. Its even safe for the kids to use but do not swallow!, lol. Its only 68% alcohol and decreases bacteria on hands. It moisturizes and comes with different scents. I love it! Great as stocking stuffers!
(Bath and Body Works)


Bath and Body works & Yankee Candles
Yes, I love scented candles. I love to put them everywhere inside the house. They smell amazing. I even use essential oil diffusers, plugins and spray. But lately, Im hooked into candles. When BBW and Yankee is on sale, I stashed them away! I love caramel at yankee and I’m using now Autumn of Bath and Body works. I think its a great gift for holidays.
(Bath and Body Works)(Yankee)