Weekend Beauty Steal: L'Oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner, Midnight Blue

With the weekend here, you probably want to buy a little beauty "fix", but your budget may be tight. So here's another one of our most popular under drugstore buys that you will love!

Midnight Blue, pictured left.

L'Oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner, Midnight Blue 956 12.00

Tester: Asian (Indian) about Parminder Nagra’s (from the ER television show) complexion with dark brown eyes.

“This is definitely one of the most amazing eye color products out there now! Not only are these a fantastic deal, but the colors are gorgeous. The pigment is so rich and these lasted all day for me. I used the Midnight Blue which is a vibrant navy blue jewel tone that made my brown eyes pop and looked so good with my skin tone!

I'm always on a quest for an eyeliner that looks fantastic and won't budge. This is a very pigmented, high-quality gel/cream eyeliner. I experienced smooth lining, high density color, excellent wearability. This eyeliner comes in a little pot with a cute eyeliner brush. Note that the brush is quite short and the brushes are hard, so some of you might prefer to use your normal eyeliner brush, but I found that it was perfect for getting the perfect amount of eyeliner on my lash line and staying close for application.

It's highly pigmented so a little really goes a long way. I put it on in the morning, went about my hectic day at work, and my liner looked PERFECT, just like when I put it on – each and every day. I didn’t have any smudges, even under the eye. The bottom line: I've never loved an eyeliner like this.

How did I live without this? Get one of these little gems now!” J.P

Go-->L'Oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner, Midnight Blue 956

Nexxus Gorgeous Curls Curl Enhancing Foam Styler

Tester: Hispanic (Cuban) with shoulder length, wavy/loosely curly hair that frizzes easily.

"I love my curls.

But I hate the frizz and what often comes with products that promise to tame it. Some products have left my hair feeling sticky, crunchy (HATE THIS!), dry or alternately; oily or greasy.

That's why when I had the opportunity to try this product, I was excited. (I have used many mass and salon brands, but never Nexxus).

After washing with a moisturizing shampoo which leaves my hair feeling light, I applied the mousse (about 2 squirts were enough for my shoulder length hair). I concentrated a bit more on the ends, which is where my frizz begins to surface first. I then let my hair air dry as I normally do.

When it dried I was very pleased that my curls were defined nicely, bouncy and shiny, and felt soft and light (no crunchiness). I even had a bit more volume to my hair which was nice. Best of all, the frizz was definitely kept to a minimum and the effects tended to last at least a few days until I washed my hair again. I liked the bottle design and thought that the size was very convenient for everyday use.

Since this is a salon product, it is a bit pricier than some mass brands with curl lines, but this is honestly one of the best out there in my opinion, and worth the $." M.L.

Editor's Note: This product will work best for naturally wavy/curly, and loosely curly hair which is medium/thick to thick.

Go-->Nexxus Gorgeous Curls Curl Enhancing Foam Styler

3 Lab Perfect Mask

Tester: Asian (Vietnamese), late 30's with combination skin and occasional breakouts.

"There's something about a sheet mask, as opposed to a cream or gel mask in a tube or jar, that I've really come to appreciate. 3 Lab has now made me a true believer in the brand and the sheet mask itself.

Each one of these masks is individually packaged in a thin sealed pack (there are 6 in the box), which makes it ideal for traveling and bringing to the gym/spa. When I first opened it, I noticed that it was loaded with a lot of product. It's not to the point where it is dripping, but I found it worked best to start out laying down and then open the mask and fit it over my eyes, nose and mouth, where there are perforated openings.

As directed, I left the mask on about 10-15 min. Much of the 3Lab formula eventually soaked into my skin, so that by the time I was ready to take the mask off, it was fairly dry. I then massaged any remaining product into my face, particularly the drier areas of my face. After my very first use, I was pleased with what I saw. My skin was baby soft and glowing, and so hydrated, yet it didn't feel like I had a layer of anything on my skin. Since this mask also has "lifting" properties, I also noticed that my skin felt a little tighter, but not uncomfortably so. Fine lines were minimized and it did not clog my pores in the tzone. My makeup application went on flawlessly afterwards as well.

I continued to use this mask for several weeks and was very pleased with the results. I really looked forward to using the Perfect Mask because I could not only see that beautiful glow, but the quality and texture of my skin really improved as well. This is perfect before a big night out, after a long period spent in the sun or at the end of a very long work week to revive the skin and treat it well at the same time. This is a high performace skin treatment that is worthy of the luxury price tag," T.T.

Editor's Note: This is a non-woven sheet mask and contains Nano-Claire GYTM, the world's first bio-engineered growth hormone that helps to slow down the aging process.

Go--> 3Lab Perfect Mask

Impulse Buy of the Week: Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick

This week's impluse buy was inspired by Copper Diamonds. Two objects you don't normally associate with one another, but ones that beauty master Bobbi Brown was able to draw inspiration from and combine for a beautiful holiday collection.


This limited edition shimmer brick is one of the stand out products from the Copper Diamonds collection. It features 5 shades: candlelight, gold, copper, beige and sand.




This will work for all skin tones as a beautiful highlighter and complement to your blush because blended together these shades create a soft warm golden copper glow. As always, the texture and lasting power of this shimmer brick is of standout quality.


Treat yourself this week to this beautiful and flattering shimmer brick from Bobbi Brown's Copper Diamond Collection.




















Copper Diamond collection inspiration, shown left.



Go--> Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick

The Sephora Project Cosmetic Train Case Auction

In celebration of Sephora’s 10th Birthday, Sephora’s brand partners have designed one-of-a-kind train cases for charity…and yes, they’re packed with beauty loot! Working with Charity Folks, the leading online nonprofit auction website, Sephora’s recently launched philanthropic initiative is offering these collectable carry-alls to the highest bidder. Proceeds will benefit Girls For A Change, an organization that educates and empowers women and girls whose mission, like Sephora’s, is to make the world a more beauty-full place.

Below are just a few of the amazing train cases that are available to bid on. Please visit
http://www.sephora.com/go/sephoraprojectauction for more information on the cases and to learn more about Girls For A Change.




















New to Sephora, Dylan’s Candy Bar Re-Treat line offers sweet treats for those who want to indulge, without the calories!
Total Value of Case: $300.00

Let your inner light shine through! This innovative, internally lit carry-all, showcases some of Bliss’ best sellers like the Youth As We Know It and Lemon and Sage Collections.
Total Value of Case: $5,000.00

Go green! This nature-inspired garden conception from Cargo embodies all that is their new PlantLove collection.
Total Value of Case: $450.00


About Girls For A Change
Girls For A Change is a national organization that empowers girls to create social change. They invite young women to design, lead, fund and implement social change projects that tackle issues girls face in their own neighborhoods. GFC provides the tools, resources, partnerships and support girls need to gain the voice, ability, and problem-solving capacity to realize their full potential. To learn more about the organization, please visit www.girlsforachange.org

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte - Divine Mahogany

Divine Mahogany, pictured left

Tester: Multi-Ethnic (African-American/French Canadian) about Alicia Keys' complexion with lightly pigmented lips that are dry.

"This new YSL lipstick can only be described as a "triple threat". The packaging is sumptuous and luxurious, the texture and smell of the lipstick are wonderful and the color, in this case Divine Mahogany, was equally unique and flattering.

While it's easy to see the beautiful gold design, there is actually more to it than meets the eye. It's a very heavy tube with a mirror on the top for easy touch ups on the go. The YSL logo appears in cutouts around the entire center of the tube. Underneath the cutouts is a plastic collar showing the lipstick shade.

The color of this lipstick was almost identical to what I viewed in the collar of the tube, which is a true medium reddish brown shade with fastastic pigments. On my lips I picked up a bit of orange as well. The finish was semi-matte with nice natural shine and no shimmer. I found myself reaching for this every day, as it was such a versatile color that looked great on my skin and worked with all my eye looks.

The texture and fragrance of this product were the icing on the cake. The feel was buttery smooth, creamy, yet still light. It completely hydrated my lips without making them feel greasy or sticky and the taste and smell were like a yummy vanilla/sugar combination that managed not to be cloyingly sweet. The staying power of the lipstick was also very good. After my morning application and eating/coffee, I still had a majority of the shade on my lips by early afternoon. This particular shade will work best for women with warmer undertones in the Eva Mendes to Iman range. Rouge Volupte is a luxury purchase to be sure, but one that every true beauty lover will be completely satisfied with (and want a few more colors :)" S.H.

Nurturing Force - Facial Blotting Paper

Tester: Multi-ethnic (French Canadian/Brazilian) with combination skin and occasional breakouts in the t-zone.

"Like many of you, I've found that blotting papers are the way to go in terms of touch ups during the day, especially when you have daily mid-day and evening oilies like I do. I've found a few over the years that I've liked alot, but nothing new has caught my attention until now.

Nurturing Force blotting paper is a sheet roll in a small, light dispenser (about 2 1/2 in" long). What makes this a favorite of mine is the fact that the texture of the sheet is super soft and silky, and even smells great.This paper is made from a man made two fiber paper, which is what gives it this distinctive feel. In addition, since it's a sheet roll, I was able to tear off exactly the amount that I wanted each time, quickly and easily (the company estimates 70-125 sheets can be created from the roll). The blotting paper itself was extremely absorbant and best of all it's double sided, which means that I was able to use both sides of the paper and still be able to blot the oil - a great feature. The actual dispenser was very sturdy and cut the paper easily.

The version I used was the Aloe Vera, which had a nice clean scent. For those of you that like additional fragrance, the paper also comes in Bulgarian Rose (Not Rose Water) and Lavender Essential Oil versions which also smell incredible and extremely authentic.

I don't know how I got along without this product, but now that I've discovered it, I will always have a roll with me!" R.T.

Go-->Nurturing Force Aloe Vera Blotting Papers 29 feet blotting paper