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If you love Estee Lauder and can't help but get a little bit of sticker shock at the counter, you will love their current deal.Right now, at EsteeLauder.com, with any purchase of $39.50 or more, customers will receive over $100 worth of free products. Even better? We get to choose the products we want! This is super cool, because I don't know about you, but the products I find in gifts with purchase are almost never the ones I'd actually choose for my face!
On the line-up:
Choose a 14-day supply from their best-selling moisturizers:
Time Zone (2009 CEW winner for Best Moisturizer)
DayWear Plus
Hydra Bright
Resilience Lift Extreme
And then choose which color collection suits your skintone best!
Warm Shades include the following Estée Lauder products:
High Gloss in Honey
Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Coral
Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowStick in Golden Peach
8 Estée Lauder Eyeshadows in shades Peach, Apricot, Chocolate, Praline and Amber Honey Quad
Cool Shades include the following Estée Lauder products:
High Gloss in Rose
Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Tiramisu
Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowStick in Pink Shell
8 Estée Lauder Eyeshadows in shades Mulberry, Lavender, Sugar Cube, Berry Ice and Smokey Pink Quad
And if that wasn't enough, each gift includes a sample of Aerin Lauder's Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia fragrance and a chic City Square cosmetics bag!
Deal goes until June 14!
The latest hype in Hollywood is the idea of the lash extension. I don't know about you, but I'm too scared to try it--not to mention, I don't have the budget to splurge on them like some of the major stars out there. (Hmmm, I wonder who has gotten them already? I can only guess.)
A polished appearance is not just about wearing a cute dress or jeans that fit well. A seemingly minor detail like a great manicure can be a deciding factor on that job interview or first date. During a recession, however, you may feel guilty investing money in a spa manicure, which can cost over $25.Instead of hitting the salon, save loads of cash and give yourself a quality French manicure at home with Sephora's Easy French Manicure Duos. You can grab the set for $8 and get dozens of fabulous manicures (and pedicures, for that matter) for less than the price of one at a salon--no tip necessary.
We know green tea is healthy and delicious - but did you also know it has tons of beauty benefits? We chatted with Rona Tison, Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for ITO EN (North America) and learned so much!
1. It can reduce puffy peepers: Stayed out too late last night? Soaking a cotton pad in green tea and placing it over eyes for 10 minutes can reduce the puffiness of tired eyes, making you look revitalized and refreshed.
2. It can soothe skin: Spent a little too much time in the sun? Use the naturally calming properties of green tea to soothe sunburned skin. Place green tea in a spray bottle and mist on sunburned areas for all-natural relief. Because it has anti-bacterial qualities, green tea can also be used as an antiseptic to spray on skin blemishes or irritations.
3. It's great for teeth: Green tea has fluoride in it, making it a superstar for keeping gums and teeth healthy. Green tea can even be used as a mouthwash to maintain breath.
4. It can soothe sore throats: The anti-viral effects of green tea make it an excellent remedy to help prevent the effects of a cold or flu. In fact, you can gargle with green tea to soothe a sore throat.
5. It's good for the bones: Naturally high in minerals, green tea aids in strong bone density, which is important for maintaining good posture.
6. It's a room deodorizer: Green tea leaves have traditionally been used to naturally absorb odors in a room. Place tea leaves in a bowl to help absorb unpleasant odors or leave some in the fridge in place of baking soda.
7. It's good for the feet: Soaking tired feet in green tea can prevent unpleasant fungal infections.
Now, it's the best of both worlds: You can satisfy your sweet tooth and your love of all things spa without breaking the bank by creating a unique and luxurious at-home spa experience with the intoxicating aroma of chocolate.Here are four simple recipes using a combination of chocolate and Epsom Salt guaranteed to get you ready for date night.
Coco Loco Bath Salts
1 cup Epsom Salt
1 cup sea salt
3 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. oil (almond, olive, sunflower or other good quality oil)
Combine dry ingredients and mix. Add the vanilla extract and oil. Mix until oil is completely blended in. Store in an airtight container.
Mint Chocolate Bath Salts
1 cup Epsom Salt
2-3 tsp. cocoa powder
½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rough chopped
5 drops of peppermint essential oil (optional) Add together the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Add the peppermint oil if desired and mix again.
Chocolate Almond Truffle Bath Salts
1 cup Epsom Salt
1 cup powdered milk
2 tbs. of almond oil
2-3 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional for extra fragrance)
In a clean, dry bowl, add together the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the almond oil and almond extract (if desired) and mix very well again. Store in an airtight container.
Chocolate Body Polish
2 cups Epsom Salt
¼ cup petroleum jelly
1 tsp. cocoa powder
3-4 drops of pure chocolate extract Mix together Epsom Salt and petroleum jelly. Add cocoa powder and extract. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches. Rinse in the shower with warm water.
It doesn't seem interchangeable, does it? But a simple snip could have the same overall affect to someone's face as those paralyzing toxins.
According to celebrity hair stylist and salon owner Suki Duggan of Donsuki Townhouse Salon in New York City, during the recession, people are cutting back on unnecessary items such as botox.
Bangs give you an easy way to hide those brow lines at a much more affordable price.
"A lot of my clients are asking me for bangs as a way to hide the imperfections of their forehead," said Duggan.
You may be willing to shell out some cash for your favorite beauty product, but what if it gets discontinued? Although beauty companies are notorious for killing products because of lagging sales or to make room for new trends and technology, you're not totally out of luck. There's a chance that your hard-to-find favorite is just a phone call or a click away. In their May 2009 issue, ShopSmart has the steps to follow next time your favorite beauty product is whisked off the market.
The first place to go to track down a much-missed favorite is the manufacturer: Call the makeup brand's customer service department to ask about leftover inventory, upgraded formulas/names or comparable substitutes.
* Estée Lauder brands: You can find products discontinued in the last 24 months through the company's Gone but Not Forgotten program; you can buy up to six pieces, depending on availability. Call 800-216-7173 to start your search.
* Almay, Revlon & Ultima II: You can find discontinued products at cosmeticsandmore.com and their affiliated retail outlets (in Arizona, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina), or call 888-882-5629 to place an order.
* Lancôme, Molton Brown and Nars: These companies sell discontinued items on their sites--Lancome-usa.com, Moltonbrown.com, and Narscosmetics.com--until inventory runs dry.
Some brand sites, including Benefitcosmetics.com, Clinique.com, Lancome-usa.com, and Prescriptives.com--feature online alerts, so customers have fair warning when discontinued goods are disappearing.
If the manufacturer is unable to track down an old fave, here are some other sites worth checking out:
* Discount.makeup.com: This subsidiary of Makeup.com sells discontinued beauty products from many brands, including Shiseido and Bare Escentuals.
* Beautyencounter.com: This site sells hard-to-find products from Max Factor, Neutrogena, Goldwell, Sebastian, KMS, and more.
* Vermontcountrystore.com: Its niche is hard-to-find items, and customer service will track down products for which they get a lot of requests, even if the site doesn't carry them. When an item is no longer manufactured and demand is sufficient, the site buys an original formula and reproduces.
* Threecustom.com: The go-to place for celebrity makeup artists, Three Custom Color specialists can replicate the exact shade and texture of just about any color cosmetic product, including blush, eyeshadow, lipstick, concealer, and foundation. The company has an archive of 9,000 makeup shades dating back to the 1930s, and it will duplicate a hue if you send a dime-size sample.
Still no luck? Here are other places to do makeup research:
* eBay.com, Amazon.com and Overstock.com: These sites can list discontinued products. Since the goods offered can come from third parties, there's the risk that a product is old or wasn't stored or shipped properly, so read the fine print carefully regarding any return policy before ordering.
* Makeupalley.com: You can find in-depth information on tons of products, including discontinued ones, at this social community of beauty-product consumers. You can post a product request on the Swap Board; if another member owns the item, you can negotiate a trade.
* The Fragrance Foundation: For detailed information on just about any fragrance that's ever existed, go to fragrancefoundation.org and click on Fragrance Directory.
Safety Alert: Your instinct might be to hoard when you find an old beauty favorite but remember that many cosmetics go bad fast once opened. Unopened beauty products and fragrances can last for several years if they are stored properly (in a dark, cool place). The exception is products with an expiration date, such as some acne products and sunscreens, as these have ingredients that might be compromised over time.
Given our current "recessionista beauty" purchasing habits, it is imperative to be mindful of what we are putting in/on our faces and not solely focus on the "bargain." We can't take chances when our face is on the line, after all the consequences may be irreparable.
"I have seen many new patients that are coming to me after receiving "botched" treatments," says Dr. Mark Nestor. "I can't stress enough the importance of seeing a specialist (dermatologist, plastic surgeon, oculoplastics and facial plastic surgeons) - you don't want to take any chances when your health and appearance is at stake."
According to The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery <http://www.surgery.org/>, "consumers looking for a bargain on cosmetic procedures will unfortunately lead to an increase in horror stories about 'discount injectables' bought offshore and cosmetic medicine and cosmetic surgical procedures performed by untrained or poorly trained practitioners."
You can now be econ-savvy and still look and feel your best by choosing cosmetic treatments that offer more "bang for your buck." Do your homework and choose treatments with longer-lasting results and lower long-term maintenance costs. Weigh your options and opt for what will look good now ... next month ... and maybe even next year! For instance, recent clinical data demonstrates that the results of Restylane® can last up to 18 months in 95 percent or more of patients with just one repeat injection. This means fewer injections and less dollars spent to look vibrant, fresh and youthful for more than a year!
In these troubled economic times, people are rethinking their budget
and looking for luxury without the premium price tag. Fragrances can often feel like an untouchable luxury for many of us, but an option I found from d'essense fill that desire perfectly.
From "The Essense of Marc Jacobs" for women to "The Essense of Issey Miyake for Men," the d'essense collection has scents that appeal to everyone at the fraction of the designer price.
d'essense offers almost 80 name-brand fragrances at prices as much as 80 percent below similar perfumes sold in department stores. The true value that d'essense offers lies in the company's commitment to making perfumes that contain 28 percent essential oils - among the highest concentration of fragrance in the perfume world. (By comparison, most designer perfumes contain only 22 percent oils; eau de parfum uses 12 percent; and eau de toilette just 8 percent.) Because d'essence fragrances contain more natural oils and less alcohol than brand names, you apply less initially and reapply less often, so your bottle lasts longer.
More information about d'essense products, including a list of available scents, can be found on the web site www.dessenseperfume.com.
Shopping smart is "in" and spending big is "out" for many.
"There is definitely a misconception that drugstore products can't get the job done, but that couldn't be further from the truth," says dermatologist Erin Welch, Denver Dermatology Consultants, Denver, Colorado . "Not only are you saving lots of money by avoiding the department store for similar products, but you will find that some of the items are actually very impressive.
According to Dr. Welch, these items are hot and in demand, but you won't break a sweat when you go to the local drug store to buy them. Below are some of Dr. Welch's top bargain beauty tips:
Daily Anti-aging Cream: It seems that every skincare company on the planet has a daily anti-aging serum these days. "I recommend Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum to my patients," explains Dr. Welch. "Ranked #1 in effectiveness for mass market anti-aging serums by Consumer Reports, this anti-aging serum contains pentapeptides shown to boost collagen production and stimulate cell growth, helping to smooth out lines." Suggested retail price is $17.50.
Optimum Facial Cleanser: You could spend hours in the drug store trying to find the perfect facial cleanser. "For the optimum long-term health and beauty of the skin, an effective daily routine should include products that can both cleanse and protect the skin without disrupting its natural pH balance," explains Dr. Welch. Consider using gentle pH balanced washes, such as NEW pHisoderm Cream Cleanser for sensitive skin, pHisoderm's Cream Cleanser for normal to dry skin or pHisoderm's new Unscented Facial Cleansing Bar . "All of these cleansers will help maintain the skin's protective acid mantle in order to retain the skin's natural moisture and healthy balance," says Dr. Welch. Suggested retail price $4.99.
Night-Time Anti-Aging Treatment: RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is an intensive anti-wrinkle treatment that works through the night, helping to reduce expression lines and deep wrinkles. "This exclusive combination of pure Retinol and an essential mineral complex is a great alternative for people who find prescription strength Retin-A too irritating," explains Dr. Welch. Suggested retail price $22.00
Strong Nails/Healthy Hair: Take Biotin 2.5/mg a day to make nails strong and the next time you go for a manicure opt for the basic polish change and save a bundle on not needing nail treatments. Biotin is a vitamin supplement and studies have shown it helps restore dry, brittle nails and oh yes, did we mention.... Biotin promotes hair growth. Double-duty beauty...gotta love that! Suggested retail price $25.00 for 120 capsules.
Acne Treatment: Many make the mistake of thinking adult acne can not be treated with over-the-counter products, but that is not the case at all. You don't have to break the bank with expensive acne treatments to get the results you want; you just need a product that isn't too harsh on your face. "The pH-balanced pHisoderm brand offers both an Anti-Blemish Gel Facial Wash and an Anti-Blemish Body Wash (great for clearing up "backne"). Also newly introduced are the pHisoderm Anti-Blemish Cleansing Pads . "The pHisoderm pads are reminiscent of the acne pads you used as a teen, but they do not contain the harsh benzoyl peroxide that the teen formulations do," says Dr. Welch. Suggested retail price $4.99-$5.99.
Sun Protection: It doesn't matter what the season is, your lips and skin are exposed to extreme temperatures, which ultimately causes automatic moisture loss. To help keep skin hydrated and protected all year round, it is important to use a daily moisturizer with sunscreen because damaging UV rays are still present during the fall and winter months! And don't forget the lips -- According to the National Skincare Foundation, 63 percent of sunscreen users don't protect their lips. "Always use a quality lip balm with a high SPF that also contains the ingredient dimethicone," advises Dr. Welch. Look for products such as Softlips sheer lip conditioning line in Raspberry with Green Tea, Cherry, Vanilla and Strawberry as they contain SPF 20. Suggested retail price $2.79 -$3.99.
