Sunburn Lotion for Those Holiday Vacations

This is hands-down the best sunburn product I've found, and the best thing is, every beach town in (practically) the world has it. I'm fair skinned, but love the sun, and sadly have been through a lot of bad burns. This is the only lotion I've ever used that prevented peeling. You have to be disciplined though in applying it twice a day for a few days, and it is a little greasy. I swear it works though!

Cuticle Oil That Works!

Solar Oil...I swear by this stuff, it is the absolute best. The bottle is cute, lasts forever, and has a diagonal side so you can tilt it toward you without holding it. Genius! The oil feels really silky when you massage it into your hands and your cuticles look better right away. No delayed gratification here. It has been a favorite for so long, I can't believe I haven't written about it yet. I am going to have to dig into my own medicine cabinet to remember the great stuff that I've been holding out on!

Kukui Products

Here is the new secret ingredient: Kukui. It is in all sorts of lotions and oils, even Proactive uses it. I'll add more products to the list too...

Airbrush Makeup from Dior

Just like the Evian spritzer, here comes a new can to spray at your face. Geared towards producing a 'flawless' finish, this micronized spray makeup by Dior is a great improvement on regular foundation. It looks a lot like the finish of mineral makeup, if you do it right that is...Dior Airflash at http://www.saks.com/

No Mess, Quick Nail Color

I tried these for a wedding, when I knew for sure that I would be running late. They are made by Avon and are called 'Instant Manicure Dry Enamel Strips'. It was so great, because when I finished doing them (in the car) they were already dry. The packets come with some extra ones, like press-on kits, in case you mess up or for if your fingers are wider or thinner than the average. They are almost like stickers, except that there is no glue just pre-dried nail polish. You would think they would look different, but if you put them on carefully they really look painted. It's the weirdest thing.
I've recently heard there are knock-offs now in the drugstore, which might be cheaper, but I would wonder about quality. These are $8 each, but you get a free one when you buy. So...$4 really, which is cheap for a manicure but not quite the deal that painting them yourself would be. My attempt lasted over a week, which is pretty good for my nails, and they looked good despite my less than surgical steady hand. They make pedicure ones as well. Click below and search 'Instant Manicure' to find them on Avon.

Traveling Dry...No Need To Check

With all of the new travel rules banning liquids in your carry-on, I have started to look for 'dry' options to pack. I use these makeup remover pads from Almay now. Since they are so inexpensive, I just leave one in my makeup bag ready to go. These ones are the 'oil free' which I would definitely recommend for any eye makeup. The regular ones are really oily, but work well for long-wearing lipstick that stains into your lips.
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Anybody Out There Using Mascara Primer?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't like this stuff. All of the big companies, department store lines or drugstore brands, make it. I've tried Lancome's and I've tried Revlon's but it is just too much. While it is supposed to make mascara go on smooth, I actually think that all of that white gunk makes my mascara get more clumpy. I know you need to wiggle the brush back and forth while you put it on (like normal mascara), but still no dice. Love to know if anyone likes this stuff...

Foundation Primer - Fence off the Foundation:)

Just this one simple step will make your makeup last so much longer! I never used to put foundation primer on under my makeup, until I started thinking about how gross foundation was. It is pretty much made up of synthetic chemical ingredients or plastic derivatives. So, I changed my mind - and it works. No more smudges either. Most of them contain vitamins and antioxidants. I like Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (www.Nordstorms.com), they also have a hydrating version and an oil-free formulation.

Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Finally good info on how to clean your makeup brushes. This comes straight from the experts - not the girl working at Sephora (no offense but I've had 3 conflicting answers so far!). Here is the lowdown:
Synthetic brushes – clean every few days by applying some eye makeup remover and wiping it off with paper towel, then wash them with facial soap and water.
Natural brushes – clean once a month by swishing the head around in a dime size drop of baby shampoo and water, then rinse it with warm water and pat it dry

Love, Love, Love The Lip Scrub, Scrub, Scrub

I found some cool 'lip exfoiliant' today, which I'm not sure that I need, but it would make a really cute present. It comes in a little brown box with a ribbon and is called 'the lip scrub' by Sara Happ. It comes in other flavors too, think Brown Sugar, Almond Creme, or Peppermint. Yum! The name is a bit obvious, but it is fun and trendy, and I think only about $20 at http://www.thelipscrub.com/