Beauty Expiration Dates

Courtesy of the February issue of Real Simple magazine:

Your products won’t last forever, but here’s a comprehensive list of cosmetics and how long you can expect to keep them:

Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

Body lotion: Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: About three years.

Bath oil: One year.

Sunscreen: Check the package for an expiration date.

Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

Eye and lip pencils: Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

Lipstick and lip gloss: Two to three years.

Foundation: About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

Perfume: About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

Nail polish: One year.

Hairstyling products: Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

Bar soap: Up to three years.

Shaving cream: About two years.

Deodorant: Up to two years.

Wishlist: Holiday Gift Sets!

Ok, so as I was looking through the Sephora website for yesterday's post, I stumbled upon all sorts of new, incredibly yummy-sounding goodies that Philosophy is offering as Holiday Gift sets. And... I want them all!!!

Let's see, first there's The Ski House ($35), which includes a 4 oz Double Rich Hot Cocoa ultra rich, award-winning 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, a 2 oz Marshmallow Body Souffle, and a .5 oz Kiss Me Pink peppermint lip balm. I mean, my god, who doesn't want that? If I had Hot Cocoa body wash and marshmallow lotion, I don't know if I'd ever leave the bathroom. Ever.

Then there's Holiday Rescue ($25), complete with an 8 oz 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, plus a 3.5 oz Exfoliating Hot Salt Scrub. Another reason not to ever leave your shower.

And let's not forget some of the men that can make the holidays so sweet... Like The Ice-Cream Man, The Milk Man, and The Gingerbread Man. Each kit contains an 8 oz 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, a 2 oz Pampering Shimmer Body Souffle, and a .5 oz. Delicious High-Gloss Lip Shine, for $38. If you're not a one-man kind of wioman, there's always A Few Good Men ($25), a lipgloss trio including one lip gloss in each of the scents above.

I've already added a few of these to my Amazon.com wishlist, and am considering getting them as gifts for friends and family. They just look too cute (and sound way too yummy) to pass up!

Perceptions

Oh my gosh... I saw this over at The Beauty Brains, and it's amazing. I've seen before/after pics of celebrities once or twice from photo shoots, but it's still amazing, espceially the part where they photoshopped her. It's like models can't even say it's their own face or body anymore. This video was made by Dove as part of their Campaign for Real Beauty, which I am a HUGE fan of. Yay Dove!



(YouTube link)

Lend Me a Hand

My hands always get dry and chapped every winter. I mean, they get bad-- to the point that putting lotion on stings. It must be a combination of the cold weather, heaters, and washing my hands every 10 minutes at work every day. Thus every winter I'm faced with the struggle to find a hand lotion that could work small miracles for me, but usually to no avail-- I still end up with chapped, cracked hands.

Last year I made a startling discovery though-- Hemp Hand Protector ($6 for 1.25oz) from The Body Shop. When I spread some of the tester onto my chapped hands, I felt immediate relief, that lasted. I used it constantly after that, though by then temperatures were already rising again and I was needing it less and less.

Well, as of this month I started noticing my hands feeling dryer again. I tried to put hand lotion on after each time I washed my hands at work (Bath & Body Works Hand Repair Healing Hand Cream, $12 or buy 3 get 1 free) which helped, but couldn't do enough. Then I re-discovered my Hemp lotion, and started using it every night before I went to bed-- and immediately I noticed a difference in my hands. Now I hardly even need to use lotion during the day, even after washing my hands so often. I'm amazed, to say the least. Now, this hand lotion can feel a bit greasy after I put it on, but that's why it's perfect for beditme-- I let it sink in overnight, and I get to enjoy soft, happy hands all day long!

Hemp Hand Protector, you are my savior.

Discount Retailers Setting Up Shop in NY!

Hey gals, check out this article-- great news for frugal fashionistas! =)

(Thanks, Sales Rack Raider)

Back to Basics

Sometimes the most brilliant beauty solutions are the simplest ones. I have to send a bit Thank You! to The Beauty Brains for reminding me of what a useful little product good ole petroleum jelly can be, and pointing me over to this site full of pointers for how to use it. Such as....

Moisturize your lips and more--If you don't want to pay a lot for expensive lip balm, makeup remover, or even facial moisturizer, then your answer is a tube of petroleum jelly. It can soothe lips, take off foundation, eye shadow, mascara, and more. It will even act as a moisturizer on your face. (I've also heard it can be great as a conditioner for your eyelashes).

Lengthen the life of perfume--You've picked out a great scent to wear on your night out, but it's got to last. Worry not. Dab a bit of petroleum jelly on your pulse points. Then spray on the perfume. Now you can dance the night away and not worry about your perfume turning in early.

Soften chapped hands--If you're constantly applying hand lotion to your tired, chapped hands, but then taking it off again so you can get more work done, try this tip. Apply a liberal amount of petroleum jelly to your hands just before you go to bed. By morning, they'll be soft and smooth.

No more messy manicures--During home manicures, it's hard to keep the nail polish from running over on your cuticles. Petroleum jelly can help your manicures look more professional. Dab some along the base of your nails and the sides. If polish seeps off the nail during the manicure, all you do is wipe off the petroleum jelly and the sloppy nail polish is gone.

Smooth wild eyebrow hairs--If you have runaway eyebrows -- the ones where the hairs won't lie flat but curl up instead, control the wildness with some petroleum jelly. Rub a dab into your brows. They'll calm down and behave.

Stop hair dye runs--There's nothing more embarrassing than a home hair color job gone awry. Imagine finishing applying that new auburn shade to your tresses when you notice that you've dyed your hairline and part of your forehead too. Next time, run a bit of petroleum jelly across your hairline. If dye seeps off your hair, the petroleum jelly will catch it.

Heal windburned skin--You've just had a glorious hike through the countryside in autumn. And as much as you enjoyed the changing colors of the season, the hike has left you with an unpleasant souvenir: windburn. Grab a jar of petroleum jelly and apply it liberally to your face or wherever you've been chapped. The jelly helps relieve the pain.

Click here to see even more uses.

I actually feel silly realizing that I don't have any Vaseline in my home at the moment, but I think I'll have to go out and buy a tub of it.

Think Pink!

Here's a couple more links to products and items that will not only beautify you, but help fight breast cancer!

Lipstick, Powder 'N Paint has a post on Bare Escentuals' limited edition Pink Passion Rose Radiance Collection. All profits go to the Nation Breast Cancer Foundation.

Check out Red Envelope's Think Pink collection of items. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Womens Cancer Research Fund. Here's the link to the pink bracelet pictured at left.

Happy shopping! =)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Lots of beauty brands, big and small, have been launching special editions of their products to help fund Breast Cancer research. I was going to put together a post full of such products that I've come accorss, but then found that other blogs have already done so-- and possibly done a much better job than I could! So here are links to some great posts highlighting products that support breast cancer research.

Lipstick, Powder 'N Paint

Beautiful Makeup Search (this looks like it'll be an ongoing series of posts, so be sure to check back over the course of the month)

The Product Girl

If I find others along the way, or if I spot products that aren't already spotlighted in any of the above, I'll be sure to mention them here. Shop to your hearts' contents, gals, it's all for a good cause!

Sorry about the late post, gals, I got back into town late last night and just had no energy.

In other news, check out my interview up at ThisNext.com!

Open Letter to All Girls with Bad Posture

Dear Slouchies,

I've been noticing y'all a lot lately as I've been out and about. I've seen you at the beach with your teenage friends, or at the outdoor concert this past weekend... I've even seen you on the red carpet (yes, I'm talking to YOU, Scarlett Johansson). And I have a few words to share with you.

It pains me to see your shoulders all slumped over, your belly sticking out, your body basically looking like a big question mark. I just want to walk up to you and pull your shoulders back. I see you standing like that, and it makes me cringe, for your sake. Do you realize that when you hunch like that it makes your upper back curve forward and look like an old lady with bad osteoperosis? Do you realize that it makes your stomach and hips jut forward, making you appear a good 10lbs heavier than you actually are? Now, I know that many of you are tall, and in your teens/early 20's and so may feel self-conscious about your height. I also know you may feel self-conscious next to your prettier girlfriend. I've been there (not the tall part, but feeling like the dumpier friend of the duo). But you know what? I PROMISE you that if you only straighten up your shoulders and tuck in that tummy, you will look that much more attractive and even feel better, too.

When you slouch, you look uncomfortable. You look unsure of yourself. You look shy. And you look sloppy. When you stand up tall, you exude confidence. Your belly looks flatter. Your back looks regal. People will want to approach you more.

So, please, gals, listen to what your mother told you. Or what all the magazines tell you. Do that trick of imgining the string being pulled up from above your head. Practice it in the mirror, to see what a big difference it makes. I realize posture is a hard habit to change, so ask your friends and family to help remind you if you slip back into your old slouch habits. You'll be doing yourselves (and your backs, which must be very sore by now) a huge favor. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Marcy

Dear Readers,

I am very excited about this weekend!! I'm flying to Austin, TX this afternoon and will be attending the Austin City Limits Festival all weekend, as well as celebrating my birthday with family and friends. It will be a very busy weekend, and I know I won't have much time to post. Therefore, I am taking a bit of a break from posting tomorrow (friday) and monday so I can just enjoy the musical weekend and my birthday celebrations. Please enjoy some of the archives and my links during my absence. I will be back tuesday morning. Thanks!

Have a great weekend!
Marcy

Blogger Beta

Hello Dear Readers,

Just as an announcement, I have switched to the new beta version of blogger. So far sogood... You may have noticed a few tweaks in the template, I'll still be changing a few things around in the days and weeks to come. I can now use categires through blogger, but it'll take me a while to re-catgorize all my posts so for now I still have links up to my categories on del.icio.us. If y'all have any problems with leaving comments or viewing anything properly please let me know so I can alert blogspot.

Thanks! =)
Marcy

POLL!

Ok, fellow fashionistas, I need your advice!

This saturday my step-sister and I (whose birthdays are 4 days apart) are having a joint birthday celebration at a bar. I want to wear one of the following dresses-- I realize I may end up a bit overdressed but, ya know what, it's my birthday and I can dress how I want to! ; ) Plus I bought these dresses last month and haven't had a chance to wear them yet, and don't know when else I will.

Soooo... without further adew, here's dress #1:



And, dress # 2:



(If you click on the pictures you can see larger versions of them)

So, which one should I wear?

To Switch or Not To Switch?

I've been debating lately switching from Blogger to some other blogging format, such as wordpress. I've been playing around a bit today with worpress and I like some of the features it has (like built-in categories and being able to post-date your posts), although there's also some drawbacks (like not being able to edit the template of your page). I guess for the most freedom and reliability it becomes necessary to pay a bit for a better web hosting service... but I'm just not sure I'm ready to get there yet.

Hm... decisions, decisions....

Campaign for Real Beauty

I LOVE Dove's new ad campaign. I remember seeing the first of their Campaign for Real Beauty ads in a fashion magazine several months back and thinking "Hooray!" In the era of Mischa Barton, Nicole Ritchie, and The Olsen Twins, it's nice to see images of real females, with real bodies, not only being displayed but being celebrated!

I'm tired of hearing my gorgeous girl friends complaining about their bodies. I'm tired of seeing Hollywood actresses tout their refusal to "conform to the standards of Hollywood" one day, and revealing their secrets to super-slim downs the next. It's ridiculous the standards we set for ourselves!

Dove is not only taking a risk by choosing this alternative model type (which is fabulous, by the way) but they are also taking strides to help girls all over the world gain better self-confidence and feel better about themselves in general. According to a world-wide poll by Dove, almost 70% of women ages 15-64 have withdrawn from life-engaging activities because of their negative views of themselves and their bodies. As a response, Dove has created their Self-Esteem Fund, and has tools available on its website (a downloadable workbook, ideas and exercises) to help mothers and daughters (almost 70% of teenage girls reported that their mothers have an influence their feelings about themselves and their beauty) reconnect and feel better about themselves.



I applaud Dove for celebrating all the various shapes and sizes we come in, and taking the steps to help our young women attain better and healthier views of their bodies. Perhaps If Dina Lohan can snap out of her desire to be 21 again, she can look up some of these tools and help save her daughter from a drunken and undernourished demise....

The Beauty Brains (my new fave site)

I found this website (thanks to Delightful Blogs) last night, and have hardly been able to tear myself away from it since! (ok, so I slept for a few hours between perusing it last night and this morning...) The bloggers behind The Beauty Brains are professional cosmetic chemists whose job is to create and test different beauty products. Their blog is a series of question-and-answer posts about everything from shampoos and conditioners to makeup, and how it all works. This site is AMAZING! I keep clicking through their old posts and learning all sorts of new things! For example:

What are the best cheap hair care formulas?
Are expensive beauty products really worth it?
What do antioxidants and vitami C really do for your skin?
Do sunscreens work on hair?
How well do anti-aging products really work?
Are salon products sold at Target, etc, trustworthy?

And much, much, much, much, MUCH more. There's also a link to a cosmetics ingredients dictionary, and general info on how products like shampoos, conditioners, face lotions, etc actually work. This is a great site to get information on what's behind the marketing ploys of different new products, and how to educate yourself to be a better, smarter consumer so you can known what you're buying and get what you want. Go check them out!!

The Brush Off

We all know the importance of a good set of makeup brushes. They help make application easier, smoother, more pleasant (hello super soft brushes!). Here's 2 makeup brush kits that are both adorable and good buys, both from Sephora:


My husband got me this Two Tone Portfolio Brush Set ($42) for christmas last year (yay amazon.com wishlists!). It's a great deal when you consider that you're getting 6 quality brushes plus the cute carrying case. The kit includes a blush brush, a powder/bronzer brush, a lip brush, a concealer brush, an eyeshadow brush, and an eye countouring brush. I use these brushes almost exclusively now, abandoning my old drugstore-bought brushes.



This other set (Mini Clear Brush Set, $6) I just found on monday... and immediately bought it. This set includes a mini blush brush, eye shadow brush, eye shadow applicator, eyeliner brush, and lip brush. Ok, so the "blush brush" is probably too small to actually use, but all the others should still work fine even though they're so small. And the case itself is only about 3 inches long, so it's absolutely perfect for stashing in your makeup bag when you're travelling. Plus, it's only $6. You can't beat that.

I have a couple other beauty buys from today, including the Benefit Bright Eye pencil and Maybelline Great Lash mascara that I snagged at Target for under $4. Those reviews will be coming soon. ; )

"Grillz"

I have to say, I do not understand this phenomenon. It's been coming for a while, and now the Teen Choice Awards even gave out an award for "Best Grill." I just don't get it.

Every time I see some rapper or celebrity with a "grill" (which is like jewelry for your teeth, made of gold, platinum, even diamonds) it looks like they a) are missing teeth b/c of the reflection of the light or b) they have braces.

Now, WHY on EARTH would anyone want to look like a hill billy or a hormonal teenager?!? I remember having to wear braces in middle school (along with the rest of the world) and NO ONE liked them. They felt hideous, and more importantly they looked hideous. So why would anyone want to imitate that?

It just goes to show that people have so much money they don't know what to do with it. What ever happened to simply buying obnoxiously large jewelry? I really hope these "grillz" are not permanent, so when everyone finally realizes that they look like jackasses with them they can go take them off and not have completely ruined their teeth.

Sorry for the off-the-wall post, but I've just been baffled by this so-called trend for a while and just had to vent a bit. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow, I promise.

Delightful!

Hello Dear Readers,

Fantabulous! has been added to the list of blogs over at Delightful Blogs! This is very exciting for me. =) I'm listed as one of the 15 Beauty and Cosmetics blogs. If you like, you can head on over to Delightful and leave a comment about this blog, and/or give it a rating. Thanks!

Marcy

The Devil Wears Prada

I went and saw this movie with a friend this afternoon, and as a movie that comprises so much about fashion (even if it is high fashion which I never talk about here) I thought I'd talk a bit about it. The movie itself was cute. Normally these kinds of movies seem to dreadfully predictable to me, but I honestly was not entirely sure which way this one was gonna go at the end. Overall, entertaining. Especially since I adore Anne Hathaway. I remember when she was Get Real, a sitcom that lasted about 2 seconds, back when I didn't even know who she was. The there were the Princess Diary movies which, yes, incredibly cheesy, but she was so cute and adorable and honest and real that I instantly liked her. I'm really glad she's jumped into the world of grown-up-people movies (Brokeback Mountain, Devil) and may make a good career for herself. She really was a big driving force in me wanting to see this movie.

I thought she did a great job in this movie. Her actions, feelings, and motivations were believable, and she was relatable. Her hair and makeup looked gorgeous the whole time. However I noticed something about the clothes, the glamorous high-fashion clothes she was wearing. She seemed...awkward in them. The clothes were wearing her, instead of the other way around. Maybe it's b/c she's still getting comfortable with herself as an actress. Maybe it's b/c I envision her as more of a laid-back kinda gal. Maybe it was part of the movie, to show that she never really "fit in" with that crew.... I don't know. But it seemed to me that, on all the other fashionistas in the movie, their clothes seemed an extension of their bodies. With Anne, they seemed like something she was wearing for a part, but not really her thing.