Maintain a Dry Existence!
July 6, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Bath and Body, Product Reviews, Save Money, Skin Care
As gross as it is to admit, during the summer (and just about any time of year), we ALL sweat.

Image: Sephora
Dermadoctor’s Med e Tate is actually super simple - all you have to do is stroke a towelette!
The ingredients are actually sort of similar to the topical results of Botox, and helps avoid using stuff like topical prescriptions, prescription meds, or the aforementioned Botox. (And seriously, who wants to deal with stuff like shots or invasive procedures if they don’t have to?)
This isn’t for the girl who gets a little bit sweaty after pilates - this is for the serious sweater. (As in one who sweats, not who wears a seriously styling sweater…which too may make you sweat, but probably not excessively.)
Med e Tate contains potency antiperspirant available, but also plant extracts, to help maintain dryness. Plus they are little packets that look almost like those Wet Ones thingies…granted, for very different purposes.
Bright Lights, Big City
July 5, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Makeup, Product Reviews
I love Benefit Cosmetics for several reasons: First, they are awesome products, in general, and second…the fabulous packaging!

Image: Sephora
And I also love their sets, such as the hot off the shelves Bright Lights Big City! , that contains a brightening face primer, a blue mascara to whiten eyes , and a pink pencil eye pencil (great to bright up tired eyes!).
The idea of this kit is, quite obviously, just to brighten you up! And who can’t use that?
This kit is compact, and will have you as hooked as I am in no time - and looking so bright-eyed and bushy tailed, people may actually believe you had a good night’s sleep last night. Which, obvs, you didn’t.
Lashed Up in Mascara
June 25, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Makeup, Product Reviews, Save Money
Everyone I know is always in search of the next-best mascara. And whether they are looking for volume or length or curl, no one is ever 100% happy - and thus the search continues.
How cool would it be to have your entire search in one kit?
Now you sort of can! Sephora is doing a series of “best of” sort of kits, and Lashstash is their mascara array.
There’s a little bit of everything in this set, from a lash base to a rice-bran-enriched mascara! My trick: Don’t try just one, mix and match until you find the combo that makes you look your most lust-worthy.
In this set is:
- 0.1 oz Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara
- 0.1 oz Tarte Lights Camera Lashes
- 0.1 oz Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara
- 0.24 oz Stila Multi Effect Mascara
- 0.14 oz Benefit Bad Gal Mini
- 0.2 oz Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash
- 0.13 oz Too Faced Mini Lash Injection Pin Point
- 0.12 oz Smashbox Bionic
- 0.07 oz Lancome Cils Booster
- 0.085 oz DuWop Lash Venom
- 0.14 oz Korres Provitamin B5 and Rice Bran Mascara
Image: Sephora
Jurilique Hand Cream Trio
June 21, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Makeup, Product Reviews
Hand cream is super important, no matter what the season or your day-to-day routine.
However, if you are like me and spend just about all your time using your hands in one respect or another, you may have even more of a need.
Jurlique Hand Cream Trio is awesome - it’s super rich, which is obviously pretty essential in a hand cream, but also balancing and smoothing.
In the set is:
- 1.4 oz Citrus Hand Cream
- 1.4 oz Rose Hand Cream
- 1.4 oz Lavender Hand Cream
I love to use the citrus one early in the day -there’s a very refreshing feel to it, and the rose and lavender during the later, calming hours. Plus, none are greasy - something i cannot even stand to fathom in any cream, ever.
Image: Sephora
Blink, Winks and Brows
June 20, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Makeup, Product Reviews
Sephora has recently launched their “Sephora Favorites” collection, and it’s a bombastic (apologies for using that phrase, but it applies) array at a quality value.
I’m probably at some point going to gush about a lot of the offerings, but right now, I’m all about Blink, Winks & Brows, a limited edition set including deluxe samples of of some of their favorite eye essentials, which, shockingly enough - coincide with some of MY faves!
This set includes pretty much everything you need to up the smolder-level of your sultry stare, from brow gels to primers to everything in between, including:
- 0.02 oz Sephora Electro Liner Copper
- 0.017 oz Anastasia Brow Gel
- 0.095 oz Anastasia Matte Highlighter
- 0.1 oz Urban Decay Primer Potion
- 0.11 oz Too Faced Shadow Insurance
- 1.7 oz Lancome Bi-Facil Makeup Remover
- 0.25 oz Cosmedicine Opti-mologist Eye Cream
- 0.005 oz Smashbox Mini Cream Eye Liner Palette
- 0.14 oz Stila Mini Smudge Pot
- 0.06 oz Smashbox Mini Eyeshadow Trio in Head Shot
They are all “minis” - which I actually like better. It’s the ideal way to try a product before you commit to a full size. And, at $40 (a $112 value) - how can I not take advantage??? Note: Just so you know, Anastasia Brow Gel is my favorite product ever, and that alone usually runs for around $20 - so this is a crazy deal!
Image: Sephora
Mineral Makeup Newbie?
June 14, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Makeup, Product Reviews
When it comes to Bare Escentuals, I am no newbie - in fact, I give it pretty much deity status.
I know a lot of you are still new to it, and mineral makeup in general, though.
For you, I recommend you go out immediately and get yourself bareMinerals Newbie Complexion Kit
This kit includes:
- 2 x 0.03 oz shades of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation
- 0.02 oz bareMinerals Mineral Veil
- 0.01 oz bareMinerals Warmth All-Over Face Color
- Mini Flawless Application Face Brush
Why do you need this?
It’s quite simply a great starter kit, and comes with two shades of foundation, so you can find your perfect match. Why do you want mineral makeup? Well, not only does it not clog your pores in the way liquid might, but it’s a lighter, and yet, even coverage - great anytime, but ideal for summer!
Image: Sephora
Sephora Brand Metro Train Case in Teal
May 18, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Product Reviews
If you are looking for a seasonally savvy cosmetic carrier, the new Sephora Brand Metro Train Case in Teal is, well, pretty adorable.
It’s super colorful, and is secure, too: It has snap locks, a lock and key to keep your items secure, fully adjustable inner trays, a four-tier foldout tray, and a detachable shoulder strap.
Do you need something like this? Yes. Even the cutest apartment is a whole lot less attractive when you have beauty supplies thrown around every corner - I speak from experience.
Image: Sephora
SEPHORA PURE Natural 7-Color Palette
April 14, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Product Reviews
I think I’ve waxed poetic more than enough about my love of a good shadow palette.
I feel like having all you need for a variety of looks in one place makes it way more likely we’ll take that plunge and TRY a new look. It ain’t like in this economy many of us are going to go out and buy a dozen shadows separately, right?
Even if you will, it gets way easier when you don’t have to, and with Sephora brand’s new PURE National 7-color palette, you get six wearable shades of shadows (good for day and night) and a pink blush shade that is friendly to many skin tones. Will these be looks everyone likes? Maybe not…but if they are your colors, why not give it a whirl?
Plus, at just over $30, it’s a super-great value - something none of us can afford to underestimate right now.
Image: Sephora
Great Mini Eyelash Curler That’s Cute Too!
March 22, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty, Product Reviews, Save Money
I confess: I often fall victim to choosing products based on their packaging. I of course also care about quality and value and all that - but, if it is pretty, chances are it will get a closer look.
And, thus, when I saw the Sephora Mini Heated Eyelash Curler - I was smitten. Look how cute it is!
It’s also quality though - at $12, it won’t burst your budget, but it really works well at curling and styling those stubborn little lashes - and is easy to pack in your purse for later-on touch-ups! A great find - and adorable, too!
Image: Sephora
Your Face Is a Canvas
March 15, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Beauty
It’s sometimes hard to remember, but very important: You always need to put your very best face forward, and that means using products that complement each other.
All of us fall into the habit of mixing and matching products based on what appears in our mail box, what’s on sale, etc. But using a regime that has been built to work with other products within that set will almost always have better results.
For that reason, I am very drawn to Clinique’s new Almost Look Foundation Kit.
The kit includes Almost Makeup SPF 15 for sheer coverage plus sun protection, as well as Almost Powder Makeup SPF 15, Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, and the Powder Foundation Brush, all which have been designed to complement each other and you while doing all their individual parts.
Image: Sephora





















