Tag: beautytips

Review: Mangiacotti Hand Repair

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What It Is: Intense hand cream

What It Does: Softens even the driest of skins

Active Ingredients: Anti-oxidant Pomegranate and Papaya and shea butter

Verdict: I’ve got a confession to make. I’m handcream addict. I’m always on the lookout for the next best handcream on the market as I love to discover new brands. One thing that I look for in a handcream is that it’s non-greasy, fast-absorbing, and that the cream itself is thick and not thin (meaning that the thin feeling creams tend to be more water-based and don’t truly soften the skin in the same way as the thicker creams tend to). Now, I kind of took a risky bet with this handcream when I saw it in the store as it was a bit on the pricey side, but I took a whiff of the scent (I got the Pomegranate fragrance) and it was simply too decadent not to give it a shot. And I’m so glad that I did because this handcream is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It truly hydrates your skin for hours and even after you wash your hands, the hydrating effects don’t easily wash away. I tend to put this cream on at night and go to sleep with it and wake up to the softest hands e-v-e-r. Honestly, this product is simply tops, and you don’t even have to use a ton of it to get the awesome benefits from it!

Price: 12.50

Where To Buy It: http://www.mangiacotti.com (I actually bought mine at a local Hobby Lobby but I don’t know if they’re actually sold at Hobby Lobby nationwide so your best bet is to order it directly from their website).

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Milk Makeup Cooling Water

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milk

 

What It Is: A hydrating gel stick

What It Does: Refreshes and soothes skin for a quick boost of moisture on the go!

Active Ingredients: Caffeine and seawater

Verdict: Advertised as “sleep in a stick” I decided to give it a go since I’m always sleep deprived and could benefit from looking more refreshed and ready to conquer the world in the early a.m. Since it’s been on the humid/hot side lately, I decided to pop this beauty in the fridge overnight before using it the following morning. Usually I tend to avoid anything that claims to be uber hydrating because my skin is hydrated and oily enough that extra moisture usually means we’re getting close to acne territory, but the seawater convinced me that it would keep the pimples away since salt tends to absorb oil. I don’t have puffy eyes in the mornings, so I can’t say how well this stick works for that, but I can say that this stick does give you that extra boost that you may need to kickstart your morning. Using this is like drinking a double-shot espresso whilst getting a blast of cold water splashed on your face. If that doesn’t wake you up, I don’t know what will.

Bonus: Vegan and Cruelty-free

Price: $24

Where To Buy It: https://milkmakeup.com/products/cooling-water/

By: Azzurra Nox

 

 

 

Review: Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Invisible Spray

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What It Is: A dry shampoo for all hair colours and types

What It Does: It absorbs scalp oils allowing you to skip washing your hair for a day or two or could be used to add texture to fine hair for updos.

What Sets It Apart From Others: It’s clear, meaning no gunky white powder-like residue when yo spray, it’s got Vitamin E for shine, and a slight scent of verbena making you feel like you’ve got clean, washed hair when you’re just faking it.

Verdict: I’ve had this product for awhile but hadn’t had a chance to use it because I’ve been using Nexxus Dry Shampoo (another favourite of mine). But when going on vacation I had to opt for a smaller bottle so I decided to give this a try seeing that I had a small travel size of it on hand. Sometimes when you’re on vacation (especially if you were like me, visiting five cities in five days with crazy wakeup calls at 4:30a.m. trying to wash your hair isn’t your priority when that means you can snooze for another half hour), so dry shampoos come in handy. I used this on the fourth day of no washing and instantly it dried up any oil-build up and truly gave my thick strands a must-needed lift. My hair didn’t look nor feel dirty after using it and the slight scent could’ve fooled anyone that I had just shampooed it. If you’ve got fine hair, you’ll probably have to use it by your third day and may have to wash it the following day. Thicker hair as myself can manage for a couple more days after using it.

How To Use It: I sprayed this on the roots and lifted my hair and continued to spray till I had covered the majority of my head. I then used my fingertips to massage the dry shampoo in, combed it, and put it up in a bun for the night. The following morning I let my hair down, finger combed it and was good to go!

Price: $25

Where To Buy It: Amazon.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

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tata

What It Is: An all-natural exfoliating mask

What It Does: This mask exfoliates, removes oil, and evens skin tone.

Verdict: When I initially applied this mask I was a bit confused as I was expecting something with a thicker substance akin to a clay mask. Instead, this mask is very thin, almost water based gel that reminds me more of a peel than a mask. However, I decided to try it and kept it on for 30 mins. (the recommended time). I honestly wasn’t expecting much, cause like I said I usually prefer clay based masks because those are the most effective for my oily skin. After 30 mins. I washed off the mask and I don’t know if it did much for removing oil or exfoliating, but it did help with softening my skin and making it look more glowy (probably because in reality it’s more of a peel). But unlike a true peel, it didn’t burn my skin nor leave it feeling like it had been soaked in gasoline for half an hour. If you’re having issues with uneven skintone due to dullness or because of acne scars, than I totally recommend this product to you. It may just be your saving grace.

Price: $58

Where To Buy It: Tataharperskincare.com

By: Azzurra Nox

5 Best Lip Balms for Softer Lips!

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Long before I learned how to read and write, cosmetics were (and still are) one of my areas of passion and expertise. My parents gave me my first vanity at the tender age of three, and with a whole palette of eyeshadows and tubes of different coloured lipsticks, where I would create various looks, and whole thus whole new characters or alter-egos. But out of all the products out there, one of my greatest obsessions is lipbalm. Nothing could break your entire look like dry, chapped lips. And after many years of experimenting and trials, five lipbalms have stood out out of the sea of options.

Now I know that personal preference is just that, personal, but the key ingredients to what makes a lip balm absolutely amazing are, the softness (which usually means it’s a bit thicker and not on the shiny side) and the scent (an awful smelling lip balm is quite distracting, especially when one wears it 24/7 as I do!).

Here are my five favourite lip balms, in order of preference:

LABELLO – CHERRY KISS

Not only does this lip balm promises soft lips with its conditioning ingredients, but it smells amazing. The slight reddish tint is perfect when you’re on the go and don’t really want to commit to lipstick. I’ve been using this since I was ten, and no other product tops this one. Usually retails around $8 on amazon, but if you’re in Europe you can purchase it around 2 euros.

EOS – LIP BALM

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What I absolutely love about this lip balm is the pure softness. It’s very thick, which means that it doesn’t easily dry out, so less applications than your normal lip balm are required. Plus it’s made from organic ingredients, which means no harsh chemicals. Cause ya know…not all of wish to be spreading lead on our lips (looking at you L’Oreal). Retails around $4.

CAUDALIE – LIP CONDITIONER

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This lip balm smells amazing, and on top of that it is very moisturizing with a hint of honey goodness to make your lips that extra soft! It goes on colorless, making it the perfect balm to wear under lipsticks or glosses. Or at night and not leave residual hue on your pillowcases. Retails around $12.

MARGOT ELENA TOKYO MILK BON BON LIP BALM – CHERRY BOMB

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I’ll admit it right now, most of my lip balm flavours revolve around cherry. This lip balm is the best smelling cherry lip balm there is. The feel is extremely luxurious, as is the beautiful packaging. Put this on your lips and set the little case on your vanity and you’ll be feeling like a gorgeous Marie Antoinette in no time. Retails around $12.

SHISEIDO WATER IN LIP – PURE PINK (CHERRY BLOSSOM POWDER)

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When it comes to innovative and amazing beauty products, Japan is the place to go. They’ve had BB creams years before the rest of the world got wind of the craze. This is why Shiseido’s lip balm is one of my all time favourites, with Vitamin E and Gritilretin Acid blended with Italian mineral water, it provides exceptional moisture for hours. As most of the lip balms mentioned, it doesn’t have a real tint to it, but a slight pearly sheen, giving the lips a youthful look. Retails around $5.

By: Azzurra Nox