Younger Than Springtime

Day 38: L'Oreal Pore Minimizing Skin Re-Smoother
by Cavewoman

It seems like just yesterday that we started our 40 In 40 Skincare reviews. I'm pretty sure back then we had a few feet of snow on the ground, and we were weary of Winter and what it did to our skin. I've gone through so much lotion, so many jars of creams, and even the husband has been dipping into the lotions I have sitting on the shelved in the bathroom. He likes an Italian body lotion I found on a markdown rack at TJMaxx. That is way better than the time he "liked" my Chanel Creme Extreme Protection and used up the entire tube. I gotta give him credit for knowing a good product when he uses one!


But as I write this, on a beautiful, sunny, warm, glorious Spring day, with daffodils swaying gently in the breeze, forsythia popping yellow all over its branches, and the star magnolia in full bloom, I'm hoping I can finally put away some of the heavy-duty skin-savers of the last few months, and move on to the things I'd stored away back in the Fall. The first thing I took out of storage was this little aqua bottle from L'Oreal. It's called Dermo-Expertise Skin Genesis Active Cellular Skincare Pore Minimizing Skin Re-Smoother. That's a very big name for a little one-ouncer. It promises tightened, smaller pores, smoother skin, and retexturizing. Who wouldn't want all of those things? I'm on my second bottle.

Skin Re-Smoother is a lightweight gel-lotion that feels refreshing and cool on the skin, and dries almost instantly to a super-matte finish. L'Oreal would like you to use this morning and night under your moisturizer. I had thought of it as a temporary pore-tightening pore-minimizing product and not a treatment for those problems. It didn't occur to me that if I used it morning and night, maybe those problems would actually diminish over time, and not just when I had this product on my face. And so that is what I'm planning to do. I'll report the results after I try this for a few months.

A matte surface was not what I would ever want in the dry-skin months of this bad Winter. But now with warmer weather, I will have the same old problem I have had for years, which is why I purchased and used up a bottle of Skin Re-Smoother last Summer. A lifetime of super-oily skin left me with huge pores. Most pore-minimizing products work better on oily skin, but that's not me anymore, post-menopause. So herein was the dilemma. I noticed on the box that one of the ingredients is hyaluronic acid. I know that this ingredient attracts moisture to the skin, so I hoped it would help with the dryness while the "pore-targeting technology" would do its magic. The formula also contains denatured alcohol, some silicones, glycerin, and salicylic acid. Sounds like the product is confused! But I was happy to see real, visible results in the pore areas, definitely seeing smaller pores and a nice tightening effect around the nose-cheek area. The only objection I have to this product is that it has a slight whitish cast on the skin. And I definitely do need to wear a lightweight moisturizer over it.

Just knowing that I have brought out this product that I only use in warmer weather has lightened my spirits as much as putting away heavy sweaters and bringing out cute sandals. I did that this week, too. It's a sign of finally being able to say goodbye (and good riddance) to the worst cold snowy Winter we've had in recent memory.

Today, the team of workers arrived to begin the extensive repairs on all the damage done to this old house during the winter. It's hard to be old. House or woman. Spring brings renewal of heart and home. Happy Spring to all!

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer
Credits: Cavewoman for Blogdorf Goodman and Melanie Parker/I Married A Witch

Feed Your Skin!

Day 13: L'Oreal Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition
by MUA's Cavewoman

It's no secret that I am frustrated with my super-dry skin this Winter, and with Prescriptives for going out of business and leaving me wondering what I can use to alleviate the dryness and discomfort I'm experiencing now. Nothing has seemed to relieve the tightness, flakies, and parched, dull appearance of my complexion. I've layered products and slathered on the creams, and I even dug out my little sample of Creme De La Mer, which didn't help, either. I've re-applied my regular facial moisturizer throughout the day, and I wake up in the morning with a face as dry as a sheet of paper.

A few weeks ago, I took advantage of a day without snow, and took my Mom to our favorite grocery store to stock up on provisions before the next blizzard would hit. While she was gathering her weekly stock of magazines, I wandered off to the skincare aisle a few steps away. Our grocery store has a nice way of calling attention to anything new, with a big red "NEW!" tag on the shelf right below the product. Spotting the tag on the L'Oreal shelf, I saw this Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition, which I had seen on the L'Oreal website a few days before and did not dream I would find so soon. On the box, I read the words "For Mature, Very Dry Skin" and into our cart it went. I tried it out that very night. While it was snowing.

So far, in our 40 In 40 Skincare Project, you've seen me rave about the L'Oreal Age Perfect Serum and the Skin Genesis Complexion Equalizer. I am about to rave even more. This new Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition has met every possible Winter skincare need I have had, has exceeded all expectations, and outperformed all other creams I've ever tried in order to alleviate the dry and uncomfortable skin I have been experiencing this Winter.

No wonder this cream works so well, the first ingredient is water, and that is followed by mineral oil and glycerin. It also contains shea butter, which is known to be super-emollient and soothing, beeswax, apricot kernel oil, corn oil, royal jelly, and rice bran oil. It's a very thick vanilla-colored cream with a soft and fresh lemon-herb scent which does not bother me at all. I like it. After cleansing my face at night, and applying my Age Perfect Serum, I smooth on this lovely cream and feel instant relief from the dryness. My face feels nourished, supple, smooth and comfy. Flakes disappear, tightness is relaxed, The formula is so rich that just a little goes a long way. This is serious stuff, and it has healed my dry skin problems, and I am thrilled with it. I wake up in the morning with soft, supple skin and I have not noticed any clogged pores or skin problems whatsoever. I do have to say that I am pretty sure that when and if Winter ever ends in Ohio and Spring arrives, I probably won't need a night cream this rich. But for now, my grocery-store-shelf find has been the comforting, soothing skincare miracle I have needed.

Febuary will soon be over. March is on the way. Spring is scheduled to arrive in less than a month. When the weather changes and my skin gets back to normal, I will tuck this jar away 'til next Winter. If there's any left in the jar!

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer

Credit: Cavewoman for Blogdorf Goodman

Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker/Veronica Lake in I Married A Witch

From Genesis to Revelation

Day 9: L'Oreal's Ideal Skin Genesis Complexion Equalizer Daily Treatment Review
By MUA's Cavewoman

L'Oreal makes it easy to narrow down which of their products would be best for each of their customers. The Skin Genesis line is targeted toward women up to the age of 40, then comes the RevitaLift line, the anti-wrinkle products for women in their 40s, and finally the wonderful Age Perfect group of products for those of us over 50. I'm trying many of the new products from L'Oreal, in search of replacements for some of my beloved Prescriptives favorites, and any time there's something new with L'Oreal, I buy and try. I've been so impressed with the things I have used from L'Oreal, and so when I read about this new Ideal Skin Genesis Complexion Equalizer Daily Treatment, I was happy to find it on the shelf at our local grocery store.

Many cosmetic lines use Vitamin C as a brightening ingredient in skin creams and lotions. It's considered an antioxidant, it is supposed to even out the skin tone, help to prevent sun damage to the skin, and encourage cell renewal. I've been using Prescriptives Vibrant-C products with great results, although both the Vibrant-C for Face and the Vibrant-C For Eyes have a slight iridescent quality to them that I don't always want. The L'Oreal Complexion Equalizer promises clarity and tone-correction, in an elegant, light-as-air cream-gel texture that feels luxurious on the skin. It has a slight violet tint to it which gives a brightening effect to my sallow Winter skin, it does not appear tinted once it's applied. Just glowy and luminous, with no odd metallic or iridescent colors whatsoever. This formula sinks right in to go to work immediately. It dries quickly to a smooth finish and feels fresh and light on the face. The slight fragrance is very pleasant to me, but I am not usually bothered at all by fragranced skincare products. L'Oreal claims that the effect of this product lasts for 48 hours. I have to say that I'm seeing a slight improvement with the sallowness of my skin right now, and I love using this Complexion Equalizer as a primer under my foundation. The formula contains salicylic acid, too, which could help with clogged pores. I think I am liking this product even more than my Vibrant-C! There is no sunscreen ingredient in this Complexion Equalizer, but that's fine with me because most of my foundations already contain sunscreen. It is slightly moisturizing, too, and I think come Summer I may not even need any additional moisturizer over top of the Equalizer.

L'Oreal seems to be revamping, repackaging, and relaunching some products right now. They are introducing sophisticated formulas with skin benefits that have been mostly available only in department store products so far. The new Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base is a fabulous primer for under foundations, just in case you spot it on the shelves where the HIP line is displayed. Try it! I check their website often to see what's new, and then run to the corner to find them. I'm in love with the entire Age Perfect line right now, and will review more of those products as our 40 In 40 Skincare Project continues.

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.
Photo Credit: Cavewoman for Blogdorf Goodman
Graphic: Melanie Parker/via Veronia Lake in I Married A Witch
Title: First album from the band Genesis

The Serum Run

Day 2: L'Oreal Age Perfect For Maturing Skin Re-Cushioning Serum
Review by MUA's Cavewoman


Within the past few months, I've been faced with two major skincare challenges. First of all, we are having the worst cold and snowy Winter here in Northeast Ohio, and my skin is suffering the effects of too much dry heat in the house, too much cold and wind outside while shoveling snow (3 feet out there as I write!) and the resulting super-dry, chapped, uncomfortable skin. My second challenge isn't going to end when Spring arrives, if it ever does! The skincare line that I have been using for years, with beautiful results, has been pulled from the department store shelves and is now available only online until stock runs out. Yes, I'm talking about Prescriptives. After years of searching for the perfect skincare system for my post-menopausal skin, I was totally content with Prescriptives and very happy with the results I got from so many of their products.As I write my reviews for skincare items for this 40 In 40, these two challenges are the main focus in terms of what I am seeking and needing in skincare products. I won't be reviewing any Prescriptives items, but I will be referring to Prescriptives products in comparison to the products I do review.

I'm approaching my 60th birthday. I've had a lifetime of very oily skin, which changed so quickly to super-dry soon after menopause, that it has left me with large pores and dry tight flaky skin. These two things combined are the main problem I face when looking for skincare. I need products rich enough to counter the dryness, and yet not too rich as to clog pores. I was sure I couldn't possibly be the only person with these issues. I was right. I saw an ad on TV for a new serum by L'Oreal, targeted at post-menopausal women. It's part of their Age Perfect line, and on their website they even refer to it as "Anti-Menopausal." I was definitely intrigued. I hoped it would help with the dry skin, and possibly replace Prescriptives Super Line Preventor Extreme in my skincare routine. Serums work well on me. My lovely PX makeup artist had explained serums to me. They help moisturizers to work better. Many of them contain state-of-the-art ingredients such as antioxidants and vitamins, and they feel very soothing on the skin. I caved on the L'Oreal Age Perfect For Maturing Skin Re-Cushioning Serum as soon as I found a bottle at the local drugstore.

This serum is packaged in a clear glass bottle with a dropper-cap. It's easy to dispense just the right amount, without waste. The product itself has a slight fragrance to it, but it smells clean and not perfumey. I love the silky feel on my face, and it absorbs quickly. My skin looks glowing but not greasy, and it relieves dry skin discomfort almost immediately. I find it to be less sticky than Prescriptives SLPE, and more dry-skin-quenching too. I can apply a moisturizer over top of the serum right away. The serum seems to boost the effect of any moisturizer I use on top of it, and the effects last all day, too. I'm not getting clogged pores from this product, and the dry flaky patches are visibly diminished. I use this serum religiously every morning after cleansing my face. You can see from the level of product in the photo that I'm happy with this serum and will definitely be repurchasing. I'm planning to try all of the rest of the Age Perfect line that L'Oreal is offering, including a few new items recently launched. I am hoping that L'Oreal will re-introduce the Age Perfect foundation as well. It's been discontinued here in the USA but I see that it has been re-introduced in other countries. I love that L'Oreal has targeted women of my age group and our particular skincare needs. I love that I can begin to find replacement products for my Prescriptives items without breaking the bank. Drugstores often have weekly specials and sales on L'Oreal items, and that's the time to stock up. I do not know of any other drugstore line that offers a serum at this time, but I'm perfectly happy with the Re-Cushioning Serum and I don't feel the need to try anything else. I applaud L'Oreal for this great product!

Photo Credit: Cavewoman for Blogdorf Goodman
Credit: Melanie Parker/Veronica Lake in I Married A Witch
Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.

L'Oreal Eye Makeup Remover: Trying to find an Eye Makeup Remover to Love......

I have not had the best luck in eye makeup removers. Not one can manage to remove every trace of mascara, eyeliner and shadow. I wake up in the morning with smudges worthy of the hard living Amy Winehouse. I do not live hard and generally go to bed by 10:30pm.

So what gives?

This remover did not get everything off. I still had some morning smudges along with some leftover mascara chunks in my lashes. I am far from Tammy Baker in application. I wear an eye cocktail of eye primer by Too Faced, eye shadow or MAC pigment, liner and mascara. Nothing out of the ordinary or worthy of a Vegas showgirl. No matter how clean my eye area looks, there will be traces of residue in the morning. This annoys me to no end.

Even though the L'Oreal remover left some residue it did not leave my eyes dry or feeling like sand paper. It also was refreshing like it promises on the bottle. There was no greasy residue like Almay Moisturizing remover pads. Another bonus was the price and being located at my corner drugstore.

What do you think of this remover and do you have any recommendations for other products? Let us know in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me.

Mascara Madness: Lucky Giveaway of L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Mascara

Lucky & L'Oreal are giving away 1000 tubes of L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale mascara...right now!

Hurry & Sign up @ http://www.luckylookout.com/luckyyou.asp?id=139&way=1

Good luck!

Let us know if you score a tube!

Photo Credit: Lucky

L'Oreal's Skin Genesis Multi-Layer Cell Strengthening Daily Treatment Eye Serum

I caved on this product due to the raves from my dear friend Cavewoman. I witnessed the amazing results on her eye area and immediately wanted to jump on that bandwagon.
This is an amazing product that hails from your local drugstore.

It minimizes puffiness and helps with dark circles. My dark circles have not been cured by any stretch of the imagination, but they appear to be less intense.
The skin area around my eyes had been struggling with dryness issues. I have been using very high end eye products and still would notice dry and evident lines after a few hours.
This product has DRAMATICALLY reduced any dryness.
This eye serum boasts the ingredients Pro-Xylane and Hyaluronic Spheres. Pro-Xylane is a naturally-derived molecule so small it can penetrate skin's surface layers. The spheres are supposed to strengthen the skin.

I am smitten and will be a devoted fan.

This is available at your local drugstore and retails for $19.99.

Ingredients: Water - Aqua , Dimethicone , Propylene Glycol , Isohexadecane , Glycerin , Alcohol Denat , Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer , Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate - Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide , Hydroxyethylpipera Zine Ethane Sulfonic Acid , Polysorbate 80 , Nylon-12 , Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol , Caprylyl Glycol , Carbomer , Sodium Hydroxide , Tocopherol , Ceteth-10 , Laureth-4 , Silica Dimethyl Silylate , Algae Extract - Algae , Sodium Hyaluronate , Disodium EDTA , Phenoxyethanol

Disclosure: I purchased this product at my local drugstore

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 6, L'Oreal Showstopping Taupes by Patti (Cavewoman)

Let me tell you about a little drugstore item, so nondescript and ordinary that it wouldn't even have you looking twice. Among all the makeup launch displays at the local drugstores, products come and go so quickly, and then next week there's a new display with more new things. Items get lost in the shuffle, overlooked, ignored, and end up in sale baskets at the end of some lonesome counter or rack. Most of these drugstore launch displays have just a few of each item, and then they are gone, until the next new thing appears.

But back to my item. Who would think that a little lucite container, holding four neutral-color eyeshadows by L'Oreal, would cause such fever! Such clamoring and hoarding! Such searching and hunting! And isn't that what a cult beauty product is all about? "Let me see if my drugstore has any left and I'll pick them up for you!" "Is anyone finding the L'Oreal quad in their area, could I beg someone to buy them for me?" "I went to ten stores in my area and NO ONE has them!" These are posts that I've seen over and over on the makeup board at MakeUpAlley ever since L'Oreal launched their Golden Globes collection in December. The quad in question, the object of so much desire and praise, is the Showstopping Taupes. These palettes of four square shimmery shadows have taken on cult status faster than any other drugstore item I've ever heard of. People are buying for others, hoarding unheard-of quantities, offering to do "custom purchases" and consoling those who haven't been able to obtain the elusive quads.
I've even read of a person who claims to have ninteen of them for herself! Nineteen quads!

I saw this quad shortly after the launch of the Golden Globes collection, on a rack at the grocery store where my Mom and I do our weekly shopping. I was impressed with the four colors, all cool-based neutrals, and thought to myself that I would actually be able to use and wear all four of the shades. For me this rarely happens. I see pretty pre-made quads and palettes at all the makeup counters and drugstores and most of the time I pass on them, because there is always a color or two that I know I won't wear. And then it seems a waste to me to buy them just for the few colors I would use. So, into the cart it went.

Showstopping Taupes came home with me amidst the bananas and Diet Cokes and paper towels that day. I didn't even open it for a few days. And then I started to notice the talk -- a little here and there -- on the makeup board at MakeUpAlley. Someone posted a photo of her quad, and that was all it took -- like a shotgun at the beginning of a marathon! Everyone was loving, searching, wanting!

Inside the beautiful lucite square case are four pretty shades that I am now using every day. Neutral but not nude, definitely cool-toned (so rare with neutrals!) and with slight shimmer that is not over-the-top or theatrical for daywear, the colors are a pale beige, a slighly mauvey shade , a pink-peach color, and the prettiest taupe since Chanel Safari. The quality of these shadows is absolutely top-notch. They smooth on easily and evenly, without gripping or skipping, they blend out softly, and they look great together or alone. I'm using one or two of the lighter ones as a wash, and I put the taupe above the crease when I want a bit more "eye look" for special occasions. Oh, and did I mention that they last all day on me? The back of the quad shows "Wear Infinite" -- L'Oreal's long-lasting formula name.

Since discovering this beautiful quad, I'm paying lots more attention to the displays at the drugstore for new items from L'Oreal. And to be sure, new things are now arriving and are pretty to look at and full of promise. But I doubt if there will be anything in the near future to match the frenzy and fervor for which Showstopping Taupes has been received. It is truly deserving of its instant cult status!

Credit: Patti/Cavewoman
Graphic: Melanie Parker
Disclosure: This product was purchased and reviewed by Cavewoman

Showing Off!
By Melanie Parker

I recently bought MAC Parrot since it was re-released. In doing research to find out if the new MAC Parrot was identical to the long discontinued shadow, I did see some people saying that Parrot is a duplicate of the L'Oreal HiP Showy. And even though they don't look quite like color twins in the pan, they do when swatching. The HiP was actually a little prettier and was harder to rub off. Since Parrot is $14 and Showy is less than $6, save your money! It's a great teal to use on your lids or as a liner.

Because we love people who love lipgloss....

L’Oréal Paris and Lil Mama are partnering to bring you an exclusive listening party for the release of Lil Mama’s debut album, Voice of The Young People.

Lil Mama, Jive Records’ newest Hip Pop phenomenon, will be appearing live to preview cuts off her highly anticipated first album, sign autographs, and share one of the inspirations behind her hit single “Lip Gloss”: L’Oréal Paris’ Watermelon Crush lip gloss!

“L’Oréal, yep cause I’m worth it...
Ooo My Lips So Luscious…
L’Oréal Got Them Want Watermelon Crushes
That’s Probably The Reason All These Boys Got Crushes”


The afternoon will also feature mini-makeovers with L’Oréal Paris beauty stylists and special gift-with-purchase offers.


What:
Lil’ Mama in-store appearance Listening party

Where:
L’Oréal Paris Store
Beverly Center
8500 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-360-6555

When:
Saturday, September 29th
4pm-7pm

Target Red Lipstick by L'Oreal

L'Oreal's Target red is a true tomato shade.
It is a warmer red with not an ounce of blue undertones. I thought the texture was creamy and rich but I strongly disliked the scent. It almost smelled like the lippie had turned. It was very old fashioned and unappealing.

In comparison to Lancome's Behnaz it is no contest. Lancome's texture is superior and the shade is magnificent. The poppy color just glows. I have never received so many compliments on a lipstick than when I wear Behnaz.

Disclosure: This product was purchased by me, at my local Target store