Tag Archives: Beauty products

5 Items EVERY Woman Should Splurge On

Posted on by
5

I’m thrifty. I admit it. There’s no shame in being frugal. Yet, I will spend money on items I believe are important. Knowing the difference, between what is important to me and what isn’t is key.

Below I’ve noted the top 5 items I believe every woman should splurge on. These five splurges will not only make your outer beauty shine, they will soothe your your soul. I can’t be 100% certain – because really who ever is? – but I think these five splurges will not only make you glow, they will also propel your career, help you find a mate and give you countless zen moments!

 

Haircut

A great cut is a must. Its one of the first things others notice ! In fact, Steven Ward, the host of VH1’s “Tough Love” and CEO of Master Matchmakers, says one of the first things a man notices on a woman is her hair, which may surprise many women. Click here to see read Steven Ward’s finding about men and hair.

 

 Handbag

A woman’s handbag speaks volumes. Whether it’s large or small, depends on you and your needs; however, it should be durable and of high quality. I suggest having at least one great bag, three preferably in black, gray, blue or the newest hue orange.

BNEPTUNE GREY

Shoes

I am a shoe addict, I admit it. I gobble them up! Yet, I have one rule that applies to all my shoes. They must fit comfortably. This may mean that I will spend more money than expected on a pair of shoes; however, the expense is offset by the number of times I will use that pair of shoes. Ill fitting shoes can also cause back problems, foot problems and cause wrinkles; thereby, draining your hard earned money on a amassage therapist, podiatrist and botox. Splurge now  to save later. 

 

Kadiee

Monthly Manicure/Pedicure

This one runs contrary to every frugal article you have may have read, but Ladies a professional manicure and pedicure is a necessity (plus most nail salons throw in a free massage!).  Unkempt nails can hamper you, as a result invest, invest, invest.  

 

Noise-Canceling Headphones

It doesn’t matter whether there is construction going on, your cubicle mate is arguing with her boyfriend, the dogs are barking, the kids are arguing, or the next door neighbor is blasting their funky music, all I hear is silence… golden silence with my Bose QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphones. Love, love, LOVE them! I can not recommend this last one enough. They have saved my sanity and allowed me to have zen moments in the daily chaos. I admit they are pricey, but so well worth the expense.

Girl with Headphones

 

 Let’s talk! What would you add or take away from this list? Let us know in a comment!

 

A Male Review of the Dove Men+Care Line

Posted on by
3

In today’s consistently warming weather it is becoming more and more important to stay moisturized. As shorts and short sleeved shirts once again make an appearance we’re reminded yet again that dry knees and ashy elbows are never a good look.

They are easily avoidable with just a bit of lotion but as a teen, a male one at that, this application is so easily forgotten. We become more concerned with the way our clothes look and the way we smell than the body that’s underneath it all!

Dove has taken a step to solve this problem. New to their Men+Care line is Clean Defense, Oil Balancing , Micro Moisture Body & Face wash. It’s like a sword with two blades. Not only does it make you smell like a man, it moisturizes you so the women in your life will stare at your face, not the knees and elbows that were once gray!

When I paired Dove’s body wash with their Active Clean Dual Sided Shower Tool I really noticed a difference in my skin. The soap didn’t leave me feeling like I had a layer of oil on my skin like many other moisturizing body washes have. The scrub side of the Active Clean Shower Tool also supplemented the moisturization of the body wash by exfoliating away all my dead skin. I am happy to say that I no longer have ashy elbows and dry knees.

The icing on the cake was the Aqua Impact Dove deodorant. It’s refreshing scent complimented that of the body wash and had me getting compliments left and right!

Its a great feeling knowing that now the only way I’ll forget to moisturize is if I don’t take a shower at all; because I know that won’t ever happen! :p

 

Written by Karl Rivera

 

Taming the Wild Hairy Beast with L’Oreal

Posted on by
9

Lately, I’ve been spending more time taming the wild hairy beast than normal. Sadly, Fall didn’t bring me as the  flat iron reprieve that I sorely needed. Thinking I was going to have to spend the next few months fighting the wild hairy beast, also known as my hair, I was extremely happy to have the opportunity to review the new L’Oreal Studio Line.

 

L'Oreal Studio Line

When I received samples of the L’Oreal Studio Line I was delighted to see that it included their Silky Curls curl enhancing gel.  Since my hair has gone through a double process, dyed and highlighted,  I’m trying to stay away from the flat iron and go natural. The gel tamed the frizz and gave me manageable waves.  The waves were easy to make. I simply applied a small amount of gel to my hair, rolled sections of my hair and pinned them with bobby pins while I showered.  After getting dressed, I took the pins out and ran my fingers through my hair to get soft waves. Knowing the waves would fall as I went about my day, I sprayed my hair with the Mega Hairspray which made it last all day. Easy Peasy, exactly how I like it!

The line also has a Mega Gel, with ultimate control and definition, that seems perfect for those days when I want to go straight. I haven’t used it yet so can’t say if it actually works but I can say it smells delicious! They all do, in fact! The scent is very clean and doesn’t overpower. It will not clash with your perfume, which I think is very important.

In the end, which ever way I go, straight or curly, the L’Oreal line has a product to enhance my hair’s appearance. Plus, priced at under $5, the L’Oreal Studi Line won’t bust your budget. For that reason, I give it TWO thumbs up – one for price and one for doing what it claims!

What do you look for in your hair products? Let us know in a comment!

Click to save $1 on your L’Oreal Studio Line product purchase.

Crest 3D Whitestrips: Before and After Pics

Posted on by
4

Recently I wrote about my teeth whitening ordeal at the Dentist’s office. Trust me, it wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was downright painful.

Using the Crest 3D Whitestrips, on the other hand, was easy peasy and painless.

In the before (top picture) and after photos, shown below, I tested out one 2 hour treatment. The package comes with 4 treatments, a 12 month supply. Each treatment lasts for 3 months.

Smile Crest 3D Whitestrips - Before   Teeth After1

I enjoyed using this product for several reasons:

  • Its cheaper than a visit to the Dentist.
  • It’s enamel safe – very important for me.
  • You can talk while wearing the strips.
  • Convenience – No appointment required. Available in a variety of stores.
  • It actually works!!

I would like to note that any whitening can cause sensitivity. With  the Crest 3D Whitestrips, my teeth were sensitive for about 2 days.  This is much less than what I experienced from whitening at the Dentist. I believe that lasted for about a month, but I’m sure that was because of the ordeal I went through. As I stated before, it wasn’t pretty.

In the end, I would recommend Crest 3D Whitestrips. Copying the words of Li, from  Her Deep Thoughts, “…they’re great & don’t strip ur enamel.” See original comment here.

  

SALE & COUPON ALERT:

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post created for Crest 3D Whitestrips. All opinions and dental anxiety are strictly my own.

Tour of CVS Headquarters with Salma Hayek Video

Posted on by
1

CVS Headquarters 

Sometime ago I was given the opportunity to visit the CVS Headquarters. It was a day full of touring and speaking with their executives. I was given a glimpse of where CVS is heading this year and allowed to walk through their mock store. Amazingly, their mock store is larger than my actual store in the city!

I also had the opportunity to see their newest beauty line by Salma Hayek. The line, called Nuance, is a CVS branded line that brings top quality beauty products to consumers at moderate prices. The line was drawn from Salma Hayek’s experience with her grandmother’s homemade products. She used them as a young woman and continued to do so as she aged. Obviously, they are doing wonders because she is 45 and looks Latinalicious!

Below I recorded a video of Salma Hayek’s presentation of the line.

I love how she is an A List actress who hasn’t lost or tried to remove her Spanish accent. When she says “oxygenating” I can hear her accent so clearly and I smile inside (see :52). She succeeded, without losing her cultura / culture.  She is amazing and so is Nuance. You can hear her passion in the video when she speaks about it and her grandmother (see 3:00).

I was also able to learn more about the CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club and CVS ExtraCare customer rewards program, which this Latina swears by! I think they’re one of the better programs out there. It’s perfect for novice and/or expert couponers (extreme couponing anyone?). In fact, CVS goes out of it’s way to let you know when coupons from the Sunday paper can be combined with their sales by adding a special notice on their weekly circulars. It’s a great marketing tool that benefits consumers like you and me.

I have to tell you based on this trip, and my passion for all things savings, I’ve decided to do a weekly CVS sales alert. Even better, CVS will be collaborating with Latina On a Mission, by giving YOU, my lovely, Latinalicious readers, advance notice of sales! Can I get a Wepa?!

Till then happy savings!

¡Abrazos! /Hugs!

Disclosure: CVS/pharmacy is a Latina On a Mission, and in turn Stiletto Media, BlogHer 2011 sponsor; however, all opinions expressed on this blog regarding the event, CVS/pharmacy and products sold in their stores are strictly my own.

Michelle Smith Teams Up With Clinique (and a Freebie for YOU!)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

As a Clinique fan, I was super excited to find out that Fashion Designer Michelle Smithhas teamed up with Clinique to create a new Spring line full of the same flirty and chic color schemes that she incorporates into her clothing line. Michelle Smith established The Milly collection, a young, trendy collection in 2011 that has pops of color that the Latina in me loves to pieces!  Thankfully, she has added that same style to the Milly Clinique Collection.

On February 18, 2011, between 6-8pm, EST, you will have the opportunity to meet Michelle Smith, get fashion advise,  AND take home her Clinique spring beauty picks FREE with any $25 purchase at Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street in Manhattan, NY. The gift is valued at $75 and is limited to one per customer, while supplies last.

Hope to see you there!

Disclosure: As a Glammy Glambassador, I received this Latinalicious information. No compensation was given for posting. I did it because I ♥ my readers and thought you could enjoy the event as much as I will! Also, photo shown is not necessarily the one being given away at the event.

An Inexpensive Lotion With High Priced Healing Power

Posted on by
1

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Carmex. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you suffer from winter skin: dry, itchy skin that comes from the winter weather and low humidity? Sadly, I do.

I also have sensitive skin, which means I can’t just use any lotion that’s on sale. I need to use a lotion that is strong enough to combat the winter weather but soft enough for my sensitive skin. I found it in the Carmex Healing Lotion and Carmex Healing Cream.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try the Carmex Healing Lotion and Carmex Healing Cream. The retail price for each product is $5.99, even cheaper than other name  brand lotions that are on sale at my local drugstore. I also like that its available at a variety of stores like Walgreens stores, walgreens.com and drugstore.com. Even better, drugstore.com normally sends out great coupons and specials to its email subscribers that you could use to purchase this lotion for even less!

Why did I mention price? Because oftentimes, we equate price with quality. However per *David Voron, MD, a dermatologist in Arcadia, Calif. “Inexpensive products work just as well as high-end ones. In fact, the extra price you pay for the expensive stuff is often just for packaging and marketing. What’s most important is how your skin responds to the product — and how you like its feel, not how much money you paid for it.”

With that said, I have to say my skin responded beautifully to the New Carmex Healing Lotion. It softened and healed my dry skin, without leaving any oily residue. I also loved how it made my feet and heels feel. They felt soft and smooth. I would definitely recommend this product if you are looking for a healing cream that does not break the bank!

Have you tried NEW Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream? What do you think?

 

*See WebMD article, “10 Winter Skin Care Tips”, written by By Susan Davis.

Visit my sponsor: Carmex

Spa Week, a Frugalista’s Dream Come True

Posted on by
2

Spa week is a bi-annual event held at some of the finest spas in North America for a fraction of the cost. The event allows you to enjoy full service service at just $50. Its a frugalista’s dream!

This week I would love to share a post by Alicia, a fellow New Yorker, who blogs at Mommy Delicious. Her experience with some of the services offered during this event is sure to have you running to make your own appointment!

********************

Living in NYC can definitely get expensive. That’s why I love, love, love deals and steals and anything half-off. My latest obsession: Spa Week!

As a New Yorker, full time graduate student, and single mother of a very rambunctious soon-to-be 3-year-old boy, life is very busy. I’m always on the go and there’s always something on my to-do list waiting, well, to get done. And sometimes I find myself asking the question, “When will I ever get a break?”

Enter Spa Week.

Spa Week is a way to bring the spa experience to the masses by offering full service treatments, which would normally range from $100 to $200, for JUST $50. A $50.00 massage and spa experience?! Sign me up! The main goal of Spa Week is to make the spa experience an affordable part of a healthy lifestyle routine.

To kick the week off, a Spa Week pre-event was held in NYC at The Prince George Ballroom in Gramercy on October 7th. Ms. Latina was invited to this invitation-only event, but because she is also super busy (and a super generous sweetheart!), she asked me to go in her place. This invitation totally made my week (my month!), and I gladly accepted. I’d be a fool not to. What busy mami doesn’t want a little pampering?

Once I arrived at The Prince George Ballroom, I scooped out all the fabulous vendors. There were tons and they were all offering a little pampering from manicures to massages to make-unders. Love!

Since I wanted to experience as many vendors as possible, I choose my pampering line-up wisely. First up: a manicure courtesy of Spa Chicks On-The-Go.

Spa Chicks On-The-Go is a full service spa event marketing company that delivers customized spa and beauty experiences for private, corporate, and media clients. The offer private spa parties and even fashion services for film and photo-shoots. They also offer Nail fraud. Nails fraud are nail-sized beauty stickers that come in an assortment of designs. They boast that you no longer have to spend hours and lots of money for your nails to look great. Nail Frauds are so easy to apply youʼll feel like you are cheating on your manicurist. I couldn’t help but jump on this trendy bandwagon at the Spa Week event! Its the newest “in” thing to hit the streets!

After my Spa Chicks On-The-Go experience, I received a back and shoulder massage from the awesome Deva Spa, which translates to “a heavenly realm of transformation” and they promise to customize your Deva “day-cation.” During my 15 minutes in massage heaven, my massage therapist was very attentive and asked me several times if the pressure was okay. Umm… yes! This NYC mommy needs all the massages she can get! Just imagine what it would be like to have an entire hour… I highly recommend.

Next up: a make-under courtesy of Bare Escentuals. The foundation and blush are extremely light-weight, and remained fresh-looking the entire night. Love that!

Lastly, it was time for an arm and hand massage from the Divas of Dove Deodorant. I’ve always used Dove deodorant so when they offered to illustrate the proper way for me to exfoliate and moisturize, I jumped at it. After my brief, but informative tutorial, I went back to heaven for another 15 minutes as I got my arm and hand massage. Man, my arms needed that — especially since I’ve been typing rather frequently (it’s midterms season, what can I say).

In addition to all of the precious pampering, attendees were given gift bags filled with goodies to take home. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening. In the words of Ms. Latina herself, I definitely had a wepa-licious time!

Now it’s your turn to receive some pampering and for a great price! For a list of spas participating in the Spa Week extravaganza, go to spaweek.com. Schedule your appointment soon. They fill up quickly because everyone wants in on this treat!
 

Alicia, who writes under her pen name SweetAl, is a young single mom of an amazing 2-year-old toddler. She thinks that motherhood is delicious and blogs at Mommy Delicious, where she talks about the trials and triumphs of being a young, single mom, and full-time graduate school student living in NYC.

 

Perricone Cold Plasma Giveaway – Don’t want to wait? Buy Perricone Samples!

Posted on by
206

 coldplasma

I’ve worked with Perricone in the past and received great feedback. I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting another Perricone giveaway!  The winner will receive a full sized bottle of Cold Plasma, valued at $150, right here on Latina On a Mission. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this opportunity!

Cold Plasma is an anti-aging solution that works with all skin types, even sensitive skin. It uses a unique solution that enables your skin to draw from it what your individual skin needs to combat the 10 signs of aging, shown below.

  1. Firmness
  2. Elasticity
  3. Clarity
  4. Radiance
  5. Smoothness
  6. Texture
  7. Redness
  8. Blotchiness
  9. Fine lines and wrinkles
  10. Dryness

For those of you in NYC, you can visit the Perricone Flagship Store located at 791 Madison Avenue
(at East 67th Street), New York, NY 10021. You’ll be able to get a makeover, sample Cold Plasma, and obtain advice from Perricone professionals at their spa.  However, because I know not all of my readers reside in NYC, you can also order free samples of Cold Plasma.  You only have to pay shipping and handling, which is $4.95. 

Now onto the giveaway rules…

 

MANDATORY ENTRY- YOU MUST DO THIS BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE ANY EXTRA ENTRIES:

Let me know in a comment why you want or need Cold Plasma!  NOTE: You must be an e-mail subscriber to enter. Click HERE to subscribe.

 

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog with Google Friends and/or ”Like” my Facebook page for 1 entry EACH. If you’re already do, let me know!

2. Follow @MsLatina on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway, stating the below. Provide me with the tweet url in a comment.  One tweet per day till the giveaway ends, so go ahead tweet away! 

Enter to win Perricone MD’s Cold Plasma Skincare Solution, valued at $150  http://tiny.cc/GW34 (Ends 8/21) #GIVEAWAY #MsLatina #beauty

3. Blog about the giveaway, linking back to this post, and provide me with the url for 3 extra entries.

4. Leave a comment on a non-giveaway related post for 3 extra entries. Note the post in your comment and don’t forget to enter each entry  in a separate comment! Wouldn’t want you to miss an entry!

5. Share this post and/or another post you enjoyed using any ”Share and Enjoy” submission  (Example: Digg, Facebook, Technorati, MySpace, Stumble Upon, etc.).  Each post shared gives you 3 extra entries. Just let me know which post you shared and your username, if applicable!

**********

GIVEAWAY ENDS August 21, 2010 at 3:00 P.M. EST

Open to US AND Canadian residents

Don’t want to wait? Buy Perricone Samples!

********** 

As always, I will use random.org to select the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected. Also, don’t forget, in order for random.org to count all of your entries a separate comment must be entered for each item that is completed. Random.org will not count it otherwise. 

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation to host said giveaway. 

 

E.L.F Summer Beauty Boost Event

Posted on by
Reply

Some time ago I was invited to an E.L.F event but was unable to attend. Rosa of DancingHotdogs.com was able to go in my stead, below is her Latinalicious recap of E.L.F’s  tips and tricks!  

********************

 

elf

Eyes Lips Face (E.L.F), known for their affordable luxury, held a Summer Beauty Boost Event at the American Laser Center. There were speakers on health, beauty and fashion. Here are some highlights of the tips that I learned!

 

Achelle Dunaway, Creative Director of E.L.F, gave us tips as to how to rejuvenate ourselves without having to go under the knife.  Not only are the prices great at E.L.F but their Natural Mineral Makeup is 100% all natural. If you buy the Beauty Boost Kit, 100% of the proceeds go to The Bottomless Closet, a nonprofit organization that gives women hope for a better future.

 

Below are a few of Achelle’s top ten trends & tips:

 

·        Bronzer: Using bronzer is the perfect makeup item to help transition you from Winter into Summer.  Create a great bronzed glow by dusting color on the hollows of your cheek, around the hairline, under the jaw, along the neck and the décolletage.

·        Matte red lips: Bright lips are all the rage.  Red is the perfect color for a night out!  Remember to keep the rest of your makeup natural and subtle as to not compete with the dramatic red lip.

·        Glitter Eyes: To enhance and open the eyes pick a glittery liquid eyeliner.

 

*Products mentioned can be bought online at Eyes Lips Face for a combined amount of $12 - a bargain!

 

 

The American Laser Center does laser hair removals,microdermabrasion, velashape and many more treatments that help you look young and vibrant.  However, keep in mind that you have to do your part to maintain it.  A good healthy diet and exercise is the only way you can achieve that.  Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The F-Factor Diet, gave us tips as to what we need for a healthy diet.  Instead of taking away food and starving ourselves, she tells us to eat fiber.  In her book, she gives a meal plan of how to eat as well as recipes to include “fiber-rich foods”. 

 

Charles Peter, a personal massage therapist and body-worker, explained that the most important part of working out is letting your body rest afterwards.  If you work out 7 days a week, then your body is being pushed over the limit.  He suggests working out 3-5 times a week for about an hour. 

 

After getting tips on how to have great makeup, hair and body, Derek from DerekLovesShopping.com gave us 10 shopping tips and his favorite secret shopping spot:  Becan’s Closet. He claimed its the place to go for the best deals. Below are some of his shopping tips: 

 

·         June, July: Country cute is the new city fabulous!  Big skirts, daisy dukes and gingham make even Ma and Pa Kettle feel right at home in the big city.

·         Keep It Clean: Snow White is keeping it basic this year.  The white button down is not just for office anymore.

·         What’s Your Platform?  This spring you will be reaching new heights!!! The platforms have gotten so high you won’t need a step stool ‘til fall!!!

 

Overall I had a great time and met some great people, a quick shout out to Joey at PinkSith.com (it was nice meeting you!)  Thanks to Ms. Latina, I was able to go to the amazing event.  As you can tell, there was so much information! 

 

Follow me on twitter @RosaDancing

 

Disclosure: I was invited to go to the E.L.F event through Ms. Latina where they gave complimentary gifts to attendees.  All thoughts and opinions of products and services are my own .

********************

 

Thank you Rosa for a wonderful writeup! It sounds like it was an amazing event. I also love the fact that E.L.F donates 100% of the proceed from its Beauty Boost Kit to The Bottomless Closet. The Bottomless Closet is an amazing organization that helps disadvantaged New York City women become self-sufficient by providing business attire, interview preparation, professional development, financial management and more. Please take a moment and check them out.

 

Besos!