Fifty-cent Head

FCH Review Round-up: Sally Hansen Lip Fix Lip Repair

Review Round-up: Sally Hansen ~ Lip Fix Lip Repair

Sally Hansen Lip Fix Lip Repair played right into one of my hang-ups: my *gulp* aging, lined lips. Years of being a filthy smoker didn't help me prevent these early signs of aging, and I could kick myself for it! Right on the box I see a big claim: Sally Hansen Lip Fix Lip Repair "Instantly Fills in Liplines as it Smoothes & Hydrates Lips." Odd use of capitalization aside, this sounds like something I want!

Right on the box I am promised "lips that look younger, instantly" which is a vast improvement over my "dry lined lips that make me look older". (Depressing box, this!)This dramatic reversal of fortune is going to be achieved via sodium hyaluronate (which helps pull moisture to the skin and then keep it in) and "marine collagens" (a very non-specific term that doesn't tell us anything at all except it's marine-based and probably meant to support the tissues of the lips, thereby giving a firming appearance).

The Verdict: This product comes in one of those twist-up pens that exudes the product from a perforated sponge tip, not unlike a Play-Doh toy. This type of applicator annoys me and I don't know why. Regardless, that's Strike One. To say I slicked this on would be completely inaccurate, as it dragged across my lips (certainly that's not helping the lines in that area!?); Strike Two. I peered at the mirror after applying it so as to get a better look at the amazing firming and line-fluffing results and saw: nothing. Well, my lips were oddly matte, but that's it. Strike Three and you're Out - as in, thrown out into the trash.

(To be fair, I gave it several tries, but the results were always the same). The matte finish may serve to be a nice base for lipstick, as the package implied, but I prefer MAC's Prep + Prime Lip and FACE Atelier's Lip Putty for that. When I find a product that soothes the savage lines, I'll let ya know. If you know of one, please tell us in the Comments!

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On an very vaguely related note, if you loved Play-Doh as a kid, you may want to check out this post.

 

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Read the other posts in the Round-up:

• FCH Review Round-up
• Whish Shave Crave

• Olay Difinity line

• Clinque ~ Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
• M Lab Skincare
• Stila ~ The Kitten collection
• Bobbi Brown ~ Almost Bare
• Clinique ~ Even Better Skintone Correcter
• Clinique ~ Superbalm Moisturizing Lipgloss
• Sally Hansen ~ Lip Fix Lip Repair

Mother's Day Idea: Plant Love

What are you getting your mom for Mother's Day? There are so many choices, but sometimes simplest is best! One thing that would touch me, as a mom, would be a thoughtful beauty gift - and what's more thoughtful than this?

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm a beauty fanatic. I fully admit to it - geez, I write a beauty blog and go to work every day as a makeup artist. Does that mean I can't appreciate a well-done product? OF COURSE NOT! Who could appreciate it more than I!? I enjoy my plants (note to husband: I do not have a black thumb - I'm just a forgetful water-er!) and am trying to be more green each day. AND I'm a proud, proud mommy.

I can totally get behind a lipstick that's eco-friendly. Cargo's Plant Love products are a) fantastically smooth and come in a gorgeous array of shades; b) packaged in biodegradable PLA (corn-based plastic) boxes embedded with wildflower seeds; c) contain no mineral oils or petroleum, instead featuring jojoba, shea butter and botannicals; d) charitable, because $2 USD from the purchase of each tube goes to St. Jude's Childrens' Research Hospital; and e) some of the shades were designed by celebrity moms Kim Raver, Denise Richards, Angie Harmon and the colors were named after their kids.

I got to sample Cherry Bliss, a brilliant neutral red. It's so silky and lovely on the lips (that's gotta be the shea and jojoba, both of which I love and are so good for the skin!). It lasts well, and the color (described as "sheer cherry") makes me want to sport red lips. That hasn't happened since MAC's Queen's Sin last holiday season. Definitely makes me want to go try the rest of line.

These lipsticks are $20 USD, and can be found at Sephora.com.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Our motto here at Fifty-Cent Head is "we search for beauty news so you don't have to" and whilst surfing yesterday I came across a wonderful treat for you. Ya ready!? I'm about to jingle your bells, ladies and gentlemen!

What's everyone's favorite thing about Thanksgiving, besides the pumpkin pie? Well, it's the Black Friday releases at MAC, isn't it???

 

Take a look at this bad boy- one of the bags from the 2008 MAC Holiday Collection. It's got square edges, and appears to be shiny... like pleather, maybe? And it's the amazing, dazzling, spectacularific shade of red...

Introducing:

RED SHE SAID














 

More after the jump!

Strange new lipstick

Have you seen the new Avon commercials? The ones with Reese Witherspoon smiling her soccer mom way through the spot while using an odd implement to apply her lipstick. She really is a good actress, because she was able to carry on through the ad without cracking up at this stupid product she was forced (by contract) to promote:

From the press release:

For the girl on the go, there’s finally a lipstick that can keep up! AVON is introducing a lipstick that lets you take on the world single handedly…Pro-To-Go Lipstick makes the one-handed application possible – you can open, apply and close at the push of a button.

Whether you’re on the phone, hailing a cab or juggling shopping bags – Pro-To-Go Lipstick gives you an instant beauty boost with luscious color, moisturizing lip care and SPF 15 all-in-one.

By combining one-handed application with luscious color and hydrating lip care, Pro-To-Go is the new must-have beauty essential. Available in 15 shades, Pro-To-Go Lipstick is all you need this spring for instantly gorgeous lips. You’re good to go. . . just like a pro!

I'm not such a traditionalist that I don't like product innovations, but I personally don't see that people should be so busy and need such a streamlined life that they need to have a topless lipstick (or use a machine to apply their gingerbread-scented mascara). Is life so busy that you can't slow down and enjoy the ritual that millions of women have participated in for years!?

Additionally, I find this to be creepy, and I'm not sure why. I'll try to give it some thought. Meanwhile, what do you think about this product?

Need the product? It's already available for only $9. See your Avon representative (and please don't let me know).

Missed the ad? You can see it here, though not in English:

 

I'm not so sure about scented mascara...

What about you? That just freaks me out. Scented mascara?

What on earth am I on about, you ask? Take a look:

Thoughts?

CARGO - pure genius!

Not only does CARGO have their new and amazingly genius Plant Love lipsticks, they have a lot of other really novel concepts. Remember those nifty holiday cards with lipgloss samples on them? If you liked those, you should also check out their clever little Daily Gloss packets and their sweet little ColorCards.

DailyGloss is a blister pack sheet of lipgloss (reminds me of Benedryl or something!) so you can break off a tiny bit and easily apply it whenever you want. There are three shades in each set, and two sets are available (check 'em out on the right). $12 USD.

And then this is really neat: ColorCards!  Portability is key with this product, which entails slim little cards with single-application eyeshadows that slip  easily into the pocket or wherever you need them. The set comes with a tin (how green it is to reuse things!) that holds 28 cards of shadow (the colors are Aegean, Mojave, Bermuda, Corsica, Green Bay and Yukon). $24 USD.

                                                                                                                                             

Imagine the tiny little bags you can carry when you pare  down your makeup to these products!

This scares me.

It's called Spinlash and it does what it sounds like it does: it's a mascara wand that spins the product onto your eye. I checked out the site for this product, which is made by a company called Akasha, and if you aren't up to reading the whole informative package of prose below, you may be tempted once you know it contains the phrase: It’s not the size of the brush, it’s the motion of the potion.

SPINLASH™ is the first mascara that revolves around you.™ SPINLASH™ is the first mascara to solve the clumping problem through its innovative, patent pending rotating brush that responds to your touch. The cosmetic industry hasn’t seen meaningful mascara innovation in years. SPINLASH™ is a breakthrough product that will revolutionize the category – giving women a sensual experience to spice up their “same old” beauty routine. SPINLASH™ creates perfect lashes every time. Akasha is a US based company devoted to the design and development of innovative luxury beauty products. By blending art, fashion and femininity with design and function, Akasha's sensual delivery experiences become an extension of the woman herself. It’s not the size of the brush, it’s the motion of the potion. SPINLASH™ is the first mascara that revolves around you.™ SPINLASH™ is the first mascara to solve the clumping problem through its innovative, patent pending rotating brush that responds to your touch. The cosmetic industry hasn’t seen meaningful mascara innovation in years. SPINLASH™ is a breakthrough product that will revolutionize the category – giving women a sensual experience to spice up their “same old” beauty routine. SPINLASH™ creates perfect lashes every time. Akasha is a US based company devoted to the design and development of innovative luxury beauty products. By blending art, fashion and femininity with design and function, Akasha's sensual delivery experiences become an extension of the woman herself. It’s not the size of the brush, it’s the motion of the potion. SPINLASH™ is the first mascara that revolves around you.™ SPINLASH™ is the first mascara to solve the clumping problem through its innovative, patent pending rotating brush that responds to your touch. The cosmetic industry hasn’t seen meaningful mascara innovation in years. SPINLASH™ is a breakthrough product that will revolutionize the category – giving women a sensual experience to spice up their “same old” beauty routine. SPINLASH™ creates perfect lashes every time. Akasha is a US based company devoted to the design and development of innovative luxury beauty products. By blending art, fashion and femininity with design and function, Akasha's sensual delivery experiences become an extension of the woman herself. It’s not the size of the brush, it’s the motion of the potion. SPINLASH™ is the first mascara that revolves around you.™ SPINLASH™ is the first mascara to solve the clumping problem through its innovative, patent pending rotating brush that responds to your touch.

Stay tuned to Akasha for these innovations that will be hitting the site soon:

• EYEPODZ
• SPINBLUSH
• LUXFINISH (a foundation)
• LIPPODZ
• JUICYPODZ (lipgloss)

Want to look like this!?

There's a new product line on the scene, and I'm hoping it makes me look like this:

Of course Heidi is gorgeous, but why did I pick her specifically as a goal with this new cosmetics line? Oh- did I forget to tell you!? This line, called In An Instant, was created by Heidi Klum!

The line was created by the 31 year-old supermodel with marketing gurus Guthy-Renker, who brought you Proactiv Solution, Sheer Cover, and Winsor Pilates, among others. Klum will be starring in the infomercial to promote the products, of course.

Billed as "revolutionary," the skincare line is a system - which means you buy a package deal rather than individual products. The implication is that  The System is so synergistic that the products must be used together - or what? Complete failure of The System? MMM HMMM...

At any rate, with In An Instant you'll have detoxified, hydrated skin that is being protected against aging. You'll be exfoliated and lifted and your fine lines and pores will be minimized. In short, this line promises to do what every other skincare line promises to achieve. (Do I sound skeptical? Sorry 'bout that!)

Here are the revolutionary products in The System:

• Gentle Foaming Cleanser: With its rich-foamy texture and hydrating ingredients it removes makeup instantly and maintains skin’s protective moisture barrier without stripping skin of its natural oils.

• Intensive Firming Serum: Its peptide technology reduces deep wrinkles, softens the appearance of fine lines and evens skin tone.

• Instant Wrinkle Smoother: It instantly plumps fine lines and dramatically diminishes the look of deep vertical lines.

• Instant Daily Tinted Moisturizer, SPF 15: It hydrates and protects skin from UVA and UVB rays. Its Smart Indicator shows how much coverage it’s giving.

• Instant Warming Scrub: With its skin warming action, it reduces pore size and dramatically resurfaces skin.

This is the only information I have at the moment, and the infomercial hasn't been leaked yet, so I can't tell you more about ingredients or about the "Smart Indicator" on the Tinted Moisturizer (or even if there are various shades!). If I get more info, I'll pass it on...

A 30-day supply of In An Instant (the introductory kit) will be $29.95.

Lancome Pixel Pink Video

Lancóme's Pixel Pink lipstick, the 4th and final in the Pout-à-Porter collection, is still available - kinda. It's a collaboration between designer Thakoon Panichgul and Lancóme featured in Thakoon's Spring 2008 and you can only get it at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus counters and the five Lancôme boutiques: Manhattan (212.362.4858), The Mall at Short Hills, NJ (973.258.0790), Northpark Mall in Dallas, TX (214.750.9364), Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, CA (408.244.8334), and Brea Mall in Brea, CA (714.671.0267).  It's already sold out online, sadly.

Below you can view a video created by Grant Greenberg, a filmmaker who created a video for the Peter Som- Lancóme collaboration last year.In the video you'll see artwork by Jeff Scher, a painter and experimental filmmaker.

According to information given to me by Lancóme :

Greenberg is a graduate of the world-renowned filmmaking program at New York University, where his thesis film “Cricket Head” won the Wasserman prize for best graduate film. “Cricket Head” has since screened at festivals around the world, winning prizes at the Palm Springs, Clermont-Ferrand, Edinburgh and Monte Carlo film festivals. His most recent film, “Sick Sex,” which he produced and shot, was an official selection of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Scher’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and the Hirshhorn Museum, and has been screened at the Guggenheim Museum, the Pompidou Center in Paris, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and at many film festivals around the world, including opening night at the New York Film Festival.

Parfums Givenchy and Justin Timberlake ink fragrance deal

In a move that turns my stomach, Justin Timberlake and Parfums Givenchy make a deal to distribute a fragrance using Timberlake as the face of the product. Why does that distrurb me so? I've mentioned other celeb fragrances before and not felt so heated, and if you know me you know I don't object to Justin Timberlake.

According to Alain Lorenzo, President of Parfums Givenchy, "We're not into just signing yet another celebrity... We wanted someone that would be in tune with the story of the new perfume and also in tune with the timeless values of elegance that the brand stands for."

Well, that sounds nice, huh? The problem? Apparently Mister Timberlake had nothing to do with the creation of the fragrance or the choice of scent. "When he smelled it, his only words were 'It's cool,' Lorenzo recounted to WWD.

That is just depressing. Let's see how it develops, but if he's the "face" of the product I'm displeased. If he's simply the spokesperson then I've no problem with it.

Source

MAC + Fafi = L*O*V*E

Love that model dressed as a Fafinette! ("What's a Fafinette?" you ask: read this.) She's all Fafi'd-up for a MAC promotion for the new Fafi collection, due out on Valentine's Day. I'm so excited for this collection, mostly because it's just so nice and edgy (as opposed to Barbie: YAWN). It suits MAC so well, and besides: Fafi is an amazing artist!

Some new Fafiness has been spotted in the webworld, and I thought I'd share it with you lovely readers!

Keep reading for the news, including information about the Fafinettes used in the MAC promotion!

Nifty Cosmetics Marketing Gimic

I'm introducing a new feature here on BeautyBlitz: the Nifty Cosmetics Marketing Gimic segment will tell you about novel and new ideas / products being introduced that seem like quite a deal or like a truly imaginative idea.

We'll start with Prescriptives - the mother of custom-color foundation. (Not the only company who does it, mind you - just the most well-known).

Prescriptives is offering a new service: Custom Blend Lipgloss. Doesn't that sound like a great idea!? I thought "oh, great! Here is an easy way to get that perfect lipgloss that I want - the one that looks like MAC's Gleam lipstick with a touch of MAC's Lusterwhite Lustregloss on top - also known as "The One From the LORAC Set That They Don't Make Anymore".

So off I scurry to the Prescriptives website to learn how to make that color!

Read on for my findings...