Friday, May 17, 2013

Yes To Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $19.99 for 0.5 ounce

THE SKINNY: Yes to Blueberries' Eye Firming Treatment is supposed to show results in fighting those crows' feet around your eyes in seven days.

I'd actually believe it. This is a nice, smooth cream that I found to be non-irritating. It leaves my eye area moisturized and feeling good, even after a night of beer and cigarette smoke (theirs, not mine).

It does a decent job fighting dark circles and tired eyes, although prefer the cooling power of Ole Hendrick Ultimate Eye Lift Gel.

This is a cost effective option that works. It's made with blueberries, beeswax and paracress flower, a flowering herb that is helpful in easing the pain of toothaches.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Yes to Carrots recommends using this product alongside its Daily Repairing Moisturizer and its Deep Wrinkle Night Cream.

-- Tested by Shay


Thursday, May 16, 2013

Living Proof Prime Style Extender

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $20 for 5 ounces

THE SKINNY: Wow. And I mean wow. Prime Style Extender from Living Proof gives my hair such a boost. And it's true, the staying power does last into the next day (although my hair is too fine and gets dirty looking too easily to ever skip a shampoo.)

I've used it layered with Redken Guts 10 volumizing spray and by itself. Either way, it left my hair feeling thick and healthy.

It works by coating each strand of hair, making the style hold better and repelling dirt and gook that can weigh down strands. It also works as a detangler.

Prime did irritate my scalp after a few days of continuous use, as most products tend to do. It will work better for me to use this product every few days, especially on those days when I have a lot going on and need my hair to stand up to a busy schedule.

Good thing, too, because it's expensive.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I've already ordered a full-size tube.

CHECK IT OUT: Apply Living Proof Prime on damp hair. Work a little dollup, and style as usual. Living Proof offers free shipping (no minimum purchase) and samples with every order.

-- Tested by Shay

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist

RATING (out of 5 stars): 1 star

COST: $22 for 6.75 ounces

THE SKINNY: The idea is great. Create a light product that can cool your skin, hydrate and tone.

The delivery is awful. This product smells like a rest stop bathroom. It's definitely not something I want to spray on myself to feel cool and refreshed.

The mist is made with rosehip, ylang ylang and juices. It really shouldn't smell as bad as it does.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. What were they thinking with the scent?

CHECK IT OUT: This product gets great reviews on the Juice Beauty website. But on the Ipsy site, they're a lot more mixed because of the smell.

-- Tested by Shay

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

NYX Roll On Shimmer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $5

THE SKINNY: This is an affordable fun that delivers decent color with a lot of glittery sparkle.

The rollerball application works surprisingly well. Apply to your eyelids with an easy stroke. Be careful using a makeup brush, though. I tried to blend the shadow a little bit and found that it and the glittery basically brushed right off my lid, even with a good primer underneath it.

That being said, the shadow only stays in a place a few hours and gets horrible creases. Luckily, the tube is little smaller than the average tube of lip gloss and drops right into your purse for touch-ups.

I love the dark purple for it's drama, but it's hard to blend. So layer a darker shadow with a lighter shadow such as salmon or nude for the best effect.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: NYX Roll On Shimmer comes in 16 colors.

-- Tested by Shay

Monday, May 13, 2013

New York Streets Dry Shampoo

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $17.99

THE SKINNY: I'm finding dry shampoos to be very hit or miss. This one from New York Streets is another miss in my book.

The problem is two-fold. First, the shampoo goes on as a very light mist and doesn't seem to deliver much action. My hair didn't look much different after I used it. Second, the shampoo smells kind of sickly sweet and the scent lingers. I try to use it in an open area, so the fragrance doesn't turn my stomach.

If I'm going to put up with that smell, I need the shampoo to really work. That means pulling the day's grime out of my hair and adding some volume back in.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. Stick with TRESemme's dry shampoo instead. It works well and it has a better price tag.

CHECK IT OUT: New York Streets has a whole line of hair products.

-- Tested by Shay