Thursday, January 17, 2008

Products


Built-in shelving in my bathroom that I love.


An average day at my bathroom counter, please excuse the dirty mirror.

I don't suppose you noticed, but I have five moisturizers pictured here. Five! They are all used regularly. This doesn't count the Mary Kay moisturizer of Brandon's that I use on occassion or the Proactive Repairing Lotion, which technically has no moisture in it.
I am a product junkie. A nicer term might be, an expert. I think if I were in a courtroom I could be called as an expert witness on skincare and cosmetics, but that could just be because I've been watching a lot of Perry Mason episodes this week.

Let me give you my qualifications. I got my first job in cosmetics (and skincare) at age 19 at ZCMI (later Meyer and Frank and now Macy's). I worked there part-time at the "Etcetera Counter"(all small lines: English Ideas, Exuviance, Ultima II, etc.) for a year while going to college . A few months after quitting that job I got a job at another department store, Liberty House (also now a Macy's) working part-time at the Lancome counter. I worked there for about 6 months and then went very part-time as a freelancer for Lancome giving makeovers at special events about two days a month for the next 3 years. I did that two or three more times for Lancome in the following four years. I also worked for a year as the Prescriptives counter manager at Foley's (now also a Macy's) and freelanced a couple times for them after that. In the middle of all this I ran my own business as a Mary Kay consultant for three years.

I have decided to share a random sampling of my wealth of knowledge with you my dear readers. Here are three cosmetic products I have purchased in the past three months that I have decided to review here on my blog (on a 1-5 star system).


#1 - Calming Moisture Lotion (for Sensitive Skin) by Elizabeth Arden. ****1/2 stars

This is a wonderful product. It gives a very lightweight, soothing shot of moisture. I recommend it to people with oily to normal skin (sensitive or not). It contains no SPF. It doesn't give me quite enough moisture for Utah winters, but I will certainly use it the rest of the year. I especially like it for travel since I can use it day or night, though at home I like to have seperate moisturizers for night and day (SPF in the day, extra benefits like anti-aging or more moisture, etc. at night). Retail price: $34 (1.7 oz. It does not appear on the official E.A. website so this leads me to believe it has been discontinued. I got it for $10 at TJ Maxx, still sealed in plastic around the box.)


#2- Perpetual Moisture 24 Cream by Elizabeth Arden (also available in a lotion) ****1/2 stars.

Tried a sample I had given my mother-in-law while I was staying at her house over Christmas and fell in love with it. Needed a good winter day/night moisturizer so I ordered a sealed one on ebay for only $22 including shipping. I have decided that the fragrance is a bit strong, but that could be because everything smells strong while I'm pregnant. Overall it is a great basic moisturizer that really does last 24 hours (I found out one day when I didn't wash my face in the morning). Retail price: $40.50 (1.7 oz).

I've never owned any Elizabeth Arden skincare before but I definitely will try more in the future.


#3 - Uplifting Mascara by Avon *star.

In my unending search for a great, cheap mascara I tried another new one. This product has small "fibers" just smaller than a bottom eyelash. I don't know if they are to thicken or to help "lift" or what but they scare me. If you look at the product closeup it looks hairy. I got one in my eye and found several under my eye at the end of the day. That said, my eyelashes did look great for several hours. I will be exchanging this for another formula. Retail price: $8.50 (but I got it for $4).

I believe that to an extent you really do get what you pay for (or at least what they're asking for). Skincare lasts a long, long time and you only get one face, so take care of it. I still believe that I can find a great mascara for less than $15 and when I do, I will let you all know.

5 comments:

Busy Bee Lauren said...

This was very enlightening! I have a few products I swear by. I love my F.H.I. straightener. It is the only straightener I have owned for over a year, and it is still kicking! I love my ProActiv solution. I went off it to try something else to save my parents money, but nothing else is effective. I also swear by my Almay "Bringin' out the Green" Eye Products. I am allergic to most eye products, but these are amazing!

Ty said...

thanks for the mail! it was a good read

Melanie M. McKinnon said...

i would have to use that much moisturizer too if i lived in utah. between the altitude and the dryness of it all, it was a lot to take.

Tori :) said...

I have that same MK bag hanging in my bathroom closet! I love it!:) My sis sells MK as well.

Nancy Face said...

Being a hair stylist, it's very important to me to buy the best professional hair care products for my family.

As for everything else...I love Olay skin care products, and I'm happy with Cover Girl and Maybelline makeup...especially when it goes on sale, haha! :D