NÉOLIA Organic Skin and Hair Care Products

Another fabulous Costco find! Not too long ago, I picked up an 8-pack of a body soap I had never seen before. The brand is NÉOLIA, which specializes in products containing 100% natural extra virgin olive oil, and the packaging said the soaps were 100% organic. There were two types in the package - Olive Oil & Shea Butter Soap and Olive Oil Soap - both appealed to me.

It's hard to describe my happiness with this soap! Yes, soap can make you happy, especially early in the morning. This soap has a heavenly, clean, and natural smell; feels great upon use (so creamy); lathers nicely; and leaves my skin soft and without a need for moisturizer after the shower. Happy (with one condition - see why below)!

Gentle and hypoallergenic, NÉOLIA Olive Oil Skin Care products use 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil and aloe vera. They have been proven to be suitable for sensitive skin. Of course, olive oil contains nutrients and vitamins rich in antioxidants. The company makes soap, body wash, hand wash, and hand lotion, along with hair care products.

The only thing that bothers me is that I found out the company is in Canada. Fortunately, the soaps are made in the USA. I have been trying to boycott Canadian companies because the Canadian government condones clubbing baby seals to death for their fur (I just don't understand this because Canadians have historically been more environmentally conscious than US citizens). I hope that companies like NÉOLIA (with a conscience) will also lend a hand to the animals. After all, they advertise that their products are not tested on animals and are free of animal ingredients - they should care.

I went to a different Costco yesterday, and they didn't have the soap. I have known for years that Costco stores carry different products. I'll have to remember to look for this in my usual Costco store. Amazon had this 8-pack, but it's out of stock at the moment. You can also purchase from NÉOLIA, but the prices are higher, and the 8-pack doesn't appear to be available on their Web site.

Photo courtesy of NÉOLIA.

Armani Shopping with Charlestongirl

This was a shopping week. Even though I still haven't won the lottery, I felt a need to get out, talk to "beauty people," and learn some things. That was the happening thing in New York, but I was firmly planted in the DC area. So, naturally, I trekked over to see Loyd Cassler at Saks in Chevy Chase, and we played with the Eyes to Kill Palettes.

Since it was the most neutral, I gravitated to #1 (called Steel Black, it is anything but), and Loyd applied it for me. I had been in do-it-yourself mode when I last saw the palette. Gorgeous shadows! The total effect was natural and flattering - I think it made my eyes look very blue. This is an "everywoman shadow." It jumped into my bag.

Then, he pulled out #3 (called Gun Metal Grey, and while it includes grey, the outer ring looks bright purple). I recoiled a bit, but trusting Loyd completely, I let him apply it over his gorgeous handiwork with #1. He blended the grey and the purple for the outer corners of the lid, and when he was done? Viola! A bit more "drama," but overall still acceptable for daytime. That is one of the reasons I love Loyd - he is an artist who blends color with reality.

One of the other reps came up later and wanted to know what shadow I had on (clearly it looked good!). We giggled and said, "A lot of them." Loyd is so much fun! I have no memory of it, but I suspect I had a hidden love of paint sets when I was a very young child. I do remember that when I was a little older, an uncle gave me a very pricey set of pastels. I treasured them - didn't use them, they were too beautiful to touch.

What was most fun was applying #4, Rouge Iron, as a blusher, as I had said in my first Eyes to Kill posting. It looked good - even on my skin! We did a lot of hand testing (even Loyd would tell you it's a no-no for my eyes), and I can see that #4 could work as an eye shadow for a woman with dark skin who wants a sultry effect. Used as it was intended, as an eye shadow, it's a rusty, brown-based red - not as weird as it looks in the pan. The liner in the center is brown. I prefer it as a blusher.

One really nice thing about these three-shade palettes is that they are $58. Not a hefty price for the high-end cosmetics customer; it shows a recognition that all women are looking for better prices in this environment.

When I left, I thought my need to shop was satisfied for a day or two, but no! The Avon Quads arrived, and I got to see how nice they are. Not only that, they sent a catalog, so my before-bed reading consisted of the Avon catalog and a Beauty Week catalog from Lord & Taylor. I went to sleep dreaming of cosmetics!

Photos courtesy of Armani Beauty.

Vaseline Sheer Infusion - Moisture Redefined

A drugstore powerhouse, Vaseline launches a new moisturizer this month. Vaseline Sheer Infusion with Stratys-3 uses a patent-protected formula of three ingredients to infuse and suspend moisture across all layers of the skin.

The Sheer Infusion body moisturizer will be available in three blends: Botanical Blend, Vitamin Burst, and Mineral Renewal. WWD quoted Srini Sripada, marketing director of Unilever Skin Care, as saying, “It is the biggest breakthrough in body lotion in 10 years.” Perhaps that's marketing hype, but it sure sounds worth trying, particularly given the price: $6.25 for a 6.8 oz bottle and $8.99 for a 13.5 oz pump. I'll be trying the pump.

There are coupons available on the Vaseline Web site. There is also a video on the product at the site. Sheer Infusion will be available at CVS and other drugstores. I'm betting on introductory sales.

Photo courtesy of Vaseline.

Bobbi Brown Makeup Brushes

I'm on a Bobbi Brown roll - a brush roll! Bobbi Brown makes some of my favorite makeup brushes. Here are some Bobbi Brown brushes I would recommend to anyone and everyone - and can't live without.

There is quite an array of brushes for powder shadows. The new Angle Eye Shadow Brush ($28) appeared with the Ivy League Collection. It is great for adding powder shadow to the outer lid and contouring. I really like this new addition.

The Eye Shader Brush ($30) is designed to apply shadow from lashes to brow and makes the task fast and easy. The regular Eye Shadow Brush ($28) is fabulous. The Bobbi Brown Web site says can this shadow brush can be used with the cream shadows, but I wouldn't - I prefer the Cream Shadow Brush described below. The Eye Sweep Brush ($30) is made for those of us who like to pick up a conservative amount of product. The Eye Blender Brush ($30) is a multitasker since you can use it to blend shadows seamlessly and also apply setting powder over concealer. There are more shadow brushes available for powder shadows, but these are my essentials.

For your cream shadows, nothing beats the Cream Shadow Brush ($28). This is the perfect brush for applying the new Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow and the original Long-Wear Cream Shadows. I use this brush with all of my cream shadow brands, and the application is always fast, easy, and even. These brushes pick up just the right amount of product. Love them so much I bought three!

The Touch Up Brush ($28) has a special place in my heart. I use it every day to apply my eye shadow primer. It's also ideal for use with concealer and other cream products. The size makes it perfect for those hard-to-reach places on your face.

So far, we've only covered eyes! There are plenty of cheek brushes. My favorite is the Face Blender Brush ($40 and shown to the right), which was designed to be used with Shimmer Brick Compacts, but is also a great applicator for blushers and bronzers. Of course, the Powder Brush ($60), a bit more pricey, is a light, fluffy applicator for powder, and it sets makeup beautifully. The Foundation Brush ($35) is perfect for liquid or cream foundations. I use it most often for cream blushers.

If you use palette lip colors, you must have the Retractable Lip Brush ($25) - no messy fingers to apply your lipstick, and no mess afterwards.

There are many other brushes, a specialty for Bobbi Brown, and they all work well. What else would you expect from one of the world's best makeup artists? If you add up all the prices for my favorite brushes, your grand total will be expensive. You need to consider, though, that these brushes will last forever if you take good care of them (and clean them now and then!). I buy one every time I have a few extra dollars to spend on my brush collection.

Bobbi Brown offers brush sets, which you can see at this link. The Basic Brush Collection ($175) is shown in the picture above. Also, some of the limited-edition makeup sets come with brushes, which is a great way to expand your collection.

You can see and purchase all of the Bobbi brushes at the Bobbi Brown Web site and at major department stores (for example, Saks, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus). These are superb brushes. Remember: take good care of them, and they will last for decades.

Photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown.

The Skinny is Coming!

A new members-only Web site devoted to beauty products (not diets) is on the way! The Skinny promises fabulous prices on name-brand skin care, spa, and beauty products, such as Perricone MD, Lisa Hoffman Beauty, Dermaquest, Tammy Fender, 100% Pure, and International Orange - with discounts up to 70% off retail. The site will launch October 21. I have already signed up - this is so exciting for bargain hunters!

The Skinny plans to offer lots of personalized attention, with recommendations for your skin care issues and educational videos. Not only that, they will provide tags with each product on their site to let you know how to use it (for example, for "uneven skin tone" or for "dry skin"). Having ordered the "wrong" moisturizer once, I think that's a great idea!

Members will receive one e-mail per week (no mailbox clutter) announcing the latest sale products. To join and get in on the offers from the site's inception, go to The Skinny and register. As an added bonus, new members will be entered to win a nice eye serum by Dermaquest, a $78 value. For a limited time, members who refer friends will receive up to 20% off their first purchase. That's a nice bonus for bringing your friends to the party! Who can argue when you are trying to save them money?

The Skinny was founded by Lauren Fornes, a licensed aesthetician who served at one time as a business development manager for a prestige skin care company. Lauren is a true beauty junkie, having called an 800 number she saw in Vogue to request skin care samples - when she was 12 years old! Her partner, Paige Steinman, is a marketing specialist who has developed Web campaigns for Murad, Karen Neuburger, and others. Kim Nguyen, another talented young woman, is handling PR.

Our discount shopping opportunities are multiplying like bunnies, and I love bunnies! I'll be bringing you more information as the launch date approaches. If I were you, I'd go sign up.

Photo courtesy of The Skinny.

Korres on Sale at The Fairest

Remember our postings on The Fairest, a new Web site for beauty products? Today, The Fairest launched their Korres sale, and the prices are unbelievable. Go to our Best Things in Beauty posting to read about The Fairest. Or, just click on this link and go sign up.

If you join, you will find prices on certain Korres products, including Fig, Guava, and Jasmine, at 50% discounts. How can you beat that?


Photo courtesy of The Fairest.

Sisley Express Eye Contour Mask

I love masks of all types, and when I got a deluxe sample of Sisley's Eye Contour Mask ($140) from my friends at Neiman Marcus, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want reduced fine lines and vaporized puffiness in their eye area?

Over the long weekend, I put the gel-like mask to the test. I took a very long late-day nap, and I suspect I slept on my head. I'm sure my Bengal cat took over my pillow while I was asleep, and my head ended up flat on the mattress instead of high on a pillow. That always leads to puffiness under my eyes - that or too much salt or alcohol. While red wine has those wonderful properties that will protect our hearts, it doesn't save us from under-eye puffiness.

Sisley to the rescue! I used the mask before bed and after cleansing, when I was still puffy and looking fairly awful. After the treatment, the puffiness was gone. Amazing.

You leave a thick layer of the mask on for only 10 minutes and then wipe off the excess. That's all there is to it. What's left conditions your eye area overnight (in my case), and the next morning, you look fabulous. The mask smoothes, hydrates, makes fine lines less visible, and definitely reduces puffiness. It has a clean, natural fragrance that makes the 10-minute experience a treat.

As with all Sisley products, the eye contour mask is filled with botanical ingredients, including rose flower water, sunflower seed oil, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, horse chestnut extract, linden extract, arnica montana flower extract, vitamins B5 and E, and algae extract. Also included are arginine, an amino acid that has become a very popular skin treatment ingredient, the trace element malachite, and chlorella extract (shown through research to be good for your skin).

There are very few products that I can recommend to reduce puffiness around the eyes. The best remedy ever is a good 20-minute rest with your head raised on multiple pillows and frozen baby peas in a baggie over your gauze-protected eyes. Although effective, that's a bit of a hassle. Sisley's Eye Contour Mask is much easier and definitely more pleasant! It's good for sensitive eyes like mine, and you can even use it around your lips.

You can find this mask, which will last you a long time, at Neiman Marcus (gift with $300 purchase for Beauty Week), Saks, some Nordstrom stores, and other department stores that carry Sisley products. You can even purchase it on Amazon for a little less money. It's the perfect remedy for those tell-tale signs of fatigue around your eyes.

Photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue.