Product of the week - February 19th, 2009

I love mani/pedis. I really really do. I love the whole process of picking out your color and then just relaxing for an hour or so of solace and tranquility. A truly pampering and worthwhile experience that is good for the soul.

However....

When the economy is such and I am cutting back on nearly everything, the manis/pedis just aren't so essential. Do I miss them? YES. But I can do a decent mani/pedi at home and when it saves me $20-$30, I gotta do it.

So today, I present the at-home mani/pedi must have product. One thing that will make your dark polish go from obviously home spun to so good it must be Burke Williams.

Avon Nail Experts Neat Nails Nail Enamel Corrector Pen - $6 (Online at Avon.com)
I bought this little number almost a year ago simply on a lark. It sort of reminded me of something I might buy when I was 13, like Lee Press-On Nails or Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers (oh wait- I got some of those yesterday!)
But seriously, I bought it mainly out of curiosity and now more than a year later it has become a life saver.
1 - It truly works. The nail polish remover is potent and but not overly drying to your skin or nails.
2 - The brush is easy to maneuver so you can clean your mistakes but you won't brush off half of the color on the nail as well as the error.
3 - It is affordable and lasts and lasts and lasts.... the cap is not tight but the brush has not dried out more than a year after it's first use.
4 - Did I mention it is only $6?!

Random for a POTW I know but I figured when we are all trying to save money, these kind of little gems are the way to go. So now you can do your nails at home and still look fabulous AND save a ton of money.
Hooray!!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

Runway to Reality...

There are always plenty of new make-up looks that come out of the fashion shows every year. Some are workable and some are just well...see below....


This year however, there have been some great looks on the runways. Two of my favorites? The delicious golden look and the fun purples. Either one of these looks is a great option and almost anyone can wear them. But every year it's seems hard to find a cosmetic that is easy to find and easy to implement. So today I bring you a lovely little package from our good friends at Clinique that combines the golden look and the purples look in an easy and accessible way.

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo - $17.50 (Sephora, Clinique counters and online) Specific color- Beach Plum
(I have included both the general image for the Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo and the specific colors I am talking about.)

I love this eyeshadow. Not only is it amazing quality... it never creases, the color stays, it is a good bang for your buck and the colors are two of the trendy of the moment shades right off the runways but they also look amazing alone or together. The image from Clinique.com doesn't really give you a true idea of the colors but they are a sheer, shimmery gold and a deep, sparkly purple. I actually got this eye shadow set free in a gift with purchase and looked at it as one that would go to waste. Well last week I decided on a lark to try it out. It looks fantastic and it is unique and fresh. Anyone else tired of using the same 3-4 eye shadow colors?!

To complete your look, go with either black or purple eyeliner, or perhaps even a deep brown/bronze. My recommendations?
Avon Ultra Luxury Eye Liner - $5 (In Eggplant)
M.A.C. Eye Kohl - $14.50 (In Plushblack or Powersurge)

A few sweeps of your fave mascara and you are good to go.

Heidi Klum you have met your match!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

Stinky Business

Oh BGND friends....

Every once in a while, we all have a facial crisis of sorts...a time when our skin decides to rebel and do something so wrong, so evil that we can only hang our sad faces in shame, shake our heads and think- why skin? WHY?

Well ladies and gents, BGND is having one of those moments. The skin around my mouth, the sides of my nose, my chin and even my jawline and upper neck is FREAKING OUT. It is dry, it is red, it is itchy - IT IS ANGRY AT SOMETHING.

Well, I am sad to report- it is rebelling against something I had high hopes for. Something that had been recommended to me, something that has received beauty award after beauty award.

The offender?

AVON Renew Retroactive Night Cream

Now- the picture I have above is NOT the exact cream that I am using. I actually believe that my particular Avon night cream has been phased out by the company. However, I bring it up to you, my loyal readers more for the lesson I have learned from this ugly face situation than to diss this particular cream. I was recommended this cream - I was told how great it was, what it would do for my fine lines, how it would moisturize and make me wake up with fabulous glowtastic skin.

Well, it has not. Why you ask? Well first of all, let me tell you that I am using this cream on a lark (not always a great idea). I am currently traveling and I had this in my bag of "to try" products. So I packed it away instead of my usual night cream and after 3 nights- disaster. First of all, in the cream's one defense, I am in a different part of the country with different temps/humidity/water. However, the issues I have with the cream, not because of these factors.

The biggest tip off that something was wrong? The SMELL of this cream. Not sour or bad, but strong and very perfumed. I have a girlfriend who also recently tried this cream and she also told me of the smell (yay Beth!) and she was not joking. It seems like a scented body lotion in terms of scent strength, not a face cream. And what does that mean? ALCOHOL. And if you want to dry out your skin and irritate it into a inch of it's life- use a cream heavy in alcohol. In winter, you should be using something soothing and rich. Something to moisturize your tired skin while you sleep, give it new life and work with your anti-agers, not against them. This was not that cream.

Well, I have re-learned my lesson. Beware alcohol. It does not belong in your night cream. It will dry you out- it will make your anti-agers angry and it won't work. I tried to give this cream a shot, I thought all the reviewers couldn't be wrong. But I was right and they were wrong. BAD. VERY BAD. So if you get something new and it seems like you are putting perfume on your face and not lotion, get rid of it. You can give it a try like I did- but beware the possible results. And most importantly- 9 times out of 10 YOU CAN RETURN OPENED BEAUTY PRODUCTS. CVS takes things back, Sephora takes things back no questions asked..many places will take things back if you just explain you had a bad reaction. Even salons and day spas will often take things back...it doesn't hurt to try.

So go forth BGND readers- with soft, smooth, NON-DRY facial skin!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND