Bath and Body Works Valentine's Day Pocketbac Collection

No matter how many cute little Valentine's Day products that come out each year, I still hate this holiday. I am trying to focus on the positive this year and look at how many beauty products I can buy myself instead of my lack of boyfriend. So I guess is it time to look at what products I can treat myself to this year. The first of the Valentine's Day products that has been brought to my attention is the Bath and Body Works Valentine's Day Pocketbac Collection. This consists of five new fragrances in the super-portable Pocketbac collection.

My favorite of the collection is the "I Love Shoes" fragrance which has a very cute shoe graphic on the front of the product, is pink, and is the fragrance Stylish Strawberry. This one is very sweet and reminds me of strawberry shortcake. My second favorite of the collection is the "I Love Bling" fragrance. This one is a clear color and has a rock candy fragrance which smells sweet more than anything else. The last one of the group that I like is the "I Love Cake" product with the cupcake graphic on the front of the bottle. This one smells like vanilla cake and reminds me of the Cupcake Pocketbac collection that I loved at Christmas.

The last two didn't really tickle my fancy. The "I Love You" Pocketbac has the Sweet Pea that I haven't been a fan of the since the beginning of my undergraduate years. This one is covered in lip prints and the gel inside is a red color. The last one from this collection is "I Love Boys" which has a graphic of a boy on that looks exactly like Justin Bieber, killing the whole product for me. The fragrance is Berry Crush which I didn't mind but I just can't seriously carry that Pocketbac.

I may not be a Valentine's Day girl but I can definitely love shoes, diamonds, and cake. I have also been told that a St. Patrick's Day collection is upcoming and we all know how excited I will be about that one!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Test Driving...

I am currently trying out a few new products to review very soon!

- Gucci by Gucci
- Ojon Revitalitizing Mask
- Bath and Body Works Need a Margarita? Citrus Scrub
- NARS Smudgeproof Eye Shadow Base
- Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Vanilla Verbena Body Lotion

I love it when all my items are fresh and new!

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Polish

Somehow I have been skipping over these lip glosses in my makeup box for the longest time, I had at least one or two sitting in my traincase since at least the beginning of summer. So it was like Christmas morning when I as digging around and came across two of these (in their original packages yet!). I have been test-driving both shades and I have decided that these rank up in my short list of favorite lip glosses. This lip gloss has a plumping ingredient in it, reminding me more of MAC Plushglass than DuWop Lip Venom.

Sephora states the following about this product, "A pout-perfecting lip polish. Naturally creates the look of fuller, more voluptuous lips. This mineral-infused polish imparts a luminous high shine with no sticky or tacky feeling. A deep infusion of antioxidant Vitamins A and E helps keep lips soft, smooth, and protected, while the tingly and cooling sensation reminds you that your lips are getting an immediate increase in fullness." In clinical trials: 86% of women experience an immediate increase in lip fullness; 75% of women feel that moisture in their lips has increase; and 96% of women were statisfied with the overall appearance in their lips.

This product is available in a range of shades, from subtle to dramatic, with three finishes: original, tint, and diamond. Here are the shades that you have to choose from...

Original Finish (sheer cream gloss)

- Amber - soft shimmering peach

- Betty - crimson red

- Bianca - shimmering golden orange

- Brandi - shimmering deep rose

- Bunny - innocent pink

- Candi - shimmering soft pink

- Dani - berry pink

- Destiny - peach nectar

- Dolly - shimmering muted plum

- Dominique - clear with iridescent microglitter

- Eva - warm rose

- Gabby - plum shimmer

- Ginger - shimmering copper rose

- Isabella - sunlit copper

- Jessica - copper pink

- Kanani - shimmering vibrant pink

- Katie - pale pink

- Krystal - high shine clear
- Lacey - coral poppy

- Lana - black raspberry

- Princess - shimmering pink pearl

- Sandy - pink nude

- Sugar - rose beige

- Trixie - shimmering golden rose

Tint Finish (cream finish with more pigment)

- Cherry - sheer poppy

- Liberty - sheer red glaze

- Margarita - sheer raspberry

- Melonie - sheer fushcia

Diamond Finish (super sparkly finish)

- April - glimmering icy pink

- Celeste - glimmering soft peach
- Charity - glimmering cherry red

- Clair - moonlit mauve

- Sarina - shimmering toffee

- Starr - raspberry ice

The two shades that I purchased are from the original finish collection. I have Dani, which is the berry pink shade and Betty, which is the crimson red shade. The Dani shade is very easy to wear since it just gives my lips a hint of a berry tint and I have paired this shade with many different eye shadow shades. Crimson works the best when it is paired with a golden eye or a black cat eye. The plumping action on these glosses makes my lips full and plump but not over-powering. Instead of burning, this gloss give a hint of mint tingle and fades after several minutes. The plumping effect lasts about two or three hours, usually until the gloss needs to be reapplied.

The last time that I went to Sephora (after trying these glosses out), I sat and stared at the counter and felt like a little girl in a candy store all over again. I could have grabbed a shopping basket and started filling it up right then and there but I decided to try and have some self control. Maybe hold it down to one or two per visit... Most of the ones that I want are from the original formulation, I don't plan to really mess with lip gloss perfection! My shopping list: Brandi, Bunny, Eva, Lana, Sandi, and Sugar. I want to try out the April shade in the Diamond formula and see how it compares to the Baby Sparks Dazzleglass.

Well now I have yet another lip gloss obsession. Since that was EXACTLY was I needed!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Murad Redness Therapy Correcting Moisturizer SPF 15

Normally, I am a Murad lady, I have used many products from this skincare line and had great results. I love Dr. Murad, his research, and all his products. Based on many positive experiences with his Vitamin C and Pomegranate based product lines, I decided to invest in his redness line when I went to Sephora over the holidays. I purchased the mositurizer, face cleanser, and serum and so far I have been using only the moisturizer. And for the first time with this company, I am not happy and am somewhat regretting purchasing this whole collection. Why? Let me explain...

First I want to start with the description of the product from the Sephora website. "A patented, tinted lotion with soothing, moisturizing extracts. Reduces the appearance of red, rough, flaky skin on contact by neutralizing and protecting dry, irritated skin and minimzing the appearance of redness with a color correcting tint. Also shields against sun damage". The three active ingredients in this products are goji berry extract, licorice extract, and peppermint leaf extract. The goji berry is an antioxidant that reduces skin inflammation and helps to protect against free radical damage. The licorice extract helps to reduce surface redness and the peppermint leaf extract helps to relieve discomfort and stinging that is associated with red skin. The formula itself sounds good and I am a big fan of the goji berrry extract in his products. So what are the issues?

My two major issues with this product is the texture and the SPF protection. To start with the texture. This is a lotion formula, I need more of a cream especially this time of the year. This formula felt thinand wtery on application and was quickly absorbed into my skin but within about two hours, my skin has dry against and needed something else. I am thinking that this formula is better suited to someone with oily skin and that Murad might be better off if two hydrators were available in this line. He should keep the lotion for those with oily skin but also make a hydrating cream for those of us with dry skin. A cream in this line would rock my world and make me very happy. My second issue is the SPF, why is this only at a 15?! Most dermatologist recommend at least 30 or higher for more sensitive skin. I would rather this product had nothing SPF in it and then I could layer my own with it instead of only having the SPF 15. Ok, rant over!

What I did like about this product! It helps to control my redness especially in my cheek area and felt very nice on application. I had no issues with my face reacting to it. I like the antioxidant protection that this product offers. I think that I would be much happier just seeing this product in a cream formula and with a different SPF level. Looking at the two reasons that this product didn't work out for me still isn't stopping me from the rest of the Murad line. The wash and serum should be of the same formula and neither of those will have the SPF issues and I can layer them with a thicker hydrator.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Collection

Hello snowy morning! I hate snow and winter but I must admit that it does look pretty coming down... Anyway, several weeks ago, I wrote about the Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Lay It On Thick collection and how well it works in the dry winter weather. Bath and Body Works also has another option for those of us with dry, cracked skin who love wonderful smelling products that work as well as they smell. This line is also available in the True Blue Spa collection and is named Shea Cashmere. Both of these lines are top performing body products, the major different between these product lines in the fragrance. The Lay It On Thick has a subtle coconut fragrance while the Shea Cashmere has stronger vanilla caramel fragrance. Personally, I love both fragrances so I have products from both lines. Each line consists of the same basic products, however both lines have certain products that are standouts. All of the products in this collection contain rich African Shea Butter and cashmere extract to hydrate and soothe skin. Let's look at each product in this collection too.

Shea Cashmere Bubble Bath - This luxurious Bubble Bath is creamier and provides a longer lasting, comforting scent for the ultimate pampering and skin nourishing experience than ever before, leaving skin as soft as cashmere.

Shea Cashmere Shower Cream - Shower yourself with liquid cashmere. Infused with cashmere extract and rich shea butter, this skin-caressing shower cream blankets you in a sensual, soothing lather. The ultra-moisturizing formula leaves skin feeling soft as cashmere and lightly fragranced with a creamy vanilla scent that's both fresh and comforting.

Shea Cashmere Body Lotion - Wrap yourself in cashmere. This ultra-moisturizing body lotion is infused with soothing cashmere extract and rich shea butter to leave skin supremely silky. The perfect everyday luxury, it absorbs quickly to nourish head to toe, leaving skin addictively soft and lightly fragranced with a creamy vanilla scent that's both fresh and comforting.

Shea Cashmere Fragrance Mist - Love the scent of Shea Cashmere? Spritz it all over your body and wrap yourself in a warm blend of frothed milk, golden butterscotch, and Tahitian vanilla musk.

Shea Cashmere Body Cream - Envelop yourself in creamy cashmere. Infused with cashmere extract and rich shea butter, this ultra-moisturizing body cream leaves skin supremely soft and lightly fragranced with a creamy vanilla scent that's both fresh and comforting.

Shea Cashmere Hand Cream - Wrap your hands in cashmere. Infused with both cashemre extract and rich shea butter, this ultra-moisturizing hand cream glides on sensually to soothe and nourish. Non-greasy, it absorbs quickly, leaving hands supremely silky and lightly fragranced with a creamy vanilla scent that's both fresh and comforting.

I purchased most of this collection at the beginning of the fall. I started out with the body cream, the hand cream, and the shower cream and then added the fragrance mist on at the very end. When this line first came out, I passed over it as a copy of the Fekkai shea butter body product line, it really looked like Bath and Body Works was just trying to copy on his line. I was converted to this collection when one of the associates suggested that I try a bit of the hand cream and I really enjoyed both the feel of the product and the fragrance.

I loaded up on the body cream, hand cream, and the shower cream. As an afterthought, I sprayed on the fragrance mist and after several minutes, the scent developed into a lovely, unique vanilla that is sophisticated and smells like no other vanilla that I have ever owned. I think the fragrance mist if the gem of the this collection but you can't go wrong with any of it. the shower cream produces a rich lather and doesn't dry out or strip skin, I really recommend it during the winter months. The cream is better for very dry skin and helps to keep it hydrated during the worst of the winter. The lotion is a lighter texture and while I did like it, I found the cream to be much more hydrating. The bubble bath is limited edition just for the holidays (finding it is getting hard but I recommend that you try!) and is more of a soak than a true bubble bath. It provides a slight bit of foam but mostly made the water cloudy and fragranced.

Last but not least, the hand is the best selling product from the collection and if you buy nothing else, I insist you try this one. It works wonders on dry hands and comes in two versions. The traditional version has the same fragrance and feel as the body cream. There is a second version (one that I can never find in stores but is on the website) that also contains silk proteins. It has a slightly lighter texture and more of an almond scent than the vanilla fragrance. This hand cream is also available in select fragrances in the Signature Collection so if you prefer Moonlight Path, Dark Kiss, or something with a different fragrance, you can still find a hand cream to suit you.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

MAC Peacocky

Peacocky is the second of the new MAC releases of this week and the collection that I have been looking forward to the most out of the two. This collection consists of two products only, both of which are new formulas of eye shadow and lip gloss. Since these are two of my favorite offerings from MAC to begin with, I am really looking forward to testing these products out and checking out the new shades. "We fetishize the exotic peacock as a symbol of extreme beauty, raging against everything simplistic. New Kissable Lipcolour combines full flash with creamy comfort. Mega Metal Shadow gleams like chrome - yet is creamy, crease-resistant, with vitamin-fortified flexibility. Dramatic doesn't begin to describe the girl who knows she's Peacocky".

Here are the new products...

Mega Metal Shadow - A colour-rich, light-reflecting gleam combined with a creamy application that invites blending, layering, shaping, while remaining crease-resistant. A brillant choice for all those seeking the ultimate metallic finish.

- Peek-At-You - frosted yellow white

- Dalliance - light champagne

- Prance - frosted mauve pearl

- Top of the Posh - frosted white pink

- Tweet Me - gold bronze

- Mating Call - dirty frosted violet

- Odalisque - deep teal

- Sexpectations - metallic burgundy

- Paparazz-she - deep copper bronze

- Ego - forest green

- Noir Plum - true purple with silver pearl

- Dandizette - navy with silver pearl

- Spectacle of Yourself - deep bronze

- Centre Stage - frosted chocolate brown

- Unflappable - frosted black with purple pearl

Kissable Lipcolour - Luscious in pay-off and application, Kissable Lipcolour applies with the smooth glide of a lip gloss, then finishes with the creamy pigment-rich look of a Lipstick. New Slimline vial complete with doe-foot applicator.

- Enchantee - light blue pink

- Woo Me - light pinky nude

- So Vain - muted dirty coral

- Vanity Fair- midtone blue pink

- Exxxhibitionist - red toned coral

- Strut Your Stuff - bright true red

- Scandelicious - blue fuchsia

- Peacocky - sky blue with red pearl

- Super - muted neutral brown

- Love Peck - blackened blood red

- Temper Tantra - midtone reddish brown

- Flaunting It - gray mauve

I love these two new products, I am so excited to get my hands on these! Lately, I have only been wearing metallic shades on my eyes, especially from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I am hoping that many of these shades will mix well with what I already own. My two favorites are Tweet Me and Mating Call, both of which are warmer and I am hoping to use with the Naked Palette. The rest of my shopping list from this type of shadow is: Peek-At-You, Dalliance, Prance, Paparazz-ee, Noir Plum, and Unflappable. My favorite shade of the new lip gloss is Woo Me, which should work with all the dramatic eye shadows that I want from the Mega Metal Shadows. The only other two shades that I want to try are Love Peck and Flaunting It. However, I must see Scandelicious in person to see how blue it really comes out on application.

I hope that these two new formulas aren't just limited edition releases as I can see them being very popular. I do wonder why the Mega Metal wasn't released last fall since dramatic eye makeup was a big trend then and MAC could have jumpted right on the bandwagon. I have been looking for a lip shade that is close in color and finish to Way To Love and even though Woo Me doesn't have any yellow in it, it might be close enough to get me through until MAC re-releases it in a collection.

photo courtesy of MAC

MAC + Mickey Contractor

With this release, MAC is now beginning to bring out its collections for spring. The first of the two releases this week is the MAC + Mickey Contractor collection, a collection based on the art of Bollywood dancing. MAC states, "As MAC's Director of Makeup Artisty for India, Mickey has mentored artists around the world. This collection of his musts is about natural skin and total performance. Foundation, concealer, goddess-gorgeous eye shades and his favourite brushes to star in your own Bollywood hit". This collection could be hit or miss for me since I am betting that many of the shades might be better for a skintone that is deeper than mine.

Here is the new collection...

Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well.

- Saffron - deep coral caramel

- Rani - bright fushcia with soft pink pearl

- Marvel - deep purple with soft pink pearl

- Oomph - forest green with soft gold pearl

Athma: Eye Shadow x 4 - Four of Mickey Contractor's Bollywood backstage favourite shades in one compact: An artistic fusion of Lustre, Satin, Matte finishes featuring gold pearl tinged limited-edition highlight shades Jean and Vivah, and two MAC essential favourites Folie and Carbon.

- Jean - light neutral with soft gold pearl (Lustre)

- Folie - reddish-plum brown (Satin)

- Vivah - brown with gold pearl (Lustre)

- Carbon - intense black (Matte)

Fluidline - Ultra-smooth, Fluidline's gel formula provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish. Goes on "foolproof" with a brush in an easy dip-and-stroke action. Long-wearing. Smudge-proof. Lines up in a rich array of colours and finishes. Brush sold separately.

- Ivy - bright green

- Siahi - deep turquoise blue

Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made MAC famous.

- Yash - deep neutral (Matte)

- Mehr - dirty blue pink (Matte)

- Gulabi - bright fushcia (Amplified)

- Mocha - peachy yellow-brown (Satin)

Tinted Lipglass - A unique lip gloss available in a wide variety of colours that can create a high gloss, glass-like finish or a subtle sheen. Designed to be worn on its own, over Lip Pencil or Lipstick, Tinted Lipglass is the perfect product for creating shine that lasts. It's pigmented, very shiny and can impart subtle or dramatic colour. It contains Jojoba Oil to help soften and condition the lips. Tinted Lipglass is packaged in a convenient bottle with a sponge tip applicator that provides a quick, smooth, even application.

- Flesh - dirty nude brown

- Lust - soft muted pink

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation - A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15. Comfortable and long-wearing: lasts for up to eight hours. Applies smoothly, builds coverage quickly and easily. Contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus poweders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections. Absorbs and disperses oil. Contains special skin-conditioning ingredients. Oil-free. Available in a range of shades to suit all skintones.

Powder Blush - Colour for the cheeks and face. Various formulas. Different looks.

- Gana - white gold

- Sur - dirty rosie brown

Select Moisturecover Concealer - A luxuriously blendable moisturizing concealer in a tube with built-in doe-foot applicator. Goes on exactly where you want in: blends in for a natural satin-smooth ultra-moisturized finish. Layers up for added coverage. Line-softening, skin-perfecting: The Pros' "select" for under-eyes and delicate skin. Wide shade range provides soft, natural camouflage. Use with the 194 Concealer Brush.

Select Moisturecover Duo - A limited-edition dual-sided Select Moisture Concealer featuring two tones to help conceal blemishes and correct dark circles under the eyes. Line softening, moisturized finish makes it ideal for undereyes.

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - A silky finishing powder that provides an invisible way to set makeup. Reduces shine while optically minimizing the look of pores, lines, imperfections. Available in one universal colour that suits all shades. Wear over makeup or on bare, moisturized skin.

219 Pencil Brush - For precision shading on lid, in eye crease or along lash line. The soft, smooth fibers of this brush are gathered into a pencil-shaped tip. It is ideal for blending eyeliner into eye shadow to create a smoky looking eye. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

239 Eye Shader Brush - Soft and dense to shade or blend eye shadow or emollient-based products. This brush has a tapered, rounded edge with smooth, firm, fine fibres. It can be used to build intense colour on the eyelid. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materals. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

116 Blush Brush - Tapered for shading and highlighting cheeks and face with blush. The bristles on this brush are soft and form a full, rounded shade. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

These shades are very attractive but they are just not for me. But for someone with a deeper skintone, this is great collection with tons of shade choices. I think the only gem for myself in this collection is the Fluidline in Ivy. This shade promises to a be a very unique green and is already out of the stock on the MAC website. I am also going to check out the Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder in hopes that it will perform the same as the product from Make Up For Ever. Let's see if the second new collection contains a few shades that will be better suited for my pale complexion...

photo courtesy of MAC