Description
Products of an unprecedented partnership between dermatologists and scientists at Procter and Gamble, the new Olay Pro-X Age Repair Lotion SPF 30, Eye Restoration Complex, and Wrinkle Smoothing Cream combine sophisticated skin-care research and advanced technology.  Used together in a three-part daily regime, Pro-X products guarantee younger-looking skin in just twenty-eight days.

The Good
We will cave and confess: a couple of carpool moms must admit we have had driver’s licenses for twenty years; we leave the math to you.  Let’s just say we’re grown-up enough to appreciate a trio of products that makes a decade or so disappear from our faces.  Age Repair Lotion SPF 30, Eye Restoration Complex, and Wrinkle Smoothing Cream felt wonderful on our skin and gave us that “younger looking, younger acting” skin the package promised.  We were thrilled.  We were all set to celebrate the manifold virtues of this dynamic triumvirate, until…

The Not-So-Good
You know our passion for investigating ingredients and making sure that we’re not putting our pretty faces in danger even as we make them prettier.  When we dug into the Pro-X Anti-Aging lists, we were…well, heartbroken.  The stuff works sooo well, but at what price?  Check this out: although most of the prime ingredients are herbal extracts and natural goodies, when you get to the bottom of the list you find petrolatum—better known as “vaseline,” and then all this other stuff–allantoin, sorbitol, betaine, alanine, glycine, proline, threonine, serine, arginine, glutamic acid, lysine, sucrose polycottonseedate, bis-peg/ppg-14/14 dimethicone, sodium pca, cetyl ricinoleate, peg-10 dimethicone, peg-100 stearate peg-10 dimethicone crosspolymer, , edta, disodium, ethylparaben, propylparaben, benzyl alcohol, blue 1, fragrance, red 40 vitamin b3, amino-peptide phase 2.  Sadly, the list explains why approximately 10% of users complain Pro X products have caused blemishes and break-outs.

The Verdict
Very, very sadly, we turn thumbs down.  Even though we loved the results, all those synthetic ingredients worry us more than just a little.  We really are sorry.  However, if the ingredients don’t turn you away by posing a problem, the results are absolutely excellent with this product.

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Description
We’ve been reading up, and we’ve learned from very reliable sources that MAC does headline Vegas faces: Cher’s make-up artist perfects her look for her signature show with nothing but MAC products.  Down the street at “Zumanity,” the veteran make-up artist uses MAX mascaras and eyeliners for total drama and durability.  And make-up professionals everywhere stake their reputations on Studio Fix Foundation.  MAX fans know Studio Fix debuted in powder.  Now, it also appears in fluid.  Long-wearing and completely free of oil, MAC Studio Fix Fluid develops a flawless matte finish.  With SPF 15, it provides reliable sun protection as well as day-into-night coverage.

The Good
Our friends who do cheer and dance would rather catch on fire than perform without MAC Studio Fix Fluid.  It definitely delivers more than a little “wow factor.”  And one of our very cool friends who models major surfgear uses MAC Studio Fix Fluid for photo shoots.  I guess we would call that a “professional testimonial.”   When they say “flawless finish,” they mean it, and the incredibly durable color just simply glows.

The Not-So-Good
You’ve gotta have some skills, and you must cleanse well.  If you’re not really skilled with your MAC brushes and quick flicks of the wrist, you almost inevitably will apply too much and experience profound MAC users’ remorse.  Once you’ve hit that place where it’s just too much, you have no quick-fix options.  Cleanse, and wait for another day.

Whenever you wear MAC Studio Fix Fluid, make sure you use your very best cleanser, toner, and hygiene skills, because, despite its oil-freeness, it will cause blemishes, break-outs, sad sensitive skin misfortunes.  The downside of “durable” lives in the not-so-pretty aftermath of less than perfect cleansing.

The Verdict
Like saving the whales, vegetarianism, and school prayer, you already have made-up your mind about MAC.  We won’t even try to persuade you one way or another, because we know that you know MAC products deliver maximum drama; they are the major league, industrial strength, walk-the-runway real deal.  Not everybody can make that work.  But if you’re the “It-Girl” who can work it well, then MAC Studio Fix Fluid must become your go-to go-glam foundation.

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Description
In honor of Urban Decay’s Tenth Anniversary, UD designers and divas packed-up ten of their most popular eye-shadows—allegedly five dynamic duos, but really just a great collection of eye “ammo”—in one awesome, very well-appointed and nicely equipped case.  All the vivid tints and hues have built-in glitters and iridescents, subtle but unmistakable.  Too cool for school, but absolutely and unmistakably perfect for every club appearance.

The Good
Okay, let’s face the facts here, trendseekers.  You may buy the deluxe limited edition Ammo Eye Palette because the case all by itself is a major wonderwork of post-modern art.  All wrapped up in matte black paper and embellished in properly purply “emo” graphics, the slick black case is a testimonial to the seductive power of early 21st century graphics.

You should, however, invest those $36 in the sexy, sultry shadow shades inside the too-cool case.

Wouldn’t you, at least once in your life, just love to wear an eyeshadow named “oil slick” and maybe blend it with its companion shade “smog”?  Something just too awesomely edgy about the whole idea of it.  That and the inescapable fact that, under the kinda post-modern punk names, the colors are beautiful.  The Urban Decadents have done their signature alterna-chic magic, expertly coordinating the tints and hues in their palette. The ten carefully chosen shades are intended to pair-up; but they easily and happily can triple-up, or maybe even quadruple-up, blending seamlessly into some really amazing effects.  By the laws of probability, that gives you at least 24 possible combinations.  (Your combinations may vary.)

The Not-So-Good
Not a complaint, but definitely a caution: Do NOT wear to the office or honors algebra.  The glitters and iridescents are perfect for glammed-up nightlife, but they definitely will distract and discomfit the partners during the morning meeting. And the algebra teacher?  Well, he will “begin to shake and cough/Like that man in the book by Nabokov.”

The Verdict
Moms and daughters enthusiastically raise their opposable digits in happy, hearty thumbs up.  And then they made a pact not to wear the UD eye-shadows at the same time to the same occasion. And we will not wear them when we hang-out with grandma.

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Description
Define and line under or over your eyeshadow in a rainbow—really, the whole visible spectrum, from Roy through G to Biv—of delectable, long-lasting colors.  Creamy, surprisingly easy to apply for color in a pencil, these little beauties have infinite possibilities. And, best of all, our health-conscious and earth-friendly girlfriends at Sephora have derived their spectacular colors from minerals, not synthetic dyes.

The Good
Another one of Amazon.com’s top sellers—almost at the tippy-top of its category and #64 overall.  Pretty elite for a $5 product, doncha think?  A whole rainbow of colors, infinitely mixable and matchable, and generally very cool.

Although the four carpool moms enjoy a widespread and well-deserved reputation as “the cool moms,” every now and then we inadvertently reveal our conservative suburban upbringing.  Sometimes we are just not princess enough.  Each of us looked at the dazzling array of colors, inspirational as the most perfect set of colored pencils ever, and each of us selected one favorite.  But not our daughters.  All of them exclaimed, almost in unison, “Look!  You can get a shade to match every outfit every day!”  It’s true.  You can.  We caved.

The Not-So-Good
You must accept the risk inherent in eyeliner pencils: If you sweat, cry, blink incessantly, or otherwise mess with eyelids, your otherwise awesome lines and definitions probably will smudge.  If you wear glasses, sometimes little flecks of beautiful color may obscure your vision.  Naturally, liquid eyeliners don’t do that.

The Verdict
Thumbs up. Moms and daughters.  We will trade a little smudging for spectacular color any day; and, yes, there are little tricks for controlling the smudging if you’re not in the mood for smoky eyes.

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Description
A limited edition duo, two of NARS most popular shades—Orgasm and Laguna—carefully coordinated and cleverly packaged as a set.  The combination of a pink-peachy gilt-flecked shimmer and Saltillo brown blush complements all skin tones.  And together they give the glow of a happy, satisfied afternoon and evening on your favorite Southern California beach.

The Good
We probably would like the products just for their names.  C’mon, how often do you get to ask your best friend, in all innocence, “How do you like my Orgasm?”  And just the thought of Laguna triggers more happy memories than we can count.  The colors behind the names are darker than they appear in the pictures, but that turns out to be a good thing.  The fair-skinned carpool moms looked all sunshiny even on cold, rainy winter days; and the slightly darker moms, who were afraid the deeper tones would just look foolish on their complexions, looked like they had their regular summer tans.  The gold shimmers in Laguna are a very nice touch.  All four of us liked how easily the colors brushed on—two sweeps and done; and we all liked how long they lasted—we averaged 10 hours with no touch-ups.

The Not-So-Good
We grudgingly agree that $37 seems super spendy even for a limited addition.  In fact, we could drive to Laguna for $37, and we’re still a little old-fashioned about the proper price for an orgasm.  We acknowledge that the NARS Blush-Bronzer Duo enhances our natural beauty quite a bit; but, in hard times, we’ve gotta go a little less glam and a little more practical.

The Verdict
Sorry.  Not right now.  Not that it’s not a wonderful combination of excellent products, but it’s just not practical.  Maybe, when someone buys the movie rights to our beauty reviews, we’ll reconsider.  However, if price isn’t a concern, then this is ideal for the promising glow and glam.

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Description
A seven piece tool kit for perfectly dazzling eyes, complete with an indispensable guide book which explains, step-by-step, how to achieve world class eyes with minimal weekday effort.  Like their sister product, award-winning Bare Minerals foundation, the eye shadows and liners have no preservatives and nothing that will irritate skin and eyes; they have no synthetic waxes, fragrances, or dyes, and they contain no petro-chemicals or sulfates.  Like all of their sister products in the Bare Escentuals family, the eye shadows and liners are formulated with the idea that they are skincare products which just coincidentally look breathtaking.  The kit also includes applicator brushes custom-tailored for precise and pretty much perfect application of these products.  You get the three most popular eye-shadow shades: “Vanilla Sugar,” a creamy soft beige; “Peach Puff,” just what its name implies; and “Soft Focus Explore,” an extremely soft and sultry brown.  The well-chosen eyeliner comes in “Fashionista,” a wonderful raisin-chocolate tint.

The Good
What would you say is the appropriately superlative word for “awesome…to the third power”?  Whatever that is, that’s the word you want for describing the look, feel, color, and value of Bare Escentuals Get Started Eyes.  Seven indispensible tools, shadows, and liners guaranteed to put the pop and pow on your lids and lashes with no muss, fuss, or bother.  Best of all, the indispensable kit includes a step-by-step guide to expert application of these all-natural eye-lining and defining miracle products.  Where was this book when we were in eighth grade?  We followed the instructions for seamless blending of the exceptionally well-coordinated shades, and the three shadows and liner looked so spectacular we couldn’t stop raving, “Wow, you look great.  Really, you look great.  Seriously.”

The Not-So-Good
We have heard a few complaints that the colors are “too ordinary.”  We also have a heard a little whining about how the eyeliner is a little difficult to apply.   The designers and marketers deliberately chose the most popular eye-shadow shades for their appeal and especially on the grounds that they coordinate with about 95% of women’s skin tones.  No, you won’t go punk, goth, or killer glam with these shades; instead, you simply will look beautiful.  And, yes, the eyeliner would pose a few problems if you failed to read the book.  When you do read the book, however, it works well even in the clumsiest make-up fingers.

The Verdict
You want it.  You know you do.

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Bare Escentuals bareMinerals get started eyes kit US $41.65 Auction Ends: Friday Jul-03-2009 21:27:54 PDT Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

NEW SEALED BARE ESCENTUALS 7 PC GET STARTED EYES KIT NR US $29.09 (7 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 12:45:35 PDT Bid on this Item   | Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Get Started Eyes 7pc Kit US $44.99 Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 18:31:09 PDT Bid on this Item   | Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Description
We were intrigued when we read that Tickled would make our cheeks look “exactly like someone just pinched” them.  And we were genuinely amazed when we discovered that “pinched” was a little too tame for the natural blush we got: it’s more like you get when your best friend very confidentially tells you something so outrageous, raucous, and hilarious you feel like you spontaneously will combust.

Tickled looks natural because it is almost all-natural—the most amazing combination of ingredients we have seen anywhere outside a produce stand.  Start with the Tarte T5 Super Fruit Complex™, their propriety formula that mixes Mother Nature’s most powerful fruits—acai, acerola, pomegranate, goji, and maracuja.  Each fruit alone falls off the tree so anti-oxidant rich and vitamin-packed the nutritionists and dermatologists run out of superlatives.  The five of them together?  Sometimes, all the girls can say is “wow.”

Tickled contains neither alcohol nor oil, so it won’t dry your skin or leave it oily.  It also has no preservatives, waxes, petro-chemicals, or other harsh and hazardous chemicals.  Tickled not only gives your face a beautiful, natural-looking blush; it also restores, nourishes, regenerates, rejuvenates, softens, moisturizes, and pretty much does everything for your face except make it smile.

The Good
Tickled delivers vivid but surprisingly sheer, lightweight, absolutely natural looking color.

But that’s not the really big news about Tickled.  The headline story explains that the people at Tarte take their eco-friendliness exceptionally seriously.  Because four of the five miracle fruits flourish in the Amazon Rainforest, Tarte has joined forces with Sambazon, sponsors of the Sustainable Acai Project.  Together, they foster Rainforest conservation and improve both living conditions and educational opportunities for the indigenous people.

The berries work really well on your face; the company that brought you the berries works really hard on the planet.  Seems fair and just to us.

The Not-So-Good
We have no complaints, but we have overheard a very little bit of whining about the texture.  A few picky PTA moms have pouted that Tickled felt oily, waxy, and sticky, saying that it felt tacky as it went on and it stayed annoyingly tacky until they washed it off.  Strikes us as a little implausible, because Tickled contains nothing to promote “tacky.”  But you cannot say we did not caution you.

The Verdict
Amazing!  A genuinely spectacular product from a company that honors its social responsibility.  Four carpool moms.  Four happily blushing faces, and eight enthusiastic thumbs up with veneration.

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NEW TARTE MINI CHEEK STAIN IN TIPSY .17 OZ ~ BLUSH US $5.50 (1 Bid) Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 17:30:22 PDT Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item

TARTE Stay All Day Sampler Set Lip Eye & Cheek Stains US $8.51 (2 Bids) Auction Ends: Sunday Jul-05-2009 19:20:52 PDT Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item

TARTE CHEEK STAIN IN TIPSY NEW US $14.99 Auction Ends: Monday Jul-06-2009 18:15:00 PDT Bid on this Item   | Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Description
“All in one” means MD Skincare Cleanser with Toner multi-tasks four ways: it removes make-up and dirt, it deep-cleans your pores to remove excess oil, it tones your skin, and it protects your super-clean face.  As you use it, you almost can feel how it dissolves away dirt, make-up, and grime, but it melts away all that nastiness gently, so that your skin feels supple and soft, not taut or dry.

MD Skincare Cleanser with Toner has some good old-fashioned ingredients—witch hazel and castor oil, which account for its cleansing, toning, and nourishing.  It also has some sophisticated plant derivatives which deliver isoflavones (plant-based estrogens), which give its rejuvenating properties a little extra turbo-charge.  And, for better or for worse, MD Skincare Cleanser with Toner has emu oil.  We’ve never seen that before.

The Good
We liked its gentleness.  MD Skincare Cleanser with Toner dissolved away all that everyday stuff that ravages skin, so that our faces felt fresh and genuinely clean.  You can quote us: Genuinely clean is good.

The Not-So-Good
That “old-fashioned” thing is both the good news and the bad news, because we like that some of grandma’s old favorites are making a come-back, but we’re not real thrilled with three petro-chemical waxes, two alcohols, and FD&C Blue No. 1.  After trying out products that are all-all-natural and dedicated to reserving the Amazon Rainforest and its people, it’s a little difficult to look at a product list that reads like the Dow Chemicals catalogue.

The Verdict
Not a full-on thumbs down, but we really don’t think so.  Although we like the “genuinely clean” and we’re intrigued with the emu oil, we can’t really recommend a product with all those earth- and body-hostile ingredients.

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MD SKINCARE ALL IN ONE FACIAL CLEANSER WITH TONER 8.5 US $12.95 Auction Ends: Monday Jul-06-2009 10:19:45 PDT Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

MD Skincare All-in-One Facial Cleanser with Toner 8 oz. US $28.00 Auction Ends: Friday Jul-10-2009 13:33:32 PDT Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

MD Skincare All-In-One Facial Cleanser with Toner 4oz / US $13.04 Auction Ends: Wednesday Jul-15-2009 19:22:38 PDT Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Description
A collection of exceptionally colorful yet wonderfully sheer powders, which bring the beauty and glam.  Easy to apply and guaranteed to go from day until night until late-night, Benefit powders come in nearly a dozen shades, all of which add natural-looking color and a hint of bronze.  The word “radiant” seems to come up a lot when we wear our favorite shades of Benefit powder.

The Good
Benefit Powders work especially well on really fair skin.  One of the carpool moms has skin so fair that, if she does not wear blush, people rush to check her pulse and hold mirrors over her lips—kinda unfortunately cadaverous, we regret.  But Benefit powders made her look sun-drenched and radiant, approximately the same color our daughters turn on the third day of a new crush.  For most of us, Benefit adds sheer color so dramatic we would wear it only for big nights out; but for our fair-skinned friend, Benefit powder was like a daily dip in the Fountain of Bliss.

Two features of Benefit powders really impress us.  First, it comes in such a wide array of tints and hues, you inevitably can find just the right wonder-working shade for your unique palette.  And, second, it’s easy: a couple of light sweeps across the cheeks and you get sheer, lightweight color that really lights-up your whole face.

The Not-So-Good
When you buy Benefit products, you’ve gotta-gotta remember that there’s a theatrical element in there that gives them a little extra “wow factor.”  No Benefit product ever was intended for use by the shy or faint-of-heart.  Therefore, when you buy color, you get color!  When you invest in radiance, you get about a hundred-gazillion candlepower.  If you’re not shooting for a “goddess-like glow,” the effect you get from Benefit powders, you cannot complain that the products betrayed you.  They did their job.  What a shame they made you look divinely radiant.

A more realistic caution for women with oily skin: Be sure to cleanse your face thoroughly after you wear Benefit powders, because they are so long-lasting they can trap dirt and excess oil, causing blemishes and other unpleasantness.  Use both a good cleanser and a nourishing toner both before and after your wear your Benefit powder.

The Verdict
Experiment with a couple of the shades you think look sexiest and most seductive on you—you’re sure to find at least two.  And then invest for the purpose of dazzling as occasions require.  Benefit powders probably have a little too much oomph for an average day in the office, but they’re just right for that night when you harbor naughty thoughts and intentions.

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Benefit Cosmetics Coralista All over Face Powder NEW US $25.99 Auction Ends: Monday Jul-13-2009 14:33:34 PDT Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Description
The name may seem a little desperate and discouraging, but think of the product as serious intervention for very tired, gravity-ravaged skin.  Philosophy “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum all is loaded with proteins, herb, and anti-oxidants to nourish and restore damaged skin while it protects against free-radicals, sun and wind, dirt and make-up, and all those other hazardous wastes that wreak serious havoc on delicate complexions.  “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum also comes power-packed with a ton of firming and toning agents which render wrinkles and fine lines just unpleasant memories; and our Philosophy friends have loaded it up with a ton of moisturizers to keep us smiling without leaving lines. “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum is serious skin treatment which delivers serious results.

The Good
“When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum really came close to qualifying as cosmetic surgery in a jar.  It tightened flabby necks and sagging jowls and everything else we tried to deny.  It made big bags and dark circles disappear from under our eyes without make-up or scalpels.  And, more or less as it promised, it worked such amazing miracles on our worn faces that it restored our hope after all.

The Not-So-Good
We heard a few complaints which we ultimately attributed to our own (slight) exaggeration of “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum’s healing properties.  So, we clarify.  The product is like surgery in a jar; it doesn’t actually do surgical procedures.  A few PTA moms expected a little more than any beauty product really could deliver: it did not make wattles and jowls disappear, and it did not wash away three decades of hard living.  If we led you to believe any product could do that much correction, we apologize.  “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum does, however, genuinely tighten and rejuvenate seriously neglected skin.

The Verdict
Oh, yeah!  Thumbs way-way up.  Definitely not required for everyday use, but at the end of “marathon” work weeks when everything needs rebirth and restoration “When Hope is not Enough” Facial Serum is the go-to restorative.  Definitely.

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Philosophy~WHEN HOPE IS NOT ENOUGH~Facial firming serum US $10.50 (5 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 11:36:14 PDT Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item

philosophy when hope is not enough facial firming serum US $10.73 (2 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 17:11:36 PDT Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item

philosophy when hope is not enough facial firming serum US $10.23 (3 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday Jul-04-2009 17:12:01 PDT Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item