I have been putting on black eyeliner pretty much every single time I apply makeup since I was around 17. You could say it’s my signature style! These days, I usually use a soft pencil – I used liquid eyeliner in my teens, but it would get into my eyes badly and burn so I finally wised up and stopped using it. However, I’m sure there are many brands superior to the dollar store liquid eyeliner I used in 2001 so when VB Beauty sent me a tube of their Lash Enhancing Liquid Eyeliner, I was excited to try it out. This is a brand new product coming later this summer, so I’m getting the first sneak peek at it!

As you may have guessed from the name, this eyeliner claims that it will give you longer, thicker eyelashes in 4-6 weeks. I have not worn it every day as instructed, so I cannot comment on this; part of the reason I haven’t worn it all the time is because the instructions say in all caps that you SHOULD NOT extend the line beyond your eyelid when painting on this eyeliner. I like to create a sort of cats-eye winged look when I apply liner, so it doesn’t fit with my look most days. I’m not sure why this is or the details on how the product is meant to work, but it also tells you not to apply it to the waterline (This is your waterline, in case you were wondering like I was), so it must be because of the ingredients in the formula.

That aside, I had no problems with it getting into my eyes or causing any discomfort. It seemed to be a little streaky in terms of getting a thick black line, however I feel like I can’t fairly comment on this, since after the very first usage the cap came off in my purse and stayed off unbeknownst to me for days. DOH! It dried out pretty bad, but I can wet the brush with water prior to applying to get the eyeliner to come out again. That was totally my fault for having a chaotic purse! All in all, I think this eyeliner is cute to use when I’m not doing much makeup and just want to slap something on quickly – for example, when we were painting last week and I was just staying indoors getting covered with paint anyway.

I also received a tube of Beauty Lash as a bonus surprise when my review materials arrived. This is advertised as a straight-up growth serum and goes on like a clear, colorless eyeliner. The website says that independent studies have confirmed the effectiveness of their proprietary blend, but I couldn’t find any links to those studies. I actually have pretty long, thicker eyelashes naturally so it’s actually one area I’ve never really bothered to do anything with. But, I’m always open to trying new things! I did apply this once but have not kept up with it. The product does warn that it could possibly cause skin discoloration, so I figured it wasn’t worth possibly getting a rash over since I have sensitive skin and it’s not an area I feel greatly compelled to change.

The Beauty Lash retails for $39 and the Lash Enhancing Liquid Eyeliner will retail for $35 when it hits the market; both will be available to purchase on VBBeauty.com.

If you’re a longtime reader, you’ve probably heard me talk about Frownies before. This line of skin care products includes unique facial patches that are essentially gummy kraft paper that you moisten and apply to wrinkles to smooth the skin back overnight. I’ve always been intrigued by the concept and had some promising initial results, but I never made it to the full 30 days that you’re supposed to wear them for. Either I got out of the routine – things are always chaotic, and it felt like a chore to go through a big skin care routine before bed when I was already exhausted – and I also found I was breaking out after using them. I’ve been saying for months that I wanted to give it another try now that I have somewhat of a better routine (Or did before we started remodeling the kitchen ) and also my skin has been doing a lot better in general thanks to being in better health. So it was time to try the full 30 day challenge!

I received two boxes of patches: One for Forehead & Between Eyes, and one for Corner of Eyes & Mouth. I also received a bottle of their Rose Water Spray and a package of Eye Gels. I’ve commented in the past on how much I love the soothing eye gels – it feels really nice to wear these cold gel patches when I’m worn out and my skin feels tired. It doesn’t really make me look less tired, but it feels good and refreshing. I also love the Rose Water spray, which I use primarily to apply the Frownies but also carry with me when I’m on long flights to rehydrate my skin.

Now, on to the Frownies. I’ve tried the Corner of Eyes & Mouth a few times but mostly stuck to the Forehead patches, since that’s my main area of concern and I figured if it worked there well, it would motivate me to use the others. The area around my eyes almost feels a little too delicate to be pulling of patches, although I can put them further away from the eyes and it’s not quite as sensitive. I’ve tried them around the mouth too and there’s no problem with delicate skin for me there.

At first, it felt like a real chore having to apply these on my forehead at night, but once you get used to it it’s no big deal. I’m finding that it’s good to do my nigttime routine of removing makeup, cleansing, moisturizing and applying Frownies early in the night, an hour or two before bedtime, because I’m usually so wiped out by the time I get to bed that I will sometimes just collapse in my makeup. Terrible, I know! At first, wearing the Frownies feels a little awkward and uncomfortable – after all, I’m not used to having paper stuck to my head! But I got used to that as well, and again, it’s no big deal.

Now, I did my very best to use them for a solid month but I did miss some days. I use three on my forehead over the lines I have there, which really bother me a lot. I feel like I’ve aged 10 years since 2010 and I hate it! I looked at some old photos from a few years back and noticed that I had the lines then, too – I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse! Anyway, I was really eager to see if these would help me smooth the lines out a bit.

When I wear Frownies for the first week or so, I can actually feel my forehead muscles are tighter the next day, for lack of a better word – almost as if it’s naturally held in position a little higher. I definitely think that could be a big help, if not for removing the lines I have, then at least for maybe preventing them from getting worse for a while. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of scientific research on removing wrinkles, so you really have to wing it when it comes to figuring out what to do for your skin. It’s hard to know if something is working or not, because how would I know if I would have gotten more wrinkles without it, you know?

Using Frownies, I notice that my forehead is smoother in the mornings, with the lines much more prominent at night. I do feel that the Frownies improve the appearance of my forehead wrinkles temporarily, although to be fair I notice my forehead is smoother in the mornings even without Frownies. Although it’s not a miracle for removing wrinkles, I definitely feel it’s worthwhile – with regular use, anything that can help re-train my forehead muscles to “knit” less is a good thing. I do feel like there is some temporary, minimal reduction in the appearance of the lines, which doesn’t hurt either, so I’m going to keep using them. I’m hoping that the effects may be more pronounced over time, although there’s no way to know if it’ll do any more than it has. At the least, I figure if my forehead is smoothed out at night, it might prevent future lines. I haven’t really had any issues with breakouts this time around – I started to get a few blemishes at one point where the patches were, but those went away quickly. I think the Frownies just exacerbate blemishes when I’m in poor health or not taking good care of my skin (IE falling asleep in makeup!).

Have you ever tried Frownies?

I don’t know about you guys, but summer seems to be a really busy time for birthdays. Half my family and friends seem to have August birthdays, which means that soon it will be time to think gifts. So when Blue Nile offered me a pair of earrings from their jewelry collection, it sounded like perfect timing to me! I received their pretty sterling silver Leaf Chandelier Earrings, which retail for $45. These are very light and dainty – they glimmer when they catch the light, which makes them perfect to wear to summer parties! These will make an ideal gift – as you know, I can’t wear these type of earrings myself because I don’t have pierced ears (I just never got around to it!), so I can’t comment on how they feel, but they look nice, come in a cute box and would be great for any number of summer birthdays!

Do you give jewelry as a gift? And do you know as many people born in August as I do?!

My lips are ridiculously dry, so I have to keep some sort of balm on them 24/7. I recently got a cute little tin filled with an assortment of Buzz Balms to try, and I was excited: Lip balm is something I use a lot of, so I can always use more!

As the name suggests, Buzz Balm by Beecology makes use of beeswax in its formula. The company came about after the founder inherited a beehive that a co-worker initially put on their farm. The variety pack I received was the Holiday Lip Balm tin which comes complete with 5 different balms. I love the handy tin, as it keeps the lip balms from rolling all over the place! I’ve been wearing these balms every day since receiving them – the tin contains two peppermint balms, one honey balm, one orange ginger balm, and one lemon lavender balm. So far, I think I like the honey balm the best. The lemon lavender reminds me a little of the taste of cough drops, maybe because most of the cough drops I use seem to have lemon in them. These are very moisturizing lip balms and have been a staple on my desk for about a month now! (That’s one of my quirks…lip balms everywhere!)

The Buzz Balm Holiday Tin is available on Beecology.com for $10.99.

I’m always looking for ways to improve my skin care routine. I’ve been vocal about the fact that I’m an exfoliant fan, so when I had the chance to try out a bottle of Menthe Blanche Microfoliator Cleanser by The Doctor’s Wife, I couldn’t pass it up. Now, what is the difference between an exfoliant and a microfoliant, you ask? According to this explanation on their site, it is a combination of microdermabrasion and exfoliation that is meant to be gentle enough for every day use. So, how does it work?

The first thing I noticed about this face wash was the peppermint extract. When I applied it for the first time, my face tingled…and I mean really tingled, to the point where it was really uncomfortable and I had to quickly wash it off. Given that I have such sensitive skin, I figured this would be yet another product that I’d have to cross off my list. However, the product didn’t cause any reaction on the skin afterwards, and on subsequent tests the tingling was manageable. I’ve actually been using it every night for a month now, and while it is a tingling sensation when I put it on, it doesn’t hurt anymore and it hasn’t caused any irritation or problems. I also wonder if part of the reason it tingles so much is because I use it in the shower – it advised using tepid water while washing your face, but my showers are warmer than that, so I wonder if the warm water makes the tingling sensation more prominent.

The texture of this is a very fine grain – it’s an exfoliating agent that you can use every day, which is really nice. They say you can use it morning and night, but I just use it at night and it works fine for me. Again, since I have sensitive skin, I don’t want to go overboard and I kind of like having a different set of products for both my morning and night facial routine. I’ve become a real fan!

The Menthe Blanche retails for $59 and is available on The-Doctors-Wife.com. It’s hard to tell how much is left because the bottle is opaque, but I’d say I’ve used about 1/4 to 1/3 of it with nightly use over the course of a month.

The weather has been warming up here in Seaside, and we’re getting all the tell-tale indicators that summer is almost here: Sunshine, warmth, bugs all over the place… Summer will be here before we know it, so it’s time for me to amp up my sunscreen routine and be conscious of how much sun I’m getting. People joke about my “Computer tan” since I work indoors so much, but I still have to be very careful even if I’m not a full-time beach bunny! No joke, I still have tan lines from one burn that I got last year. LAST YEAR!

One way that you can help to shield yourself from the sun’s rays is with a hat. So I thought this Tropical Trends hat was a cute idea for garden work, days at the beach, or an afternoon luncheon during these sunny days! This is a classic floppy sunhat, and according to Hartford York, it has a sun protection factor of 50. Like many of their hats, this one is designed to be easily portable, folding up so you can tuck it into a bag before heading down to the beach. I think this hat is really cute and would make a good gift, too!

The Tropical Trends hat is available on HartfordYork.com for $25.

A problem that I’ve been noticing in my wardrobe lately is that every single hoodie I own has a broken zipper. I have about 4 hoodies that won’t zip up properly anymore, so it’s been on my list to get a new one. I love hoodies, for wearing around the house with PJs, as a light jacket, or for working out, so it’s basically a daily-wear item for me. So when I was offered my choice of complimentary hoodie to review from Free Country, I was immediately interested to see if I could find a suitable replacement.

After checking out the selection, I decided to get this Women’s Crescent Fleece jacket in Twilight Rose. I picked this one because it seemed the most lightweight, soft, and had a lot of pockets. Plus, you know pink is always my calling card!

I have to admit, this isn’t a style I would typically choose for myself. I tend to go for quirkier designs and lighter fabric, rather than outdoorsy. However, I think this looks pretty good – a little boxier of a cut than I normally like, but it works. I love the fleece fabric – it’s a good one for spring, since it’s warm without being too much. The jacket is so soft – the perfect cozy thing to wear on a chilly morning down at the beach. I also really appreciate the zippered pockets; I like having a secure place to store things like my iPhone, especially since this is a good active jacket too. I have worn it in the gym, but it’s a little thick for working out with weights – I think this is more of a jacket for spring hiking.

I’ve washed the jacket once and so far, so good! This jacket lived up to and exceeded many of my expectations, so I’m very happy with it – it’ll be getting a lot of wear for sure. One note on the size, I ordered an XL and it fit just right – a little bit of room, but not overly baggy. I wear about a medium in most tops at the moment (I’m 5′ 4″ and 128 lbs), so keep that in mind when ordering – they’re a tad on the small side.

The Women’s Crescent Fleece by Free Country is available on FreeCountry.com for $35.

I used to think of hairspray as something that would turn your hair into an immovable force. Great for Halloween and certain looks, but I really don’t enjoy having plastic hair stuck to my head most of the time, so I never used it as part of my daily routine. Once I found my amazing hairdresser in 2007, I learned so many things – including what a good quality salon hairspray can do for your look. When I experienced what it’s like having your hair stay soft and perfectly in place, I was hooked. I haven’t bought my favorite salon brand in a while because I’m paring down my budget wherever possible, and I’ve been trying to make do with dollar store sprays, but it’s just not the same. Beauty products are one of the few areas that I am brand loyal to, because it’s something that I can often see a big difference in!

So when I had the opportunity to review a complimentary product from SalonLogics, I knew this was the perfect time to replace my hairspray! After browsing through their selection, I decided on Sebastian Shaper Zero Gravity Lightweight Control, which offered a good combination of large size and professed lightweight hold. So, how would it stack up to my usual Bumble & Bumble spray?

Here’s a picture of me taken last month, after I had styled my hair for a video I was filming. It was nice being able to use something that wasn’t .99 cent hairspray again! The hold on this seems a little “Crunchier” than my usual brand, although I think that might be partly due to the fact that I put a lot on. I’m used to using a light-as-air spray and really laying it on thick, so I try to remember not to use as much on this. It does seem like I need to put more on to keep a good hold, but it’s also been stormy and windy lately so it can almost be hard to tell. My haircut is also harder to style at the moment because I cut it myself, but that’s a whole other story.

However, I thought this hairspray really had a chance to shine last weekend. On Saturday, Jai and I had a series of photos taken both to document our “Before and after” weight loss and also so that we could update our headshots on the site. We took photos in my front yard, at a park, and right in front of the ocean. The weather for the day was wind, wind, and wind, with a side of windy.

I kept getting hair blown in my face, and since we were outdoors, all I could do to fix it was smooth it out with my hands.

I thought my hair held up remarkably well – it snapped right back into place when I would smooth it out, despite being blown around.

This is one of the headshots that was taken after the above windswept pics. As you can see, my hair kept its shape and doesn’t look like “Helmet hair” in the photo. I have to hand it to Sebastian for a job well done!

In all, I’ve got to say I’m quite pleased with this hairspray and I’m glad I have a large can of it. It won’t replace my “Spray de Mode”, but it’s a worthy successor for the moment – and at $20 for 10.6 oz, it’s on the lower end of salon pricing, which is nice. The only downside was that my can seemed to be a little damaged/leaky in shipping, but that wasn’t the company’s fault.

So tell me, ladies: Do you wear a salon brand of hairspray or just stick with the .99 cent store?

I’ve been noticing a lot of buzz about BB Creams lately. The idea behind these “Beauty Balms” is to essentially a combine all of the facial products you might use in one day into one cream – sort of a foundation/moisturizer/primer/serum and sometimes sunblock all in one. Think of it a special tinted foundation!

You know I’m all about new beauty products, so when I had a chance to try such a cream from L’Oréal, I was all over it. I received a complimentary tube of L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Cream via SheSpeaks in shade 810 (Fair) to test out, and I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. The tube boasts a “Flawless bare skin finish”, hoping to both hydrate skin and conceal imperfections. I like having lighter coverage options available in my makeup bag, since regular foundation can often be too heavy for my skin.

Here’s a picture of me wearing the Magic BB Cream – you can also see me wearing it in yesterday’s v-log. It goes on smooth and light, adding a dewy, “Finished” look that I like – it has a really nice consistency. I just wish it had sunscreen built in! The coverage on this product is very light and subtle – if you just want a light layer over the skin, this is pretty ideal, but if you need heavier coverage this is probably not what you’re looking for. I would use this for a day-to-day polished look rather than for covering dark circles or breakouts.

L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Cream is available at retailers nationwide for $10.95 – visit LorealParisUSA.com for more information!

Old man winter got you down? Refresh your dry skin with this giveaway! One lucky Contest Corner reader will win a Hydrating Spa System from Dermagist, so read on!

You may recall our friends Dermagist from our review of their face wash last summer. I really liked the product which I sampled, so when I had the opportunity to try another item from their product line, I was looking forward to it. It was a hard decision, but eventually I settled on the Hydrating Spa System, which includes three different lotions for the body, hands, and feet. Since I use lotion daily, I thought this would be a good choice!

When my set arrived, the first product I tried was the Hydro-Renewal Hand Cream. I always struggle with dry skin on my hands and use lotion multiple times a day. My hands look so rough sometimes, I HATE it – and it feels awful, too. This Hydro-Renewal cream is a thick, intensive moisturizer – it absorbs into those trouble spots on my hands, rather than providing an all-over slick coating as a lot of hand lotions do. I like this as an intensive treatment, and would lean towards adding a second lotion on top as sort of a barrier/lubricant to stop my hands from feeling so dry, too.

One such lotion that would work as a “Topcoat” for my hands would be the Hydropeutic Body Lotion, the second item in this set. This is a really nice all-purpose lotion, which means it gives a little more of a slick coating that leaves your skin feeling good. It has a mild, pleasant scent and works great as an all-over body lotion and also pairs nicely with the hand cream for my individual needs.

Finally, this set also includes a bottle of Foot & Heel Revitalizing Cream, which is really handy since both Jai and I get dry skin on our feet. This lotion has a menthol tingle to it, and when I convinced Jai to let me rub some of it on his heels, he said it did leave his feet feeling better. Men don’t tend to fuss with skin products, but I’ve been telling him for ages that if he used a foot lotion it would help to stop his heels from cracking, so he was willing to give it a try when I got this lotion. So far so good!

I really like all 3 lotions, and so far the only thing I’ve noticed is that the pumps have a tendency to clog up/crust over despite frequent use, so I think I need to start turning the pumps back from the “Open” position when not in use.

Visit Dermagist.com for more information on the Hydrating Spa System and other products!

One lucky Contest Corner reader will win the Hydrating Spa System from Dermagist, containing a bottle of Hydropeutic Body Lotion, Hydro-Renewal Hand Cream, and Foot & Heel Revitalizing Cream! This is a “Pin to Win” Pinterest contest. Please note, if you have won a prior Dermagist giveaway, you will not be eligible to enter this one. Entry is simple via the Rafflecopter form below:

Rules, regulations, and other important stuff: Giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States, 18+, and ends on January 31st 2013 at 11:00 PM PST. We are sorry, but P.O. boxes and APO/FPO addresses are not eligible to win. Winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter the following day and notified via email. Winner has 48 hours to respond to our notification email, or a new winner will be chosen in their place. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Pinterest. We hereby release Facebook and Pinterest of any liability. By entering this giveaway, you are releasing Facebook and Pinterest and understand that you are providing information to Contest Corner and the giveaway sponsor, not Facebook or Pinterest. Contest Corner is not responsible for late entries or entries lost due to technical malfunctions. Please see our Privacy Policy and Disclosure for further details on our site’s policies. A sample was received to facilitate this review. Persons who have won a prior Dermagist giveaway of any type will not be eligible to enter this promotion.