Sometime amid the chaos in our house today my previously written post was deleted by one of my darling little munchkins. I can’t say for sure which one of the monsters shut down my browser without hitting save first because they’ve banded together quite admirably and aren’t naming names. Oh well, it gave me the energy to whip up another batch of cookies and I have to love the fact that for once they aren’t falling all over themselves to tattle.

As I may have mentioned a time or twenty before, I have blemish prone skin, even in my 30’s. I’m also creeping into fine line territory and I believe I have definitely whined before about how unfair this is. The major problem is that there aren’t really many products for women in my position. There are scads of acne control products on the market, and an infinite number of wrinkle creams and treatments, but I’ve had trouble finding a product for that lucky woman who has need of both. Besides the expense of doubling up on products to treat both issues, I’m irritated by the difficulty I have finding just the right balance between acne and wrinkle treatments. Intense wrinkle creams can often exacerbate oily skin and many acne treatments are drying, so using both at once can sometimes be counterproductive. I need a lightweight moisturizer that will help prevent aging without breaking out my already finicky skin, is that so much to ask? (more…)

One of my favorite beauty reviewers “Tashagogo” from Megsmakeup.com wrote a strong testimonial about the powers of coconut oil a few summers ago.  Tasha’s words and Morjorie’s physique encouraged me to try, and have since incorporated the use of coconut oil in my daily beauty routine.

Most recently my daughters and I relied heavily on using coconut oil to soothe and repair the effects of our unfortunate first-of-the-summer sunburns, drat nab!  I observed that by using coconut oil on my sunburn, not only did it heal and moisturize my skin; the peeling seemed less dramatic than in sunburns of the past.  Viva la coconut!

This is an insightful, well-articulated YouTube video of Sean demonstrating the various health and skin benefits from the use of coconut oil.  Really, really love this guy.  Enjoy!

Skin Benefits from Coconut Oil: Underground Wellness

Sean Croxton, owner of UW, is an expert Diet and Lifestyle Coach as well as a Certified Personal Trainer.

If you’re anything like me, you have a generous helping of sample size products bursting from every nook and cranny. Sometimes I get them as GWP(gift with purchase) items, sometimes it’s  those extras from my Sephora order, and sometimes I receive them from companies who want me to try out what they have to offer. The fun part about this is that I get to try all sorts of new items I might not otherwise, but the downside is that with a tiny sample you can rarely get a solid idea of how a product will perform in the long run. I don’t have enough information for a well formed opinion or an entire post after one use, right? Rather than let these tiny gems go to waste, I’d like to share my very cursory thoughts about products based on only a few uses.  After all, if you don’t like the sample enough to at least look up the full size bottle, that’s probably a sign, no? (more…)

As she is wont to do from time to time, Jen sent me a box of  new tubes and jars to play guinea pig with. Two of the items tucked inside were from Yes To Carrots. I’ve heard a bit about YTC but had not yet tried any of their offerings, so I was excited to give it a shot.

My first sampling was the citrus lip butter. A pretty basic lip balm with citrus  that doesn’t sting or irritate lips. My 4 year old immediately started snagging this at every turn and stashing it under his pillow or in his pocket. Note to self, always check children’s pockets before washing laundry. (more…)

This episode starts with not just a product, but the great little boutique that introduced me to it.

I had the pleasure of visiting Milwaukee with my husband for a few days and we stayed in the historic Third Ward District. On our last day in town we wandered down the street from an incredible pub we’d eaten at the night before (seriously, Milwaukee has great food) and happened across Blush.

Blush is a beauty boutique with an open, welcoming atmosphere. It is well lit and airy, with thoughtfully placed decorative touches and plenty of shelves and tables packed with products just begging to be explored. They have a few major anchor lines, most notably Laura Mercier, and several other lines that are slightly less known but clearly well chosen. A Laura Mercier event was starting the day we were scheduled to leave town, of course, and an artist was teaching the staff how to apply LM’s holiday looks, but everyone was still very kind and attentive. I was assisted by a lovely and helpful woman, and I asked if she was the store’s owner. She informed me with a justified glow of pride that it is her daughter’s store and she just “helps out”. It really is a family affair, with mom Jodi supporting her daughters, Sarah (owner) and Nikki (Skin care specialist). I am dying for the chance to return and try out their brow bar! If you find yourself in Milwaukee, stop in to say hi, see what they have to show you, and tell them Mythbuster Beauty sent ya! Since I can buy the major lines here at home, I asked Jodi to show me the best kept secret in their store. She didn’t disappoint, and this is what I found:

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How many times do you have to say no to a tempting treat?  Once a week, twice a week, oh come on!  If you are like me it’s a constant saying no-to-treats battle.  I generally need a few treats daily to keep me smiling and content!

The remarkably beauty and eco-savvy Sally B created a line to treat our skin and it doesn’t add any calories, carbs, or guilt.  Just pure skin pleasure.

The Mythbuster Beauty Team got to sample several items from the Sally B Skin Yummies line.  Everything I tried, I loved.  Sally B’s skincare line is packed with high quality, skin nourishing ingredients.  No need to read through a mile-long ingredient list from Sally B. 

Body-Eco Lotion in Lavender ($32):  A fabulous lotion for the body, hands and feet this lotion offers just the right amount of moisture, absorbs well into the skin and has a fabulous sweet lavender scent.  Key Ingredients: Organic Tamanu Oil, Kukui Oil, Organic Green Tea, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Aloe.

Sally B’s Organic Sugar Scrub ($16 – 4oz, $30 - 8oz.):  “Most scrubs on the market are simple concoctions—either oil and sugar or oil and salt, and messy! And they must be stirred.  Salt can also be irritating to the skin and will certainly sting if you have any scratches.  Sally B’s Sugar Scrub is full of Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter and there is no need for stirring!”   So if this doesn’t convince you to try it, check out DecoDiva’s review:  Sally b’s Skin Yummies – Lemon Sage Sugar Scrub.  I’ve also heard that the Chamomile Neroli scrub is amazing.

B Glossy Organic Lip Gloss ($10) – I sampled this gloss in “Every Blond’s Pink,” a protecting lip gloss, with just a hint of pink tint that gives my lips subtle color and shine.  Sally B adds a bit of peppermint, which is perfect not overpowering, and this gloss can be used alone or layered with your favorite lip color.  Mo sampled “Copper Penny,” and DecoDiva loved her gloss in “Ruby’s Red.” (more…)

So Jen waxed poetic about DERMAdoctor’s KP Duty Therapy for dry skin, and since the dry itchies are moving into my area as well I thought I should jump right on that seasonal bandwagon. My remedy of choice was KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub ($44). As I may have mentioned a time or 12, I love exfoliating. However, I generally am not a big fan of the usual body scrubs. They typically leave behind an oily feeling that I guess is supposed to be moisturizing, but to me it feels more like I’ve been dipped in baby oil. I prefer a little less fluff and a little more scrub.

KP Duty Scrub is unique in that it is a chemical AND physical medi-exfoliation. Just look at some of the active ingredients: (more…)

Yes, you read correctly.  Any Prescriptives fans out there?!  Well if you are, this is your chance to stock up or try some Prescriptive cosmetic and skincare items.  25% off and free shipping, swweet!

Some of my Px favorites? 

Px’s Flawless Face Foundation, great build-able medium to full coverage and works well on my sensitive, combination skin. 

Px’s Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Lotion Moisturizer, as Mo will attest, this moisturizer packs a nice vitamin-c brightening punch.

Super Line Preventor Xtreme - This is Prescriptive’s Pink Ribbon Item.  I just received this skin treatment for review so I cannot vouch for it yet, but for every purchase a donation is made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Site Unseen Brightening Concealer SPF 15 -  With one swoosh you can lighten and conceal your dark circles and complexion flaws and spots.  I really love this concealer!

This discount runs until Friday the 24th, and don’t forget to pick your free sample!

Prompted by a Bionic Beauty post last week called, “What makeup are you wearing today?”  I was also inspired by DecoDiva’s great going out post and pics last week on her blogsite.  I wanted to ask MBB readers a similar question.  When you go out for the evening, how do you “kick it up a notch?”

Evening makeup deserves a more intense lip color, a richly pigmented black mascara, and some fabulous glow.   On a recent evening out with my hubby, I went with a bolder berry look, inspired by two of Urban Decay’s new lip products, their 24/7 Lip Pencil and Lipstick. 

• Hair:  Jessicurl’s Aloeba Daily Conditioner, Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion, and Confident Coils Styling Solution, set with hair clips, scrunched with a microfiber towel and allowed to air dry.
• Skin prep:  SK1N Probiotics Daily Moisturizing Cream
• Anastasia’s All About Brows Kit:  Defines and tames my brows
• Prescriptives Flawless Skin Foundation in Rose, applied with a foundation brush and fingers
• Laura Mercier Eyeliner in Bleu Marine, appliled with flat eyeliner brush
• Profaces mineral eyeshadow in a rosy gold glimmer
• Sugar’s Bronzer/Blush Duo, blush on apples of cheeks and bronzer around face and jawline
• Alison Raffaele’s True Concealer
• Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-on Lip Pencil in Wicked, creamy and lasts, truly lives up to its glide on name.
• Urban Decay’s Lipstick in Hotpants, luxuriously creamy and beautiful medium pink shade.
• Napoleon Perdis, Long Black Mascara, one coat
• Light dusting of Aromaleigh’s Illuminator Finishing Powder, a translucent, sheer loose mineral cosmetic powder, that contains reflective minerals to give your skin a radiant appearance.  Apply on brow bones, above cheeks and lightly around forehead, chin, and decollete.
• Finish by lightly tapping around face with soft clean towel to set in makeup (tip from Alyson Hoag, makeup artist at Authentic Beauty).