Dermelect Memento and Revital-Oil

*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  Today I have some new treatment products available from DERMELECT to share my thoughts on.  I'll go ahead and tell y'all now, I LOVE them.

So lets start off with Memento.  This top coat is applied as you usually would.  It has the benefits of a gel polish without having to cure for application or soak for removal.  It's thick without being overly thick and gloopy.  This dries and hardens as a result of exposure to daylight or bulb light.

And let me tell you the shine on this little product is AMAZING.  It's like brand new patent shoes.  I currently have it on my toes and it took no time at all to dry, I think they suggest waiting 8 minutes.  When I get a chance, and I'm not swatching, to use it on my nails and test the wear fully I'll be sure to let y'all know.  Though, it's been on my toes for at least a week with no chipping or dullness.

Now, for Revital-Oil.  This product is a 2-in-1.  You get a protein peptide treatment AND a cuticle oil complex(shea butter, argan oil, jojoba oil, citrus oils, & coffee bean extract).  The scent is lightly of those citrus oils, both orange and lemon....but nothing overpowering.  As you can see it looks like an oil & vinegar mixture, and just as with dressing this needs to be shaken before application.  

Revital-Oil penetrates the nails to condition nail beds and help restore ragged cuticles while simultaneously strengthening the nails.  Since receiving this I've been using it especially during swatch-fests to help keep my nails in shape.  This stuff is powerful.  Usually when I swatch, and use acetone to clean up around the edges I have to put moisture back on the skin, but NOT with this stuff.  It kept everything looking great, even with washing my hands.

All Dermelect nail & hand treatments are:

• dbp, formaledhyde, & toluene FREE
• Cruelty FREE
• Hydroquinone FREE
• Paraben FREE

Memento retails for $16.00 & Revital-Oil retails for $14.00, both are 0.4 fl. oz.

February Empties

Hey y'all!  Today I have my empties, or stuff I used up, for last month.  I also found a cute little basket from Five Below to hold them in & I no longer have to use cardboard boxes.  I've broken this down into two parts since I have so much, so lets get to it.

First up, the health/beauty stuff....

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray - This is a sample size that I got to review a while ago and it's the original.  I always forget to use my spray after I'm done, so I've had to keep this out on the desk to remind myself to use it.  It works great, but I want to try the No More Shine formula since my skin is SO stinking oily.  I have a few of these left to finish up before I do that though.  FYI, for those who don't know, they also make the Urban Decay setting spray's. 

Haken Cuticle Oil - I'm working on a full review of all of the cuticle products that I own & hope to have that up within the next few months.  This is soooo old.  I got it shortly after I started blogging, which was about 3 years ago.  Lets just say I'm glad Sally's doesn't appear to carry this anymore and that I got it on clearance.  I do plan to clean the bottle out and reuse it though. 

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask - I got this in a recent Ipsy bag.  It's a tiny tiny jar & I think there was enough for 5-6 uses for my shoulder length hair.  It was nice and made my hair soft, but I'm not sure that it was deep conditioning as it seemed to just work as a regular conditioner.  The second time I used this, I was planning to do a deep treatment by leaving it in my hair overnight.....but that so didn't happen.  I washed my hair & squeezed all of the water out.  I put a bit of this in, not a lot, and it seemed to want to lather.  I don't think I'd purchase this, but I will keep the jar on hand to use for travel or something.

Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof - I've had this in my drawer for ages, simply because I originally only wanted to use it when I go to the pool or something.  I can't really attest to how "waterproof" it is, but it does do the job well.  The only downside is it's not cheap.  I like it, but I can't spend the $$ on it. 

UP & UP Childrens Gummy Multivitamin - I found these at Target(this is their brand) a while back.  Usually, we get vitamin's for the kiddo from Costco, but they didn't have any regular multi ones during that visit.  He takes 2 a night, but these bottles seem to last ages.  He is currently working on a bottle from Costco that we've had since ummmm late December, so lets see how long it takes him to finish that up.

I'm sure there were some bars of Dove, some tubes of toothpaste, and some bottles of shampoo that were left out/tossed without my knowledge. 

Lastly, we have some candles that I finished up...

 Ashland Hot Buttered Rum(x2) - I found these at Michael's, I believe they were 2 for $5.  They smell great for the price.  Not as good as the Bath & Body Works or the WalMart MainStays candles though.  I have a few more to use up in different scents, but I'm not sure I'd repurchase these. 

Pumpkin - This one is a tiny one, I believe from the sticker on the bottom it came from Dollar General.  I honestly can't even remember who it came from.  It was nice, but not nearly as fragranced as I like. 

Fresh Gardenia Soy - This one I've had for AGES.  I believe that I may have one more of this type laying around, but in a different scent.  I bought these from a school fundraiser from a friends kid several years ago & it still smells awesome.  The best part about the container is I can clean it out and re-use it.  I currently have one that holds 3 sets of my stamping plates.  I haven't put the 4th set in there, but there's plenty of room for it.  There used to be a place nearby that would let you bring any type of container in and they would fill it with whatever scent wax you wanted, but I haven't seen them around in a few years....this would be perfect for that. 


It seems like at the end of the month I'm always amazed at how much I've used up.  This month, it's mostly stuff I've had for a while, but it's nice to get it out of the way to make room for the new.  :D

Hand Perfection - Part 2 - Before & Day 1

Earlier I told y'all about a new product I'm reviewing called Hand Perfection.  Now I'm going to show y'all what the stuff looks like as well as my "before" shot.

My hand/nails before using the product.  AND before cutting my nails down.

As you can see, my hands look older than I actually am.  I am religious about using sunscreen when I'm out, but I often wash my hands which removes anything I might have on them.  I'm also bad about moisturizing them.  So, my hands get neglected.  That's where this system comes in.

First up is the Nail & Cuticle pen.  The helpful ingredients in this are Olive fruit oil, evening primrose, borage oil, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, and jojoba oil.  The pen clicks & the oil is applied using a soft, doe-foot like applicator. The treatment is non greasy and absorbs quickly.  Making me want to use it more often because I don't have to worry about leaving residue on everything I touch.

Product provided for review.

Next is the nourishing day cream.  For me, the HUGE plus on this is the SPF 15.  Active ingredients are 2% Zinc Oxide & 6% Octinoxate.  This has a TON of ingredients to add moisture to the skin and protect it.  The cream also absorbs quickly & isn't greasy like normal creams.  It also has a nice, light, fresh smell.  No sunscreen type smells here.  Again, because it absorbs quickly, there's no residue transfer after it's massaged into the skin. 

That's actually more than enough for one application.

After shortening my nails & applying the 2 products above.

 Lastly, we have the rejuvenating night cream.  This comes in a jar that you would think of for your face/eye night creams.  There is a lid inside that protects the product even more and pops right off.  I find this has the same light smell similar to the day cream and pretty much the same pro's.  It's packed with good for your skin ingredients and also absorbs quickly.

Generally when I apply my hand/cuticle products at night, I have to apply my moisture gloves over top so that the product can soak in and I don't get it all over everything.  NOT with any of these.  They go right in and get to work.  I also find that my hands haven't been dry once.  Generally, as I said earlier, I forget to apply lotions & creams & my hands look horrible.  With this, I've had it sitting in eyesight and have to make myself use it even though I don't "feel" that it's needed.  I wash my hands a LOT and they stay soft & moisturized with these.

So far, this is a HUGE deep conditioning treatment....for my hands.  And they're loving it.  I can't wait to see my results after continuous use. :D



The Hand Perfection brand

Nourishing Day Cream with SPF 15 (SRP $14.99)

Rejuvenating Night Cream (SRP $14.99)

Nail and Cuticle Treatment (SRP $9.99)

Combo pack which contains the Nourishing Day Cream and Rejuvenating Night Cream
(SRP $24.99)

Introductory Promotion Pack with the Nourishing Day Cream and Rejuvenating Night
Cream plus a FREE Nail and Cuticle Treatment Pen
SRP $24.99 (limited edition through March 2013).

Hand Perfection will be available in January 2013 at CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons,

Duane Reade, Harmon and other fine stores across the country. Please visit us at
www.handperfection.com and on Facebook@HandPerfection.




Disclosure: Products in this post were sent for my 100% honest opinion/review.

Hand Perfection - Part 1

Today I have an intro(or part 1) post to a product I was recently sent to review.  Later today I will show you more, and give initial thoughts on the products, but for now I want to give you some info.

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK YOUNGER…

Don’t let your hands give your age away!

Women pull out all the stops when it comes to fighting aging: eating right, working out,
Botox, fillers, hair color, sleep – you name it. But the war against Father Time is usually
fought from the neck up. One look at a woman’s hands and all those efforts are for
naught.

You’re looking at your hands now aren’t you? Happy with what you see?

Ellen Sirot, the nation’s top hand model, not only wanted – but also needed – top quality
hand care to perfect the tools of her trade. Nothing on the market was able to provide
her with the results she demanded along with the preventative care she desired. So
Sirot set out on a mission with CCA Industries to create a new category and offer women
the most effective and affordable hand care possible.

Hand Perfection® is the only Anti-Aging Hand Care treatment line available at mass

market. The line consists of a Nourishing Day Cream and Revitalizing Night Cream

which when used together, are clinically proven to help turn back the hands of time -

guaranteed! The fragrance-free, non-greasy formulas go on smooth and absorb quickly
for an invisible, weightless feel. There is also a Nail and Cuticle Treatment which is
clinically proven to moisturize the cuticles and help improve the look and feel of the nail
bed for an overall healthy and beautiful looking hand.

“We dedicate so much time and effort to our faces, but then we totally neglect our
hands,” explains Ellen. The skin on the hands is just as delicate as the skin around the
eyes. And think of what your hands go through in a single day. It’s time to give hands
the same attention as your face and body.

Hand Perfection Anti-Aging Hand Care products have been specifically formulated
for the unique requirements of the skin on our hands. Powered by an exclusive and

proprietary “RevitaStim™ Active Complex with Olivem-1000, Peptides and Hyaluronic

Acid,” Hand Perfection visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crepiness and delivers youthful radiance, improved elasticity and fullness within just 2
weeks.

Drew Edell, EVP, R&D and Product Development explains, “A liquid crystal emulsion
contained in the Complex closely mimics and associates with the skin’s lipid barrier.
This compatibility helps to restore and maintain the skin’s natural barrier and speed
delivery of the functional ingredients to the skin for maximum performance. Additionally,
the inclusion of SPF 15 in the Day Cream helps protect the skin from further damage.
On application there is an immediate improvement in the skin’s flexibility and
appearance and within 2 weeks, signs of aging on the skin are significantly improved”.

“Just as anti-aging products revolutionized the facial care market, the Hand Perfection
collection will generate the same kind of excitement in the hand care market,” states
Dunnan Edell, CEO – President of CCA Industries.

In clinical tests, 91% of consumers were shown to have a significant improvement in the
reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture and skin smoothness in just two weeks
with noticeable results in as few as five days when using the Hand Perfection System.
88% had a significant improvement in the appearance of crepiness and there was a
greater radiance & brightness in hands. When using the Nail and Cuticle Treatment Pen,
100% of the testers were clinically proven to have more moisturized cuticles and nails.
Overall, dry, aging, damaged hands were tremendously improved after using the Hand
Perfection regimen.

Hand Perfection is the first and only hand care system available today at mass
marketers that both treats the signs of aging and works to prevent the premature aging
of hands.

Products sent for review.

The Hand Perfection brand

Nourishing Day Cream with SPF 15 (SRP $14.99)

Rejuvenating Night Cream (SRP $14.99)

Nail and Cuticle Treatment (SRP $9.99)

Combo pack which contains the Nourishing Day Cream and Rejuvenating Night Cream
(SRP $24.99)

Introductory Promotion Pack with the Nourishing Day Cream and Rejuvenating Night
Cream plus a FREE Nail and Cuticle Treatment Pen
SRP $24.99 (limited edition through March 2013).

Hand Perfection will be available in January 2013 at CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons,

Duane Reade, Harmon and other fine stores across the country. Please visit us at
www.handperfection.com and on Facebook@HandPerfection.




Disclosure: Products in this post were sent for my 100% honest opinion/review.

CND Holiday Gift Giving

As the holiday season approaches, I plan to give y'all a few beauty related gift ideas here and there.  Today is one I'm loving.

First up is the Holiday Scentsations..

• Celebrate - Vanilla, berries, and fresh floral fragrances
• Enchant - Sandalwood, amber, and heliotrope fragrances
• Delight - Amber and floral fragrances

Celebrate smells a little like berries to me but not in an overpowering way.  Enchant, for some reason, smells similar to Celebrate.  Both of them are only a slight bit strong to my nose but the scent lightens up after a few minutes.  Delight is the lightest scented of the 3 and probably my most favorite.

A little bit goes a LONG way with these.  They are great scents, absorb super fast, and are non-greasy.  I plan to keep these around in my purse for moisture on the go.

There are a at least a dozen other scents available and I will most likely have to find a few like: Apple & Cinnamon, Peach & Ginseng, Lavender & Jojoba, Black Cherry & Nutmeg, Honeysuckle & Pink Grapefruit, Vanilla, and Wildflower & Chamomile.  I can see this is going to be an addiction.

Scentsations™ washes and lotions retail for US $11.50/Canada $14.40 for 8.3oz.  Lotions are also available in 2oz. travel sizes for US $4. 00/Canada $4.90.  These are available at www.cnd.com



 Now for a favorite....

 CND SolarOil.  This is in the original scent, but there is a special edition scentt available & I'll have that info listed below.  I keep a bottle of this on my nail desk & on my nightstand.  The smell is one of my favorite scents ever.  When I do my nightly routine, I apply cuticle butter and then this rubbing both in to moisturize my uber dry cuticles.  Then I apply a good hand cream or lotion and slide my moisturizing gloves on(random thought: I need a new pair).

Solar Oil contains Jojoba oil,vitamin E oil, rice bran oil, and sweet almond oil.  I'm so addicted to this scent that I had to get some sweet almond oil to mix with others for my face.

The tried and true cuticle saver special edition formula features a new fragrance of heliotrope, vanilla, and golden amber. $11.50 US/$14.40 Canada.

The holiday items were available as of November 1^st. Products can be purchased from CND certified salons, which are located at www.cnd.com

~ Note: These products were sent for my 100% honest review/opinion.

Mont Bleu Swarovski Elements Glass Nail Files, Tweezers, & more.

I was recently contacted by Mont Bleu about reviewing their glass nail files.  I've been looking for a good glass file and jumped at the opportunity.

I've been trying to keep my nails shorter, though some recent swatches will show them longer, so that they don't break by me accidentally knocking them on something.  That and less polish time. 

Now to what I received....and note to self, don't take pictures when you've only had 4 hours of sleep.

Swarovski Crystal Nail File B-M4

I believe I included the right name for the larger file that I received.  It came in a black velvet "pouch" that it slides into.  I took pictures of the upper half rather than the entire length as it is 5.32" long.  It's a clear glass with pink, blue, clear, and charcoal Swarovski crystals embellishing the handle.  I used this shortly after I received it and it's THE best file I've EVER used.  It glides and files with very little effort.  There's no pieces of nail left behind that snag on everything.  This retails on their site for $14USD, but is well worth it and more as they have a LIFETIME guarantee on the filing surface.  Definitely better than spending $4-$8 for files that are horrible and break down and need to be replaced every few months.

Travel nail file C-S2

This mini file is amazing as well.  I really love that it's blue at the end and fades into clear.  It's 3.55" long and comes in a white/clear pouch.  Perfect size for any purse.  I'm looking forward to taking this with me on vacation since I'm trying to limit the size/amount of things I take.  Though I'm sure I'm going to have to watch my family to make sure someone doesn't take off with it.  This has the same guarantee as the larger one, which makes it worth picking up both.  This retails for $5.60

Swarovski Tweezers CT-1.2 Purple

Now these were a bonus that I was not expecting.  They're stainless steel, slant tip, with a purple silicone coating.  Swarovski crystals are added for a touch of bling.  They come in a black velvet sleeve which is handy in case you want to put them in your purse.  Personally, these are the best tweezers I've used.  I have several laying around the house for different uses, and they all require picking and picking to get one single hair.  That is not the case with these pretty things.  One attempt and I was grabbing multiple eyebrow hairs with NO problem.  These retail for $16.80.

Austrian Crystal Earrings EMB 11.5

These were another little bonus.  Described as "Crystal Golden Shadow", they look almost like yellow topaz which is my birthstone.  They're about 0.24" and covered in non allergic metals.  Retail is listed as $11.20.

Overall, I'm highly impressed with everything I received.  I absolutely love it all.  Mont Bleu has a variety of colors and designs for each and every item, plus a lot of other cute things.  Even personalized files....which would be perfect gifts for friends, family, bridesmaids, teachers, etc.

If you're looking to buy glass nail files be sure to check them out by clicking that link(yanno, the words "buy glass nail files").  Also, if you click on the upper right corner of the page, you can change the currency to reflect your needs.

LATER Y'ALL!!!

~ Note:  These items were sent to me by Mont Bleu for my 100% honest opinion.