Double Duty: Eye and Lip Cream from The Organic Pharmacy

How I love a multi-tasking product. Couple that with my adoration for all things eye cream and you have true, unrequited love.


Enter The Organic Pharmacy, a British import, and my newest favorite organic line of skincare goods sans artificial preservatives, fragrances, colorants, petrochemicals and animal ingredients.

The Lip & Eye Cream is a super nourishing, dual action cream that replenishes moisture to the lips and eye area, strengthens cells and acts as a protective barrier for the sensitive skin. It's gentle enough to use every day and perfect for mornings as it brightens and helps to reduce puffiness and dark circles. The cream smells slightly medicinal and literally leaves eye and lip area plump, refreshed and glistening. I'm obsessed!

Here are the highlighted organic ingredients and their effects:

• Eye Bright: a wonderful tonic and anti-inflammatory for the eye area
• Fennel: antibacterial, decongesting and toning action
• Evening primrose oil: high essential fatty acid content helps repair dry cracked lips
• Frankincense: anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory action
• Bilberry: high in anti-oxidants and gentle fruit acids that reduce redness while toning and rejuvenating the skin
• Rosehip: clinically proven to reduce scarring and the appearance of wrinkles, while conditioning the skin
• Marigold: anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, soothing and healing

If you're in the market for a new eye cream, I urge you to try this one. Besides the green factor, which I heart, it really does open your eyes to bigger and better things! I've been using mine every day and have never received so many compliments. I swear, the wrinkles are dissipating (well, maybe that's wishful thinking!).

PRICE TAG: $71.92 for 35 ml (a little dab goes a long way)

SEEING GREEN: liiv botanicals eye cream

Yesterday I got an email from my cousin Louise asking if I knew of a good eco-friendly eye cream. I wrote back to tell her not only had I found something new but I was planning to post about it today. Green beauty minds think alike.

Eye creams have never been an obsession of mine but I’ve noticed over time that with a good one I can reduce under eye puffiness and circles without trying to cover them up with makeup. Still, in the eco-beauty market, finding a good eye cream hasn’t been as easy. The few I’ve tried were less than thrilling. But when my friend Debbie became a rep for Avon, I learned they had a new natural beauty line and I ordered.

Avon’s liiv botanicals line is derm tested for the most sensitive skins and is free of preservatives, dyes and synthetic fragrances. The vitalizing eye cream ($12) has an SPF of 15 which immediately got my notice. I may not be freaking out about lines around my eyes yet but with this added protection perhaps I won’t have to for some time.

Packaged in a tube reminiscent of Blistex, the cream can be applied directly from the slanted tip to the eye area. I find I end up with way too much if I use it that way and instead squeeze some onto my ring finger and apply it. Made with a botanical mix including sunflower, soybean and organic linseed oil and extracts of cucumber, lemon and fennel, the cream is has a nice consistency and blends well. And I love the subtle highlighting effect. Any under eye darkness gets a quick lift.

Another liiv botanical product I am loving in this dry weather is one Sarah mentioned a few weeks back. The liiv botanicals Triple Phase Bath & Shower Oil ($12) smells wonderful and is great for dry skin.

Ordering info: shopping from Avon online (or in person) requires a representative. The links to the products here are through my rep who you can also shop with no matter your locale, or if you’d prefer, find a representative yourself here. Enjoy! xo alex.

5 Eye Creams For Fall

Eye Cream is a female rite of passage. For every time we bat an eyelash, glance a loving gaze or smile with our entire face, it's our eyes doing the talking. Thus, we must keep them in pristine condition. Eye cream is a must.


Here are 5 of my favorites for fall:

Amore Pacific Time Response Eye Renewal Cream ($150.00) My new obsession. It's thick without being greasy, moisturizing without being shiny. It reminds me of my other favorite eye cream, Shiseido Benefiance, but this one has light reflectors that wake up my tired eyes as well. Almost has a gel-like consistency, which I adore.
Skinmedica TNS Night Eye Repair ($90.00) - A creamy, rich night treatment that leaves the eyes soft and hydrated come morning. Vitamins A, C and E and hyaluronic acid approve the appearance of delicate skin around the eye area. It's like a jolt of wake-me-up.
Jurlique Arnica Cream ($36.00) - AMAZING for getting rid of dark circles, arnica is actually used for bruising but a beauty insider trick is... use it for those under eye circles and voila, watch them erase in no time. The cream part helps to nourish and hydrate. You can also use in conjunction with a heavier eye cream.
Tammy Fender Firming Eye Gel ($72.00) - Like a botanical bath for your peepers, this holistic gel-cream soothes, hydrates and protects with elder flower and green myrtle. I heart the smell (natural eucalyptus) and the consistency.
Arcona Peptide Eye Serum ($52.00)- An amazing treat for tired eyes. This gel-like formula depuffs and protects while collagen building complex of amino-peptides helpts to increase elasticity of thinning, stressed skin.

DRUGSTORE FIND: L'Oreal Advanced RevitaLift 24 Hour Eye Repair Duo ($17.99)- One side for am, with spf, one side for pm, with wrinkle repair. Loves it. Read my full review here.

What are your favorite eye cream for fall?

Eye Cream: From High End to Low End

I love me an eye cream that actually works. Despite the cost, eye cream is a must have in my beauty arsenal.

To me, aside from chapstick, eye cream is my skin care must-have. And a good old bar of soap. And exfoliator. And sunblock. Okay, I have many beauty necessities but eye cream is definitely up there.

I was delighted to discover L'Oreal's newest affordable eye cream created especially for morning and night with dual sided applicators. The Advanced RevitaLift 24 Hour Eye Repair Duo works night and day to give your eyes moisture, anti-wrinkle prevention and spf protection. The formula, made with Pro Retinol A, helps to repair broken skin fibers and the smooth the surface of deep set eyes. I like that it's thick without being greasy and really does leave a lasting impression on my peepers. $12.00

At a bit of a pricier splurge, Peter Thomas Roth has recently launched his version of the am/pm eye cream. Eye Overhaul Duo works on both protection and prevention.

The daytime formula has SPF 30 and suberlift to smooth and firm while the nighttime gel-like formula has Haloxyl, Regu-Age and light diffusers help and reduce the appearance of dark circles. Caffeine also helps to reduce under eye puffiness and tired eyes. It's like a giant glass of vitamins for the eyes. Everything just looks happier through brighter eyes. LOVE! $58.00

All You Need Is Love (Or Prescriptives New Eye Cream)

I'm really impressed with the recent roster of Prescriptives products. The lippies are to die (click here for a recap) and I'm slightly obsessed with the Winter Reflections All-Over Highlighter from the Holiday collection.

And now they've come out with a fab eye moisturizer (and you know how I loveeeee my eye creams!)! All You Need+ For Eyes is my current favorite product to protect and nourish the "windows to my soul."

Sometimes I can't decide - do I want the cooling effect of a gel or the deep moisture of a cream? With All You Need+ For Eyes, you get both. It's like the hybrid of gel and cream... it moisturizes AND soothes - keeping eyes looking young and rested.

The cream-gel has the most amazing texture. It's smooth and cool and never greasy or gooey. It's not as heavy as a cream but it's not as light as a gel - it's somewhere in between. The skin around my eyes just soaks it right up and the area is left looking (and feeling) reinvigorated!

Here's what the folks over at Prescriptives have to say about their new product:
"It's a combination of vitamins, plant extracts and time-released ingredients work together to help eye area look younger, fresher and more rested... Helps reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, lines and wrinkles; Provides 24-hour moisture to delicate eye area."

Totally obsessed!

PRICE TAG: $29.50

My Eye Cream Crisis

I've been trying not to be such a hoarder lately - in essence, I'm attempting to use all of my products that have been piling up in the cabinets and under the bed. It's part of a "me" cleanse - uncluttering my life to make room for bigger and better things (how Oprah of me, I know!).

I vaguely remember purchasing the Kiehl's Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment. I strutted into the boutique on Robertson Boulevard in search of a hydrating eye cream that prevented wrinkles - not as thick as the Imperiale Repairateur Eye Balm (this is basically a tub of oils), yet not as gentle as the Eye Alert. So, I settled on the Cryste Marine. I used it a few times and then somehow, forgot that I even owned it (this happens quite often as I consume SO MANY products that I usually try them and move on.... unless I absolutely die over them, then they are awarded permanent residence on the shelf).

A few weeks ago I decided to briskly "clean out" my product cabinet (and by "clean out" I really mean "move around") and that's when I rediscovered the Cryste Marine eye cream. I've gotta say, the second time around, I'm definitely feeling the love. I've used it religiously every night before bed because I like how soothing and firming it leaves my eye area. It absorbs quickly, forgoing that terrible "shiny eye" look that so many eye creams leave behind.

But I've noticed a major issue: it smells like S#%^!!! Seriously, the aftersmell is so vile I refuse to wear the cream during the day for fear that someone will stand too close to my face and cringe in disgust! The only reason I can think of for the smell is that one of the main ingredients in the cream is Criste Marine, "an unusual botanical found aside the Mediterranean Sea, as well as Padina Pavonica." Could this be the cause of the foul smell???

I really do like this product - it delivers results and I can feel the cream penetrating the eye area... so, I'm feeling desperate here.... what should I do? Move on or deal?

Have you ever had a product that you love, yet you can't stand the smell? If so, what did you do?
Beauty Banter needs YOUR help!!!

WEEKLY MUST-HAVE!

I am an eye cream addict. Yes, it's true. I admit it.

My latest discovery is Shiseido's Bio-Performance Super Eye Contour Cream and it's great for Summer - light, soothing, non-greasy.

A long time favorite eye cream of mine is Shiseido's Benefiance - it's rich, creamy, and deliciously moisturizing. But when I went to my local department store to pick up a new jar, they were ALL SOLD OUT - tragedy! I was quickly talked into purchasing the Bio-Performance Super Eye-Contour Cream and, although it's not as thick, it's actually a great alternative to the Benefiance. Here's why...

With the summer heat blazing on every inch of my body, I really don't have the need for such a rich eye cream. My skin isn't dry - not even in the loosest sense of the term - I like to use the cream as a preventative, but sometimes, I'll admit, it is a tad too "creamy" (especially during the daytime hours when it does not have the chance to fully absorb into my skin before embarking on my daily activities).

Not Bio-Performance! It's lighter and more easily absorbed into my skin yet it still gives me all of the same results as Benefiance: Reduces the appearance of wrinkles, dark circles, and dullness, as it effectively hydrates and energizes skin, etc.

I'm not permanently dissing Benefiance... as Fall rolls around I think I'll use both eye creams. Bio-Performance for day (as it absorbs much faster), Benefiance for night (as I still do love the way it makes my eyes feel so creamy and rich).

After-all, life IS all about the compromise...

$54.00 for the push-top bottle (.53 oz.)

Monday Morning Wake-Me-Up!

La Mer has long been known for their ultra swanky and super expensive skin cream, Creme de la Mer. It's like the caviar of skin care, a status symbol of the rich and famous. Celebs swear by it and those who suffer from severely dry skin have dubbed it the miracle cream. It's too strong for my oily complexion, but alas, they have come out with a product that I too can swoon over!

And now, the latest installment in the skin line - The Eye Concentrate. La Mer products boast a myriad of marine and plant ingredients. Their trademark Miracle Broth is a combination of sea kelp, calcium, magnesium, citrus oil, eucalyptus, alfalfa and sunflower. These ingredients are then infused and undergo a 3-4 month bio-fermentation process where "vital energies" are released.

As for the Eye Concentrate, the folks at La Mer say that it "re-energizes the area around the eye with magnitized hematite. The dense mineral, helps boost visible firmness and tone, dramatically dissolving the appearance of dark circles and puffiness."

The science of it all is that dark circles are created by micro-capillaries - fluids beneath the skin. Like blood, hematite (a main ingredient in the Eye Concentrate) is rich in iron. The magnetized hematite is what aids in reducing dark circles.

Okay, so I don't know how much of the hoopla I actually buy into, but I will say this: the Eye Concentrate delivers visible results! From the first application, my eyes looked brighter, firmer and vitalized. It completely diminished dark circles, tightened the skin around the eye and took years off of my face! And it smells so clean, like a freshly cut cucumber!

And I'm mildly obsessed with the applicator (above, left)... fine, I'm completely obsessed! It has a silver ball-like tip that is hard like metal and cool to the touch (like an ice cube). The tip is designed to pick up the correct amount of product, then you use the silver ball to pat and press the cream onto your eye area (it is like an eye massage sans the pulling and prodding). I used the applicator with other eyes creams and it works just as well. This is an applicator that you'll hold onto long after the Eye Concentrate is devoured... it's literally that amazing! The perfect Monday morning wake-me-up! Bright eyes for a bright future!

.5 oz. - $160.00 (an expensive splurge but the applicator makes it worth it!)

Rediscovering Mario Badescu

I LOVE to give myself at home mini-facials. You know, wash, exfoliate, steam, mask, pick (okay, fine, you're not supposed to pick but I can't help it!), moisturize... the whole nine.

So, last night as I primped for an evening of pre-Oscar events, I rediscovered an old time favorite skin care line. Mario Badescu. If you're not familiar with the line, you need to be. They make a variety of products that suit all skin types - from acne to dehydrated! And it's so easy to navigate! All of the products come tagged with C (for combination), O (for oily), S (for sensitve), D (for dry) and so on. It's important to mention that the products are very well priced too!

They make an incredible drying lotion that literally clears pimples on contact. With it's unique blend of Calamine and Salicylic Acid, the lotion heals and soothes those puss-filled pests overnight! It's actually quite famous. And it's only $17.00 and lasts forever! For more info on the Drying Lotion, click HERE.

I'm also quite obsessed with the Flower & Tonic Mask. It's meant for combination/ oily/ sensitive skin (thus it reads C, O, S). It's a purifying and calming mask with a Kaolin formula that helps to absorb dirt and oil and decongest pores, and Balsam Peru ingredient that soothes minor redness and irritation. I left the mask on until it hardened (about 20 minutes) and then rinsed with warm water. My skin was soft, smooth and glowing!!!

Next, I used the Ceramide Eye Gel. It's emerald green, gooey and absolutely divine! This is by no means your conventional eye cream! The Ceramides and nourishing Herbal Extracts help to diminish puffiness and tired eyes. The lightweight gel is incredibly soothing AND **hint** if you store it in the fridge, it's a fabulous morning pick-me-up for tired eyes! The best part is, it's only $18.00! I applied the eye gel after the mask and before my moisturizer and my eyes were instantly brighter and tighter! It was the perfect eye treatment to use prior to a night out on the town!

I'm feeling the need to try more Mario Badescu products asap as I am so happy with the results of these.

Anyone out there have a favorite? (Hair crazed Jenny raves about the seaweed cleansing lotion)... Something I MUST TRY? Let me know!

Travel Tips For Gorgeous Skin

I've been on five planes in the past eleven days and FINALLY I'm home (back in L.A.). Flying isn't exactly the best for your skin... or your health. Not only is it terribly dehydrating, it's also dirty and the recycled air in the cabin of the plane actually recycles the germs and bacteria. YUCK.

So here are my radiant skin travel tips:

• ALWAYS use a MAJOR moisturizer prior to boarding the plane (and keep the moisturizer in your purse for periodic retouches). I like my new Weleda Wild Rose Cream - it's great for normal to oil skin (like moi) - very soothing and hydrating, and it's completely free of synthetic fragrances, colors, preservatives and raw materials, thus I'm feeding my skin exactly what I would feed my body - health and love! (And for those inquiring minds, this cream is very similiar to the Jurlique's Balancing Day Cream (which includes rose and is ideal for maintaining balance) yet half the price!)

• Slather a soothing eye cream on your eyes prior to flight. I like MAC's new Moisturelush Eye Cream. It helps to reduce puffiness (an effect of flying) and balances the skin's moisture levels.

• NEVER wear make-up on a flight. Not even concealer. Make-up only clogs pours, especially with unnatural, recycled air!
  

• ALWAYS stick at Q-tip dip of Neosporin up your nose prior to boarding. This is a trick that I learned ages ago and it really works - Neosporin is an antibiotic - it fights the germs from recycled air and protects your nasal pasages, plain and simple.

• Continuously load your lips with tons of lip ointment. My pick: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Protectant - it lasts for hours and truly hydrates (apparently, now it comes in a stick with SPF as well.... gotta try that asap!)

• To ward off bacteria that can cause acne, take an antiseptic stick on the plane. I use Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil (it's only $9.00 and lasts forever!). Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic that leaves the skin clean and blemish free. I apply this constantly throughout my flight!

• ALWAYS carry a heavy-duty hand cream. As I just posted, Frilly Lilly is my new fave! When I fly, I am constantly washing my hands so that I keep the germs at bay, and well, soap dehydrates even more, thus I apply hand cream on an hourly basis (at least)!

• Before the flight, try a cuticle oil or cream to moisturize and hydrate your nails. Flying can cause weak and brittle nails as well. Frilly Lilly also makes an outstanding Cuticle Oil - a drop on each nail, massage into the nail bed and you're good to go (***bonus*** it smells fresh and delicious!)
• During the flight, constantly spray some sort of tonic or mist onto your face. This also aids in keeping skin hydrated. I adore the Pangea Organics Argentinian Tangerine & Thyme Facial Toner. Thyme is a natural antiseptic to ward off bacteria while tangerine heals, detox's and calms. It's all natural and incredibly soothing. I use it before, during and after the flight. And sometimes, I spray it on a cotton pad and wipe it on my face to get off the excess oil and grime.
  

• Load up on Vitamin C prior to flight. Try EMERGEN-C (I love the Raspberry flavor) and/ or AIRBOURNE. I take both. And drink TONS OF WATER. Fluids keep the insides hydrated!
  

• And the final tip, when you return home, use a moisture-intensive, vitamin-induced mask to replenish your skin! My pick: Mario Bedescu Enzyme Revitalizing Mask. Vitamin's A & E are antioxidants while Alpha Hydrox aids in refreshing tired and dull skin!
  

Have any special flying tips? Let us know! Leave a comment below!

New Favorite Eye Cream...

I'm a total sucker for a good eye cream.

The other day, while browsing the aisles of my favorite store (Sephora), I came across an incredible new product.

Here's my problem: I have oily skin that I often over-dry. And my eyes seem to be taking the brunt of the dryness... Even though I apply eye cream twice a day, the inner corners of my eyes never seem hydrated! Thus, concealer looks caked on and lines that aren't even wrinkles look like deep crevices in my face!

Enter Murad's Eye Treatment Complex SPF 8, "a patented formula containing glycolic acid to gently exfoliate, encouraging cell renewal and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Provitamin B5 repairs and protects to recapture a more youthful look."

I've used the cream for about a week and I actually notice a difference - my eyes are finally hydrated, yet they don't come across as oil wells (people with oily skin know what I'm referring to!) And an added bonus - lighter dark circles!

C'est la vie!

$58.00 for .5oz.

UPDATE: This eye cream made me break out!!! Weird, I know, to break out from an eye cream but the skin under the eyes is very sensitive and this cream was just too thick to do the job without clogging my pores!!!

Q & A - dark circles

QUESTION: I have dark circles under my eyes even when I am fully rested, can you recommend a good eye cream and/or a concealer?

ANSWER: Try Avon's ANEW ALTERNATIVE Intensive Eye Cream (I blogged about this product a couple month's back... CLICK HERE to read the post). I really like this product... it feels refreshing yet isn't greasy. It also promises a significant decrease in dark circles.

I'd also say to fork over some major bucks and invest in the best under-eye cover up on the market... Cle de Peau's Concealer. It comes in three shades: Ivory, Ocher and Beige, and it's designed to reduce redness (for zits) and dark hues. This is some serious cover-up.

Although, dark circles can be genetic, diet can also play a significant role. Research has shown that increasing your iron intake can help... try eating more spinach!

And finally, random, I know, but an at-home remedy that people swear by.... cucumber juice (it lightens the area)! Smash it up, skin and all, and apply under your eyes. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse!


Have a question? Email us at beautybanter@gmail.com and we will post a response!

Good-Bye to Undereye Circles

Anyone who reads this blog, knows my obsession with eye cream. My biggest fear (besides growing up to be a spinster or finding that I'm infertile) is waking up one moring with wrinkles around my eyes. Thus, I have been using eye cream since I was about 13 - long before the first wrinkle ever appeared.
My father is from Casablanca, so I have naturally "tanned" skin, but with that tan comes dark circles around the eyes. I can sleep 12 hours a night (and believe me, sometimes I do!) and still wake up with a little black and blue under my eye.
So you can imagine my excitement when I received
Avon ANEW ALTERNATIVE Intensive Eye Cream. The promotional edge is that "undereye circles start to fade in 7 days." I mean, from my lips to God's ears. This was heaven sent!
So I tried the miracle cream for seven days. And I must say, although I still have a hint of black and blue, it is severely less then before. The cream also moisturizes nicely without being greasey and I still use it in the mornings because it sort of makes my eyes "pop." Like I just had a mini eye lift.
The entire line is pretty awesome. At least they promise pretty awesome results. But hey, it's affordable and worth a try! Afterall, this is far from the Avon of our parents generation!!!

EYE CREAM NIGHTMARE

A male friend of mine that would like to remain anonymous told me of his recent eye cream experience that would leave even hair-crazed Jenny in awe.
We'll call him, BOB...
So Bob walked into the Kiehl's store on Robertson to scope out some new face products when the overzelous sales associate basically forced the eye cream upon him. The abyssine eye cream was perfect for his complection, she raved... (hmmm, was the SA trying to tell my youthfull friend that he looked (gasp!) weathered around the eyes? Afterall, the Abyssine line is Kiehl's anti-aging line). Anyway, Bob caved under pressure and bought the cream.
For the next week, he applied it every night before bed. Strangely, for that entire week he also had nightmares. Graphic, gorey, bloddy nightmares.
Could it be the cream?
Bob decided to take a night off with the eye cream and, to his astonishment, he slept the entire night sans nightmares.
Okay, maybe just a coincidence.
So Bob used the cream again and again his sleep was bombarded with nightmarish visions.
The following night, no cream... peacefull slumber.
Wait.... this is too weird.
So Bob decided to give it ONE LAST shot... and he used the eye cream. And, again, a bloody nightmare!
Low and behold, Bob immediately stopped using the abyssine eye cream and his sleep has returned to sweet dreams (and wet ones!)

What do YOU think....? Is it the cream, specifically Kiehl's Abyssine Eye Cream? Or is it a crazy coincidence?

Tell us your beauty horror stories by emailing beautybanter@gmail.com!

Gobble, Gobble...

WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR...
I'm thankful for:
Nars Turkish Delight lip gloss - a "pink sorbet" color with mega shine minus the goo.
Kerastase Nutritive Elixer Oleo Relax hair drops - the most fabulous anti-friz serum in all of hair care land! (my mane is always soft, friz-free and curly when I use this product)
Marc Jacobs by Marc Jacobs perfume - a staple fragrance that smells of gardenia and musk. (I've worn this for the past 5 years and still continue to get loads of compliments)!
Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream - my new dark circle savior!!! It moisturizes and minimizes bags and darkness. Alas, I feel like a pre-teen again! (also a great base prior to using eye make-up!)
Kiehl's Coriander Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser and Hand and Body Lotion - an old favorite past time that has become a new and welcomed bathing treat! The smell is a delicious blend of Winter richness that lathers and rinses leaving my skin soft and radiant. And the lotion compliments the shower gel, moisturizing and reviving dehydrated skin.
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - the closest thing that I've found to a zit zapper. This is a miracle product that literally dries out those nasty little pimples overnight! It's like magic!
MAC Splashproof PowerPoint Eye Pencil in Engraved - a liner that goes on strong and lasts so long! Easy to apply and fun to smudge... I use it to line my lids as well as that sensitive area inside of my eye! (very mysterious....)
Tend Skin Razor Bump Solution - An oldie, but goodie! After a painful wax in that "intimate area," Tend Skin is a welcomed soother. It actually rids the region of redness and ingrown hairs! TRICK!!! Tend Skin can also be used on acne for a quick fix... 1,2,3 and the pimple is gone!
C.O. Bigelow's Dr. Hiosous Quince Hand Lotion - a salve that literally saves my chapped and cracked hands! All natural, it smells of a mixture of fruit extracts and carrot oil and it lasts for an unearthly amount of time. This is my absolute favorite hand cream in the world... I never leave home without it!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY FELLOW BEAUTY WHORES!

EYE CREAMS REVIEWED

Check out this eye cream review... Click Here. It rates eye cream in categories of:
ability to improve dark circles and puffiness, long term effectiveness for treating dark circle, ability to strengthen eyelid capilaries, ability to smooth, firm and delayskin cell aging, and ability to improve eyelid wrinkles and fine lines. In total, 30 eye products were put to the test. The best score, 5 superiors, wasn't won by any eye cream but one particular product did score a 4 out of 5.
So check to see what they say about your favorite eye cream and leave your rants and raves here! (FYI - my fave eye cream isn't even mentioned on this list... hmmm, we might need to have our OWN, more extensive eye cream review sometime in the very near future.)
ALSO, can you guess these famous eyes (below)? This is a REALLY easy one...
Leave your answer in the comment portion of the blog - first one to guess the correct answer wins!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Tonight I am returning to California (Los Angeles) after a three month jaunt on the East Coast (New York City). I'm a pretty low-maintenance flyer - give me a seat next to a window, my own TV and a Klonopin and I'm good. If I allow my mind to wander to those frightening places, I do think about the fact that I am breathing recycled air for five in a half hours - this can't be good for the immune system or the skin....
So this is how I ready myself pre-flight:
I ALWAYS carry hand lotion in my bag. Current Choice: C. O. Bigelow Dr. Hiosous Quince Hand Lotion - non-greasy and effective. I don't need to apply a million times - once does the trick!
I ALWAYS bring my own liter-size bottle of Evian water.
I ALWAYS take Airborne (I prefer the lemon-lime flavor) an hour before the flight is slated to depart.
I ALWAYS use an astringent, face moisturizer and eye cream before I leave my house. Current Choices: Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion; Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme Anti-Oxidant Formula SPF 15; Shiseido Benefiance Revitalizing Eye Cream - sooooo moisturizing it's like candy for your eyes... yummy!
I ALWAYS carry my Labello Cherry Lip Balm - it moisturizes without any goo or shine and adds a dab of red color to your pout (just because your traveling doesn't mean that you have to look insipid!)
And a great tip from my hair fanatic friend, Jenny Cohen, slather your nose with Neosporin - I know, it sounds a little suspect, but it actually aids in fighting off infections from the dry, reprocessed airplane air.
And lastly, I ALWAYS bring my oversized Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses to ward off wandering eyes (and to shield my own eyes from those nasty fluorescent lights!)
So farewell for now - see you back on the West Coast....
What's your pre-travel beauty regimen? email us!