Cheap thrills!!! Go Down Deep...

With increasing frequency, Beauty Wonkette comes across news reports that happily report that the economic downturn is over and that everything is BEE YOO TEE FUL. Ah well, Beauty Wonkette does wish somebody would explain all of this to her ever dwindling bank account and ever increasing debt. Either way, though, any true Beauty Wonkette is going to find a way to look fabulous. However, it definitely is a high priority to spend less doing it. And so, Beauty Wonkette is going to feature more - ALOT MORE - cheap thrills for recessionistas everywhere. So, my lovelies, here we go:

Beauty Wonkette has been testing products from Formula 10.0.06 (the line is available at Ulta). This one is definitely ahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Beauty Wonkette fav.

When Beauty Wonkette was just a mini-me version of herself, much to Mama BW's dismay, she just loved making mudpies. Uh huh - Beauty Wonkette has been most fond of mud of a longggg time. Now that she's all grown up, she knows just how good a thing mud is! Now enter this face masque / mask . Besides the always-purifying mud, this mask also contains orange to hhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifelp tone the skin, bergamot for its antiseptic benefits, and sea salt to aid in banishing impurities for a clear, smooth, and balanced complexion. And, it smells sort of delicious. So, spending the extra 15 minutes, 1 to 3 times per week depending on your skin type, is a slam dunk for a brighter complexion. Beauty Wonkette would not mislead you! Your face AND everyone who looks at or touches it will notice the difference.

JUST $6.99 at Ulta, this baby definitely qualifies as a CHEAP THRILL

Go EAST my lovelies....

There are many reasons why Beauty Wonkette loves her "real" job, but one biggie is that it affords the opportunity for lots of travel. And, in Beauty Wonkette's world, travel translates into SHOPPING. Yayyyyy shopping!!!

Any make-up artist will tell you that European pharmacies are a well-known treasure trove of otherwise elusive cosmetics. However, these days, take a close look at any face-painter’s kit and you’re bound to find something from Japan: teensy-weensy Q-tips, perfectly packaged blotting papers, or, complexion-perfecting products by Koh Gen Do.

Fashion week meant visits with a few old friends, including one well known New York-based stylist who is a recent convert to the line. Said she, “I was looking for an all-natural foundation and concealer in light of my pregnancy (HER pregnancy - Beauty Wonkette is MANY things, but PREGGO is NOT one of them, thanks be to god) —the things one reads on the internet can be so alarming! I discovered the foundation and concealer and couldn’t be more thrilled that something so good can be so good for you." She went on to explain that she dabs it on with a Trish McEvoy foundation brush and, Beauty Wonkette can bear witness to the fact that while it looks fresh and dewy, it provides great coverage.

That “dewy, fresh” coverage is made possible by Aqua Foundation’s “golden ratio” of 45% water, 35% emollients, and 20% powder. The mineral formula is based on deep-sea water from Rausu, Japan, and infused with White Birch Sap extracts to keep skin hydrated. I’ve always avoided foundation because, for lack of better words, it’s just too much. Too cake-y, too drying, too shimmery (“glow” can go very wrong)…even an overpowering eau de SPF is a deal-breaker. This foundation is just right. Beauty Wonkette doesn't generally do the foundation thing, but tried smoothing a tiny amount over her skin. Oh yessss, it gives the perfect—barely perceptible—amount of enhancement.

And, you certainly don’t need a beauty school degree to reap the benefits of “Moisture Concealer for Professional”. The compact includes two creamy, Jojoba and Shea Butter enhanced shades, plus a miniature, retractable brush for finger-free application. There’s even a built-in trough for blending the colors together. Perhaps the best news is that you don’t need to hop on a plane (although a trip to Tokyo would be nice…), Koh Gen Do is sold stateside at Barney’s and via their website. Even better is the fact that the concealer is 30% at the Koh Gen Do website, and they give lots of freebies when you order.

Beauty Wonkette is tapping her foot and wondering WHAT you are waiting for !!!

Beauty Wonkettes spies the Split Nail Polish Trend, The "V Gap"

Okay, okay... Beauty Wonkette loves to look at this stuff, but her fingernails are usually bare. MMMMmmmm hmmmmm - Beauty Wonkette is a follower of the buff, buff, buff cult. Although BW DOES go all wild and funky with her toes :). ANYWAYYYY... this looks kinda cool, no?

London-based nail guru Sophy Robson is taking the lead on a new nail trend, a style she's christened the "V-Gap." An angular riff on the half-moon, the beauty of the look is its versatility: Keep it subtle with dark or neutral shades, like Robson's petrol blue-black V-Gap nails at Antonio Beradi's fall '11 show, or take it to the next level and channel Robson's own pink, studded V-Gapped talons.

Kate Somerville's Spring Skincare Secrets

Beauty Wonkette brings you legendary skin guru Kate Somerville's top three tips to update your spring skin and get a fresh face now.

Kate’s ultimate expert tips for getting beautiful spring skin now:

1. Sunscreen: "I recommend looking for sunscreens with ingredients that contain either physical or chemical blocks, and broad-spectrum protection, which means protection from all UV rays. One of my favorite forms of sun protection is mineral makeup. The minerals that comprise these powders protect against UV rays—they create a physical barrier between your skin and the sun and usually have an SPF of 15 to 22.”

2. Safe Tanning: "Use Somerville 360º Tanning Towelettes. These are simple-to-use, streak-free tanning towels that give your body a golden (not orange) glow. They deliver that beautiful color without the damage associated with tanning. This product is revolutionary because it’s a tanning towelette that’s clear. Just put it on and in two minutes you can put a white dress on. It’s not a cream, lotion or bronzer, so it won’t streak or rub off. It works with the proteins in your skin and gives the color you’d get in the sun. A fair-skinned person gets a different color than a darker-skinned person. You'll have a gorgeous glow in 4 hours. We also took out the parabens and added antioxidants so that it’s actually good for your skin. The tan lasts 7-10 days and you can layer it—do it two or three times and then maintain once a week.”

3. Commitment: "The most important steps to remember are exfoliate, hydrate, and moisturize. You should exfoliate one to three times a week. Look for a product that contains both physical and chemical exfoliators, but avoid natural physical exfoliants like pits or seeds—they are rough and can damage the skin; instead, look for a smooth bead. To hydrate the skin externally, look for products that contain hyaluronic acid—this ingredient can carry 1000 times its weight in water and bind it to the skin. To hydrate internally, drink plenty of water and eat foods rich in fatty acids. Avoid diuretics, like simple sugars and caffeine. Finally, moisturizing is vital to protecting and sealing in the hydration, and serves as a barrier for your skin. Look for a product that contains peptides or new stem cell technology that can really aid in healthy cell turn over and anti-aging.”

Beauty Wonkette believes that one good turn deserves another, and so, BW would be remiss if she failed to mention that Kate has added three new skin-savers to her immaculate line of products, and there’s something for everyone. ExfoliKate Acne is a revamped formulation of her best-selling exfoliator with tea tree oil and salicylic acid to help you fight breakouts, Clinic-To-Go is a fantastically packaged treatment that will rejuvenate your face and slough away any dull winter skin, and Cyto-Cell Eye Cream uses stem cell technology to help get rid of any wrinkles around the eye area.

Beauty Wonkette is really rocking the Clinic-To-Go pads! YOU should check out all Kate's new stuff. It's widely available at places like Sephora, but her site has more info. Go there first: http://www.katesomerville.com/

Get ready for Spring by getting a leg up

Once upon a time, there was a damsel in distress. "My thighs are too dimply," she cried into a mirror. "I would do anything to get rid of my cellulite!" No amount of exercise seemed to help.

Then, one day, her fairy godmother (aka Beauty Wonkette) arrived with a pair of magic pants. "Wear these Farmacell Milk Shorts to bed for at least two weeks," Fairy Godmother Beauty Wonkette said. "The fabric is made from milk proteins, and they're designed to moisturize your skin and smooth the appearance of cellulite while you sleep. And yes, they are supposed to be snug--compression helps trim your thighs."

The damsel was skeptical, but after just five days of testing, she was hooked. (She's still wearing them a month later.) "I noticed firmer, thinner thighs and a more toned butt," she gushed to her fairy godmother. "There's more space than usual between my thighs. They feel like bike shorts and I had no problem sleeping in them. I even wear them during the day, as shapewear under dresses and skirts." The shorts were so powerful, she purchased 3 pair so she would have them always.

They aren't cheap, but then dreams ever are. Still. Snag yourself a pair and live happily ever after. Find them here.

The end

Stressed? Depressed? PMS? Overindulged? Moody?

Chances are that whatever it is that ails you, 21 Drops has an aromatherapy blend to soothe you. After extensive surveys and questionnaires, this company's founders identified 21 everyday woes that seem to plague every one of us at one time or another and came up with an aromatherapy blend to address them.

Beauty Wonkette loves the bright, rubbery, hi-tech packaging that houses each precise concoction of plant extracts AND you can tuck them neatly into even the slimmest makeup bag so you'll have 'em when you need 'em. Lucky Magazine called them LIFE CHANGING! Beauty Wonkette isn't prepared to go that far, BUT she does have a few favorites among the 21:

13 Carry On - Blended from rose flower oil, helichrysum flower oil, sandalwood wood oil, lavender flower oil and frankincense resin oil to help manage loss, ease sorrow and soothe the heart. The oils in this blend help settle the effect of emotional trauma on the nervous system. It’s intended to support the transformation from endings to new beginnings. It heals, encourages, restores and renews. Carry On helps you to persevere. You grieve. You let go. You move forward.


04 Hangover - Blended from juniper fruit oil, geranium leaf oil, lavender flower oil and cardamom seed oil to detox, refresh and revive. The oils in this blend stimulate the lymphatic system to help flush toxins from the body, dispel nausea, and ease water retention. This blend revives, soothes and purifies.

21 Inspire - Blended from cedarwood wood oil, sandalwood wood oil and black pepper dried fruit oil to release blocked energy, increase creativity and inspire action. The oils in this blend are transformative and enlivening. Inspire helps to spark productivity and crystallize vision. You inspire and are inspired. You are the driving force.

06 Passion - Blended from jasmine flower oil, rose flower oil, cardamom seed oil and sandalwood wood oil to help release inhibitions, stimulate affection and ignite passion. This blend is all about promoting playfulness, enthusiasm, exploration and an appetite for life. It is sensual. It is exhilarating.

11 De-stress - Blended from frankincense resin oil, lavender flower oil, ylang ylang flower oil and german chamomile flower oil to steady nerves, relieve tension and reduce stress on the limbic system. The oils in this blend are effective in countering situational irritation and angst. The 21 Drops De-Stress blend helps you to stay cool under fire, encouraging graciousness and diplomacy, balance and decisiveness. You are accepting. You are flexible. You are at ease.

Check them out and find your favorite....

http://www.21drops.com/

It's a TRAP !!!

Eeeeeeek! It's a trap! A spin trap that is. Which is a good trap. Or so I'm told.....

It's all about free radicals. Huh? Unless you're an aging baby boomer who, thanks to Timothy Leary, has been left with synapses that don't quite fire like they should, you do KNOW that free radicals are not hairy people who stick flowers in guns when said guns are pointed at them. Fast forward to 2011 and anyone who has ever slapped moisturizer on their mug knows allllll about free radicals. Free radicals = B A D. Very bad.

Free radicals contribute to skin aging as unstable molecules that damage everything from cell walls to DNA. The good news is that now you can fight free radical damage anywhere you need it. With THIS:

YOUR BEST FACE Skincare (which is a very cool indy skincare line) has put out Antioxidants Concentrate, a new lightweight (VERY concentrated) skincare serum that helps you bring together powerful anti-aging antioxidants with fresh items at home for extremely effective and unique do-it-yourself skincare products.

One of the reasons Beauty Wonkette loves this stuff is that it is extremely versatile. Sure, you can use Antioxidants Concentrate on its own, but if you already have a regimen you aren't inclined to change, you can blend it with your favorite skincare creams, masks and serums to increase their effectiveness. It's really great to add to lotions for your neck, chest, hands, elbows and knees. Antioxidants Concentrate also makes a fantastic addition prior to or after spa services such as LED light treatments.

The stuff is based on 4 key ingredients: ferulic acid, vitamin E, lippchroman-6, and (yes!) SPIN TRAP. Most Beauty Wonkettes know all about ferulic acid and vitamin E. But, let's take a closer look at the other two key ingredients.

If they had a mascot over there at Your Best Face Skincare, it would be spin trap. This unique skin protector is like the superhero of antioxidants. Most antioxidants simply blast away at free radicals thus destroying the molecule in the process. Ahhhh but spin trap stabilizes free radical molecules without destroying them, thereby more effectively preventing damage.

Along with spin trap, Lipochroman-6 is a hallmark antioxidant used in almost every product YBF makes. Lipochroman-6 is a potent protector from two types of free radicals attributed to aging skin and damage: ROS (reactive oxygen species) and RNS (reactive nitrogen species) free radicals.

They also point out that if spin trap is an antioxidant superhero then vitamin E is its trusty sidekick! On it's own, vitamin E does a pretty good job fighting ROS free radicals. We already knew that. But, here's the bonus: it also pairs with many other antioxidants, increasing their effectiveness and recharging antioxidants such as ferulic acid. It is also well suited to naturally protect product freshness.

Now, you probably already know this, but Beauty Wonkette thought it would be just plain mean NOT to give a shout out to the ferulic acid in this quartet. Ferulic acid is a great free radical scavenger of ROS (reactive oxygen species), making it highly protective against UV-induced free radical damage that speeds the appearance of aging. It's found naturally in plants and is a compound that protects plants from UV damage during photosynthesis.

YBF Skincare is a very neat line that is definitely worth checking out. Each formula multi-tasks and is highly concentrated, saving you time and money. And, unlike other skincare lines who really sling the bull and insist that YOU SIMPLY MUST USE THEIR LINE AND ONLY THEIR LINE (god Beauty Wonkette HATES that), YBF's founders tell you that while their products work great on their own, they encourage you to layer them with other favorite products in your arsenal, which Beauty Wonkette thinks is very cool of them.

The Antioxidant Concentrate is $55 and, along with all their other stuff, is available online at the Skincare Shop.