Musings of a Muse

It’s probably a little too late for me to enjoy the full benefits of Dr. Jart Ice Cooler but I thought I’d review anyway for those who have large pores and are looking for a way to tighten them.

Jump ahead for a peep!

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La Mer The Hydrating Facial Mask saturates the skin with hydrating ferments to  reveal youthful skin.  Dryness and dehydration are treated quickly and easily.  The saturated mask is made of spun-lace cotton and contains a solution to treat skin to a spa-like experience.

Sounds incredible right?

The kicker is it costs $250.  Eep!

I’d probably indulge if I had an endless flow of cash but I honestly couldn’t afford to dish out for it right now even if I wanted to.  $250 for a mask is way above my budget.

Would you buy the La Mer The Hydrating Facial Mask?

Today the Muse is hoping and praying for you.   As of September 24th MAC releases Style Black and the Muse is every so hopeful you’re hauling it.  No, no not the color cosmetics…..no worries this Muse understands not everyone can pull off black lipstick.

She’s talking about the re-release of MAC Volcanic Ash.

Oh joy!  Bless Be!   The gods have answered my prayers.  MAC Volcanic Ash is repromoted for a limited time…yes it’s only a limited time so best get a case of it.

I should hope you’ve tried this incredible face scrub.  Last year I did a review and a huge rave on MAC Volcanic Ash.    I’m delighted that it’s returning and equally pleased they changed the packaging.  Originally Volcanic Ash came housed in a plastic jar which was a big old mess.   This year they released it in a squeeze bottle which is absolutely ideal and way more hygienic.   See?  The MAC Gods listen to our rants and improve on their failures.

On top of the release of MAC Volcanic Ash you’ll get the added bonus of Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask.  I was so smitten with the latter I didn’t get a chance to try the mask on the last release so I’m every so happy to get my chance to haul it.  Anyone try the mask?  Tell me the deets.

Please tell me you’re as overjoyed as I am at the promise of Volcanic Ash’s re-release.

If you never tried it you absolutely must!  It’s incredible.

Ahhh blessed simplicity.

Sometimes it’s what makes my world go around.  Simplicity comes housed in a foaming cleanser from Korres with a paraben free formula and plenty of good for you ingredients you’ll agree simple is sometimes best.

Take the jump to hear my rave about Korres Herba Materia Toning Cleansing Foam.

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As you know the Muse doesn’t cover much in the way of  nails over here but she was quite excited to see her good mate Michelle from All Lacquered Up featured in the Backstage with Sally Hansen video.  The video features nail trends during Fashion Week 2009 and has a great recap of the show with interviews from Tracy Reese, Gabrielle Union, Michelle from All Lacquered Up.  Michelle is looking lovely and all in the know with the trends she spotted this season, you’d think by now the Muse would have picked up a thing or two about good nails from her….oye, I need to work on these poor nails.

You can read more about the backstage show and the trendy nails at the show by visiting www.alllacqueredup.com

Dear Philosophy,

Your new facial mist shall be mine.

k, thanks.

See ya soon!

-the Muse

Philosophy Hope Springs Eternal Facial Mist is hydrating miss that replenishes skin’s natural moisture level with a fresh, invigorating scent. This is formulated with 250 minerals that topically feed skin nutrients for a healthy glow.

The Muse wants to feel the glow. It’s $20 for a 5oz size which is cheaper than Shu’s Facial Mist so I’m on it plus I like the promise of an invigorating scent…wonder what that’s all about?

Yes, you shall be mine Philosophy Hope Springs Eternal Facial Mist!

Wants it!

Last night the Muse got home extra late and decided to do battle with the one or two stubborn blackheads on her nose.  It’s never a good idea to go into full on war with blackheads when you’re tired but she must have been terribly exhausted to attempt it.

As you may know from reading my past posts I’ve been full on at war with these blackheads for a while and my quest has lead me on many adventures to rid myself of them from the downright weird to the incredibly good way of winning this epic battle.

My search recently led me to Dr. Jart All Out Black Head as it gets rave reviews in Korea. Asia understands the drama of blackheads so of course I was ever trusting that Dr. Jart was going to rid me of evil blackheads.

Did it?

Take the jump and find out.

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This Muse needs a little hope in the Winter when her skin is dry and flaking up. When hope isn’t enough I’ll go and indulge in the new Philosophy When Hope Is Not Enough Hydrating Cleansing Balm.

This cleanser replenishes skin with omega 3-6-9 essential fatty acids and removes all traces of makeup quickly and easily. It’s ideal for dry skin types like myself that need some extra TLC in the moisture department.

After use it promises my skin will be smoother and supple.

I wants some please, k, thanks. Total haul alert for me as I already use When Hope Is Not Enough Night Cream so I’m yearning to add this to my skincare regime. Sounds like the perfect treat for my dry skin.

Available now from Philosophy for $25.

What do you think?

Tell the Muse!

Hello World!

I sure did you miss each and everyone of you. Well, Musings is back under control once again yay! She’s not too pretty at the moment but I am working on that so excuse the dust while everything settles.

But enough about that as you’re probably missing reviews and babblings about make up aren’t you?

Today the Muse keeps you in the know with a brand new soothing moisturizer for those that are a bit on the sensitive side.

Jump ahead to read more about Prescriptives Comfort Cream.

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You know what the number one problem is when it comes to fine lines under your eyes? Dry skin.

The delicate area under your eyes can occasionally become very dry especially as you age this in fact causes fine lines to look worst than they actually are. At least that’s been the case for me.

Your best possible defense against dry skin and fine lines is keeping things as moist and hydrated as possible. Believe me I used just about everything and the kitchen sink to keep the delicate skin under my eyes as moisturized as possible but sometimes even that isn’t it enough.

Solution?

Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Balm…miracle in a glass jar.

Check it after the jump!

What is it?

It’s a herbal scented balm that resembles vaseline but with a harder texture.

What’s it do?

Depuffs, moisturizers, hydrates, soothes, protects, and erases signs of fatigue such as dark circles.

Does it work?

Hells to the yes!

Trust me I’m a Doctor, I think David Tennant said that at one point…but anyway….here’s the scoop. Yes, it depuffs, yes it moisturizes, yes it hydrates, yes it improves fine lines (due to dryness) under your eyes, and yes it fights the signs of fatigue but no it doesn’t erase dark circles.

So…..

I gave up everything I normally slather under my eyes aside from my AM eye cream to use this for a week and a half. Honestly, that’s too short a time to really test it out but the fact is I seen such a dramatic difference since I started might as well tell you the good word now.

It sports a consistency of a balm or a salve hence the name eye balm doh. All you need to do is gently pat it under your eyes and go to bed. Next morning you’ll be singing in praise how great you look. It gives an intense shot of good moisture to my dry skin, hydrates it, and does a slight depuff action, LOVE! It also makes me look quite refreshed. Actually when I wake up the following morning it isn’t totally absorbed into my skin, it kinda sits around and moisturizes all through the night as I sleep. It’s rather ideal if you have some serious dry skin going on. Fact of the matter is if I don’t moisture well my fine lines look incredibly bad but when I do get proper moisture you can barely see them and thus the case with this balm. It gives me so much moisture that my fine lines virtually disappear making me look younger, fresher, and flawless.

It’s not for everyone.

Thing is I love it but I know that people will likely feel it’s like slathering vaseline under your eyes. Not the case as it’s a balm and it has a harder texture with a bit of a tacky formula. It could prove to be uncomfortable for some or you may get an “ick” factor after use as it never fully absorbs. As for me I could care less since it gives me all the moisture I crave and than some. I can suffer through a little stickiness for that.

It comes housed in a heavy glass jar and yes sadly you’ll have to be dipping your fingers around in there…hello bacteria…only thing I can suggest is to be sure to always use clean hands prior to use. I find that swirling my finger in it with gentle pressure will make the product easier to use as first try it is quite hard and feels like you’re not using anything at all. A pressured swirl will get it “worked” up so to speak.

It’s $60…honestly, that could be a bit much to drop on a simple balm considering for that chunk of change you can invest in a good quality eye cream. For me it’s priceless since it simply works and hey that’s what I’m paying for right?

So far, it’s on my incredible list. After I’m through with this (which won’t be anytime soon as the jar is huge with a ton of product since a little goes a long way) I’ll be running to the store for another.

Very good stuff, Muse Approval for purchase.

Overall, if you need to tame the puff, erase the fine lines, and get a super dose of moisture under those tired, dry eyes, Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Balm does the deed and does it well.

Loves it.

Nothing like watching Cher prance around in a see through fishnet body suit right? Makes you just want to turn back time. Obviously Cher is doing something right as she looks pretty incredible.

Maybe she’s using L’Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream to turn back her time. I know I seriously need to turn back the clock when it comes to my eyes. The Muse does so sport fine lines, a bit of puff, and dark circles.

Jump ahead for the deets on the new L’Oreal Revitalift Eye Cream.

I’m currently busy testing out a new eye cream so I haven’t had a chance to try out L’Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream for myself but I’ll give you the low down on what it is, what it does, and what I think of it so far.

First off the Muse loves the idea of the concept. It’s a dual ended eye cream with an AM and PM formula. I absolutely adore this idea and wish more brands would sport such an ideal form of packaging for eye cream. It’s so very convenient to have two formulas in one design. I don’t have to reach for another cream at night I simply flip the applicator and have my night treatment. I love the applicators on each one as well. The PM has a needle nose applicator which allows for precise application of the treatment without over doing it. The AM has a typical slant applicator which also allow for easy application and even blending if you’re wanting to touch your eye area.

Now this is for serious deep set wrinkles and contains Pro-Retinol A+ for treating such. I don’t have deep wrinkles as of yet but it’s never to early to start worrying about them. The formula supposedly reduces the appearance of deep-set wrinkles.

The AM formula contains an SPF 15 and helps repair broken skin fibers around the eye area. The PM formula contains the same fiber restoring fibers and helps to repair and rebuild broken skin fibers. Pro-Retinol A accelerates skin renewal for a smoother, revitalized skin. The treatment begins to work immediately according to the box but the best results are seen within 4 to 8 weeks.

The treatment is $19.99 so it’s quite affordable if you’re wanting to look towards a drugstore for your eye treatment. Overall, it sounds promising but I can’t take full advantage as I don’t have deep set wrinkles as of yet but anyone who’s reaching a point where they need extra treatment in this area could likely benefit.

L’Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream is available now at your local drugstore.

Although I’m the first one to admit that my beloved Lush does have some products that don’t work…..

Ahem….Lush Fresh Face Mask.

No worky.

I’ve tried them all and I honestly never see incredible results after use. You’d think with all those good for you bits inside that your face would be glowing after use, not so much.

But that doesn’t stop me from wanting the brand new Lush Oatifix Fresh Face Mask. It’s too tempting with it’s blend of fresh bananas, oatmeal, almonds, and vanilla..god my stomach is grumbling sounds good enough to eat to me!

Ground almonds exfoliating dead skin, bananas are a great nutritious treat for your skin as they soften and reduce redness. Although I don’t sport redness I could get on board with some extra softness.

I’ll take two thanks so much.

Available now from Lush UK and soon to follow around the rest of this world.

Wants it!

The Muse does so wonder how far are you willing to go for your skin? Me, I’d probably go far but not too far….

I recently came across Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair Cream and noticed that a 1oz size is $150 but that’s nothing get this a 5oz size is $500 bucks!

Whoa.

Do you think it does dishes and walks the dog for that price?

This is an age-defying moisturizer which contains something called Peptide K8. Supposedly it’s one of the most advantaged anti-aging ingredients ever. This is supposed to literally transform your face!

I actually find myself craving fine lines at the moment just so I can try it and see what happens…is that terribly weird?

Question is would you buy it for that price?

Jump ahead to hear my babble.

I’d possibly dish out $150 but I’m unsure I’d go for $500 dollars for a moisturizer. That’s a bit above my budget and I sure could think of a dozen other things to do with $500 big ones and it doesn’t involve moisturizer.

Ok, I’ll be honest, I’m kinda second guessing even $150 bucks….the most I’m willing to dish out for skin care of any kind is in the $50-$65 range.

How about you?

Big spender?

Would you buy Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair Cream?

What if I told you it takes out the garbage and gets wrinkles off your face?

Convinced now?

Tell the Muse!

Too old for acne? Occasionally get a blemish here and there? Want a skincare regime that’s affordable and meant for your 30 something skin?

The new Biore Skin Preservation Collection is a new line of skin care created exclusively for those of us who are well out of our teens and settling into a some what normal skin time.

This actually fits right in with my skin as is. My skin is pretty normal, no break outs or acne as I’m a bit too old for those days. It’s dry in certain areas, a bit uneven at time, even dull, and of course it suffers on a rare occasion with a pimple or two. It’s in between skin which is exactly what the new Biore Collection caters too!

Jump ahead for a peep at the new collection!

Although the Muse normally relies on Lush and as of late H20+ as her skin care of choice she’s quite a fan of Biore and thinks they make great items at an affordable price. If you’re wanting a skin care line with an inexpensive price tag to address issues such as fine lines, uneven skin tone, blackheads, etc…..but you aren’t of an age where your skin is completely out of a wack ala your teen years this new collection should suit. The new line consists of several items for moisturizing, exfoliating, and cleansing your skin.

One item that was particularly interesting is the Biore Self Preservation Dual Fusion Moisturize + SPF 30 ($15). Hmmm SPF 30 in a drugstore brand? Coolness. This dual phase moisturizer hydrates as it defends against UVA and UVB. The packaging is actually a dual pump which evenly distributes sun protection and moisturizer. For something that contains SPF it’s incredibly lightweight and non greasy.

Biore Self Preservation Clean Things Up ($7) is a gel cleanser which is incredibly gentle on the skin. Some Biore cleansers have dried me out in the past but this is quite gentle and washes clean away. This fresh scented cleanser starts out as a gel and gently lathers up on your face rinsing away dirt and grime.

Biore Self Preservation Even Smoother ($15) is a smooth exfoliating scrub to gentle buff away dry skin and reveal brighter, even skin.

Biore Self Preservation Hard Day’s Night ($15) is a night time moisturizer for alleviating dryness and dullness. It’s quite lightweight for an night cream but it manages to absorb easily and leaves my skin nice and fresh come morning. I haven’t noticed any difference in dullness but I’ve only been using for a week so far.

Biore Self Preservation See the Future Eye Cream ($15) is the newest eye cream in the Biore line. This sports a straight tip applicator quite like the Prescriptives Wrinkle Treatment that was recently released. The tip allows for precise application of the cream. Supposedly it brightens dark circles, fights fine lines, and battles puffiness. I haven’t used it as of yet as I’m busy testing a new eye cream but I’m quite curious how well it will do combating my under eye woes! I wish more eye creams sported an applicator like this as I’m a victim of using way too much eye cream sometimes.

Overall, the entire Biore Skin Preservation line is a tad higher when compared to other Biore products however drugstore’s always have sales and these particularly pieces are a tad more posh taking the SPF and the likes into consideration. If you’re seeking a good quality skincare with a decent price tag I’m always one for recommending Biore.

The entire collection is available now at your local drugstore.

Visit www.biore.com for further info.

I know ALL of you use Biore!

Tell me what are some of your favs?

Mine are of course the Nose Strips!

The Irish Beauty Blog girls have the scoop on the new Bourjois Launch Makeup Removers and Cleansers that release this Fall in the UK. Gawd, I hate that we don’t get any of the good stuff here!

Here’s the deets:
Bourjois Paris Fresh Cleansing Milk (suitable for dry)
Bourjois Paris Vitamin Enriched Toner
Bourjois Paris Express Eye Makeup Remover (two-phase formula to remove all types of eye makeup)
Bourjois Paris Foaming Cleansing Cream (suitable for dry)
Bourjois Paris Express Cleansing Wipes

The Muse thinks she needs it all. I guess I’ll have to be hunting down a clever Brit to snag me some of the goods upon release.

Now if we could only tempt Bourjois back to US waters…..

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