NeoStrata

Davidoff Champion - 50ml EDT $65, 90ml EDT $82 - This holiday season, here's the perfect way to tell the man you love he's a dumbbell!  Ok, fine, that's probably not the advertising campaign Davidoff had in mind but they are missing a prime market by not using it!  It smells really good with top notes of bergamot and lemon, heart notes of galbanum essence and clary sage and a base of cedarwood and oak moss.  I would buy it for my husband even if he wasn't a dumbbell (he's a man, so of course he is)!
Pür Minerals Be Firm - Complete Facial Serum - 30ml - $35 - includes Resveratrol and a proprietary mineral complex from glacial clays to firm, hydrate, energize and protect the skin for a silky-smooth, line-free look.

Pür Minerals Tone Up - Total Eye Fitness - 15ml - $39 - an intensive anti-aging eye treatment is designed to firm, lift and smooth the eye area for total eye fitness.  Provides skin-plumping hydration, stimulation and antioxidant protection to minimize the look of premature wrinkles, roughness and dryness.  Meant for puffy eyes dark circles and crow's feet.
If there was product lust going on after our fall L'Oréal post you'll be happy to know that I saw a display with all of the products used for both the natural and intense look all together in one place to make it easy to snag them!

I wish they had included face charts that you could take home but we're okay with you using ours!










NeoStrata Gift Set - $72.50 - Includes a full size Skin Renewal Peel Solution (50ml), a full size Anti-wrinkle Lip Enhancer as well as a sample size of the Skin Resurfacing Duo - we are already big fans of these products so if you haven't tried them - read the reviews provided in the links and then run out and buy it!
RoC Sublime Energy - Day or Night - 30ml x 2 - $69 - for wrinkles dull tone, texture and firmness
Eye - 10ml x 2 - $49 - for wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness and firmness
harnesses the unique power of patented E-Pulse technology.  This revolutionary micro-current technology contains essential ion mineral conductors that combine with a specially formulated activating moisturizer to improve the signs of aging in the eye area in just three hours.

NeoStrata All-in-One Night Serum - 30ml - $84 - For the 50+ crowd, NeoStrata has new addition to their Intense line for mature women with multiple advanced aging concerns, including wrinkles, crepiness, pore size and elasticity.  It contains the proven pentapeptide Matrixyl - which fights the appearance of wrinkles, helping to reverse the signs of aging, age-defying retinol - a form of vitamin A naturally found in the body that fights the appearance of wrinkles and skin crepiness, enhances skin tone and decreases pore size - in the highest concentration available at retail and Longevicell - obtained from myrtle, it's a cell regenerator and guardian of tissue longevity that inhibits a process called glycation.  Glycation occurs when ingested sugars trigger a chain reaction and bid collagen fibres together, which causes tissues to stiffen, leading to the formation of wrinkles.  Even better,until the end of Friday you can also get a free gift of a Moisture Infusion Cream (worth $27) with purchase of the serum at Shoppers.

I'm not in the appropriate age group to really test this serum out but I did try it to get an idea of the feel.  I like the texture of the serum, it really would be fine for any skin type although I suspect dry skin would probably want to add a little moisturizer on top of it.  I also found it a bit stingy, which I'm told is normal and you might need to start off using it every other night to build up your tolerance as it does contain very potent ingredients.  So while I can't tell you about personal results, I did find you a pic of the test results, which are quite impressive!


Quo Skin Care - already love Quo cosmetics?  Seems that Quo wants more of your love and have just launched a line of skin care products - here's what they have:
Gentle Gel  Cleanser - 95ml - $15 - gently cleanses skin, without irritation and can be used both morning and night.
Facial Polish - 175ml - $15 - cleans pores with mild exfoliating beads leaving your skin feeling both polished and fresh.
Brightening Serum - 50ml - $20 - evens and brightens skin's overall complexion.
Daily Moisturizing Lotion - 95ml - $20 - easily absorbs, leaving skin moisturized all day long without signs of dryness.
Intense Eye Cream - 14.5ml - $18 - soothes and moisturizes the eye area while decreasing puffiness and signs of redness.
Hydrating Night Cream - 50ml - $20 - light formula replenishes skin's moisture without clogging pores.
Refreshing Facial Mist - 145ml - $15 - soothes and refreshing skin, best used after cleansing.

I haven't actually tried anything yet, just played with the testers - I really like the texture of the daily moisturizing lotion and I like all the pump bottles.  The shiny silver is pretty but it's not very practical since it will get covered in lotion and fingerprints - they were smart though and put a clear strip on the side of each bottle so you could see how much product is left!  Would love to hear opinions on the line when someone tries it!
Peace Love & Juicy Couture - 50ml EDP - $76, 100ml EDP - $99, Body Lotion - 250ml - $56, Body Creme - 200ml - $64 - The notes include Meyer lemon blossom, wild hyacinth, sweet apple, black currant, sambac jasmine, star magnolia, Malibu poppy, honeysuckle, linden blossom, orris, patchouli and musk.  I actually don't mind the scent, if find it a lot greener then the usual JC offering - and the bottle is so fun!

Nicole by OPI matte - $10.99 - No Limits - navy, Positive Energy - silver, Razzle Dazzler - black, Stolen Kisses - pinkish red, Virtuous Violet - purple, Respect the World - blue, Yellow, It's Me - yellow - If they didn't say matte on them I wouldn't have believed they were - they all look so sparkly in the bottles!

MD SkinCare by Dr. Dennis Gross Hydra-Pure Vitamin C Brightening Serum - 30ml - $112 - with an 18% Vitamin C complex - a lot of vitamin C products don't have much of the actual vitamin in them so I was happy to find this one - 18% is a decent amount!  The packaging is great, to use it the top swivels and then pops up to show the pump, when you close it, the pump swivels back down - this way no air can get in and mess with the active ingredients.  I did find it quite thick for a serum, so I actually used it in place of a moisturizer as well, which was fine for me during the summer weather, with sunscreen on top of course!  I had heard other people complain that it was very irritating, burned and felt stingy but I didn't experience any of these issues - I would recommend doing a test patch first to make sure you aren't going to react - get Sephora to make you a little sample of this first so you don't shell out big bucks for something that isn't going to work for you!  I definitely did notice that my skin looked brighter and felt smoother when I was using it, so I'm a fan!  My only disappointment with it - it doesn't smell like citrus, which I love in Vitamin C products!

And Canadians will find it easier to get their mitts on the line - The Shopping Channel is now carrying it!  They don't actually have this serum, but if you are a fan of the line, they do have some of the line's other products.  You can check it out at www.theshoppingchannel.com And of course you can also find the line at Sephora and selected The Bay locations including The Bay at 2 Bloor Street, Toronto ON - go to the store locator to see all of the other retail locations - http://www.dgskincare.com/locator_js.cfm

Avon Anew Clinical Luminosity Pro Brightening Serum - 30ml - $60 - brightening gel helps remove dull skin cells to visibly retexturize the skin's appearance.  Anti-Dark Spot helix is formulated with injectable-grade L-Aspartic acid to help inhibit pigment production that causes dark spots.  Instantly makes skin look brighter and more even-toned.  Formulated for all skin tones and types.  Use every evening after cleansing and before moisturizing.  Again I found this way too thick to be called a serum -  I never used moisturizer on top, it was enough moisture for me on its own.  I thought the texture was very silicon-like, much like a face primer.  I really like the overnight factor with this one, waking up with bright, soft skin before I even do anything to myself in the morning is a big improvement over my usual early morning look!  I did find that this serum felt very greasy on the oily parts of my face so I ended up using it very sparingly in those areas.

Available through your friendly Avon rep 1-800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca
Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner - 125ml - $34 - if you are super oily and prefer not to use serums you might want to try a toner instead.  Use it 1 to 2 times a week and make sure you use your sun protection as the AHA's in it may increase your sun sensitivity.  It also contains tamarind for gentle exfoliation and white nettle to refine enlarged pores.

And if you're still looking for more brightener reviews you can check out a couple of my other favourite brighteners which I reviewed previously:  NeoStrata Intense Skin Brightener and Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Beyonce Heat Rush - 50ml - $59 - with top notes of passion fruit, blood orange and Brazilian cherry; a heart of Yellow Tiger Orchid, Mango Blossom and Orange Hibiscus; and a base of teak wood, honey amber and musk accord
Playboy New York - 50ml - $21.99 - a modern woody fragrance meant to capture the energetic essence of the city that never sleeps with top notes of fusing aldehydes, limes and vinyl accords; heart notes of green apple, elemi and black pepper; and base notes of vetiver, tonka bean and vanilla
NeoStrata Spring Must Haves - if your winter skin is feeling less then radiant, here's some help:


Yes To Blueberries collection - Yes to Carrots or Cucumbers never really appealed to me, I hate the smell of both of those vegetables, but blueberries are something I could see slathering on my face so I just might have to give something from this line a try! Products in the line are 97%-99% natural too!  Available are:
Brightening Facial Towelettes - 30 for $10.99
Smoothing Daily Cleanser - 127g - $10.99
Daily Repairing Moisturizer - 50ml - $22.49
Overnight Hydrating Cream - 50ml - $22.49
Intensive Skin Repair Serum - 50ml - $22.49
Eye Firming Treatment - 15ml - $22.49

Revlon Scented Nail Enamel - $7.99 - smell like the colour name when dry - in 16 shades: Ocean Breeze - turquoise, Gumdrop - lavender, Grape Icy - bright purple, Mad About Mango - frosty orange, Not So Blueberry - frosted purple, Bubblegum - hot pink, Beach - lime green, Orange Pop - orange, Sublime Strawberry - pink, Coconut Crush - frosted white, Raspberry Rapture - pinky coral, Peach Smoothie - light peach, Mon Cherry - red, Pretty in Papaya - orangy coral, Cotton Candy - light pink, Passion Fruit - berry purple

With all this craptastic cold weather going on my skin has gone all schizo and can't decide anymore if it's combination, dry or really dry!  I don't like to use a heavy cream to combat dryness so one of the best ways I've found to deal with it is a moisturizing mask.  It's an easy thing to use once or twice a week to get everything back in balance again!  Here are a few that I have been trying:





Etival Urgen-C Hydrating Surge Mask - 110g - $20 -  contains cucumber and chamomile extracts to help prevent irritation, vitamins A, D, E, K, Pro-Vitamin B5 and CoQ10 - a quick acting solution for all types of severely dry skin - leave on 5-10 minutes - this mask has been a godsend especially around my nose which gets really dry and flaky in the cold! The line is exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart so it's the only place you will find this - Etival has a whole line of products for dry skin as well as other skin types!
NeoStrata Intense Moisture Rescue Sheet Mask - 8 single use masks - $40 - contains hyaluronic acid - a polymer naturally found in healthy skin that instantly helps to replenish the skin's moisture and provide long-lasting hydration benefits as well as a blend of botanicals that replenish the skin's moisture barrier while enhancing its protection. - leave on 20-30 minutes - my friend Patricia says it makes her look like Jason from Friday the 13th - so if you are thinking about a Halloween idea for next year this is a great disguise and beauty treatment all in one go!  You could also cut it in half and do a Phantom of the Opera bit! I am personally a big fan of the whole sheet mask concept, it's less messy then a traditional mask, you don't have to wash it off - you just rub the excess product into your skin when you remove the sheet - so you could conceivably use it anywhere - I'm thinking this would be a fun thing to wear the next time I fly - airplane air is so drying...
Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque - 20g - $1.99 - made with real chocolate, it contains cocoa butter and shea butter to hydrate and Dead Sea salt to heal - leave on 10-15 minutes - It smells yummy but I can now tell you from experience that it does not taste good (don't ask)! I love single use masks - although unless you have a giant head (like Christelle) you could stretch one of these to a double use (or use with a friend) I also like this line because you can find a mask for any skin problem or dilemma that you could possibly experience so rather then having to commit to a whole tube you can just buy a handful of single masks to treat everything!  Available at Walmart, Rexall, Jean Coutu, Loblaws, London Drugs and most independent drug stores.
Borba Replenishing Quench Masque - 75ml - $35 - contains paraffin to soothe and moisturize shin and lychee, ginseng, aloe, cucumber, apricot and soy to heal flakiness and roughness while collagen, silk and elastin fiber activate to form a physical moisture barrier keeping the skin supple and healthy. - leave on 4 minutes - I absolutely love the texture of this mask and it really feels like it is working hard to moisturize your skin!  Available from The Shopping Channel - www.theshoppingchannel.com
Origins Drink Up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst - 75ml - $25 - contains Algae Extracts and Apricot Kernel Oil - leave on (duh) 10 minutes - you can really smell the apricot in this mask which I love and the concept of it quenching my skin's thirst amuses me, I imagine my skin with a little straw drinking it...I have issues, I know... and if you are looking for something even more heavy duty there is also a Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask for the same price.
Lise Watier Skin Destress Moisturizing Mask - 75ml - $29 - leave on 10 minutes - this is from the collection that came out in the spring, if you combine it with the scrub beforehand, you won't believe how soft your skin feels after the mask!  I like that this is a moisturizing mask for all skin types - which might mean that it's not intensive enough for really dry skin - but for skin that is just needing some extra moisture on occasion, it's perfect!

So is there an amazing moisturizing mask that I'm missing out on? Fill me in!