Matte Alert: Zoya Matte Velvet Collection
Zoya Matte Velvet Collection ($6.00 each) consists of three matte-shimmer polishes. What’s nifty about these is that they look matte, but there is still a healthy dose of shimmer in it, so while it has that flat look, the shimmer adds depth and makes them more interesting. Keep in mind that matte-based polishes have a lot shorter wear time, particularly because a lot of top coats add shine/glossiness (which defeats the purpose of matte). Without a base or top coat, you’ll get chips pretty quickly. (Of the three nails I did, Loredana is half gone, while the other two show minor tip wear, and it’s been about 12 hours.) But, but… there is a benefit to these… they dry incredibly fast. Like insanely quickly. No quick-drying top coat required, these babies dry down completely within a few minutes (so work quickly).
- Dovima is a grayish-black with silver shimmer. I didn’t find it to be a true black, but more of a subdued charcoal. This one was my favorite of the three.
- Loredana is a silver with silver shimmer shade. It’s not a light bright silver base, but it’s noticeably bright without being too much so.
- Posh is a rich, jewel-toned ruby red. It has a beautiful jewel-tone ruby red base with soft, silver shimmer. I really love this shade of red, and being able to wear it matte is fun.
- Product: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Recommendation: If you’ve always been curious about matte-finish nail polishes, these are for you. If you don’t mind re-doing your nails after a few days, I’d strongly urge you to sneak a peek at these lovelies. They’re fun, hip, and definitely a trend for fall.
Availability: Zoya.com
Have you picked up these new shades yet?
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True Blue Naked Cotton Dress Shea Light Body Lotion
($15.00 for 6.7 oz.) is a lightweight body lotion that keeps moderate-to-dry skin well-hydrated and feeling silky soft. In a market saturated with body creams and souffles, a body lotion is always a welcome addition. The product absorbs into skin quickly, and it is easily spread over each part of your body–you don’t have to keep going back for more.
One of my favorite parts about this body lotion was the clean, lightweight scent. It is light enough to be able to layer it with your favorite perfume without a funny combination, but yet it is still detectable if you choose to wear it alone. If you know what B&BW’s “Cotton Blossom” smells like, it is similar with the same soft cotton-ish scent, but it is much, much lighter and more subtle smelling. I’m a big fan of clean scents myself, so this one is a keeper!
Slowly but surely, I am becoming a big fan of B&BW’s True Blue Spa line. (Hello, anyone remember their Just a Minute Manicure Scrub?!)
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Just in time for summer, Victoria’s Secret launched a limited edition range of Beauty Rush products called Pool Party. I tried out the Lemonita Body Chiller Glimmer Cream ($12.00 for 5.3 oz.), which is a lightly sweetened lemony scent — kind of reminds me of a lemon-based margarita. It comes in a pump bottle, which makes it convenient and spill-proof (aka great to toss into a beach bag or luggage). There’s actually a little “stopper” included, though I just tossed mine out (I know I would lose it within a few days anyway — that’s me, always losing things!).
It’s a lightly silver-shimmered body cream with the texture of a medium to heavy cream, definitely not thin like a lotion. This is a product I’d use mostly on my legs, arms, and shoulders for a soft glimmer. I found that it really is subtle, because there is not a super noticeable shimmer/sheen from this product. It moisturizes well enough for regular skin, but if you have super dry, scaly dragon legs like me, you might find it’s not enough as a regular, day-to-day moisturizer, and more of a little-black-dress accessory. The scent lingers while you wear it, but it isn’t overpowering. Just kind of a light, sweet lemony scent you notice every so often throughout the day.
Victoria’s Secret often has these on sale or special, so the best time to pick them up is then. I checked their website, but I didn’t see these available online any more, which means they probably sold out online–I don’t know if they’ll be restocking them, though. In-store may be another story, so if you’re a Beauty Rush fan, check there first. If you like the concept, but you don’t need Lemonita as the scent, the regularly available Body Glimmers are still online and are currently on sale for 3 for $25.
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True Blue Naked’s In the Buff Body Polish
($17.50 for 8 oz.) is a creamy body exfoliator with tiny jojoba beads, shea butter, and vitamin E. The scent is kind of a soft lemon-y aroma; not floral, very clean and fresh smelling.
I’ve found most body scrubs and washes don’t have any scents that linger beyond the shower, but I could still detect a clean lemon scent when I sniffed my arm. This is to say that the scent doesn’t fade entirely, but it isn’t overpowering either. Personally, I’m a huge fan of clean scents, particularly lemon and citrus, so it works out nicely for me.
What’s interesting about this particular body scrub is how creamy it is. I took some from the tub, slathered it on my legs, and I found adding a little more shower water to it made it turn creamy and spread more easily. It lathered up a bit, and the jojoba beads are so fine/soft that it is a gentle exfoliator, too. I have some more abrasive sugar-based body scrubs in my shower, which have a place in my heart, but for more regular exfoliation, I definitely will be using this. I also like just putting some on my loofah and using it that way, when I’m a bit lazier, and it works just as well.
All in all, I’m pleased with the scent, performance of the scrub (well, polish), and I know it’ll last me several months. This is a product I’d personally use 3-4 times a week, possibly less (again, if laziness kicks in…), and I know it’ll last me a few months, so there’s good value in it for me.
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Lavanila The Healthy Body Butter ($25.00 for 8 oz.) is fast becoming a staple body lotion in my household. I love the Vanilla Lavender scent best, because it works well for both daytime and night time. I think I might have a slight preference towards night time, because the lavender scent is soothing and relaxing–perfect for getting relaxed and into sleep-mode.
Although the majority of my body isn’t dry, my legs tend to get dry quickly–if I don’t moisturize them every day, they get to scaly within a week flat. I’m not the best at remembering (or bothering, because let’s face it, I can be lazy!) to put moisturize on every day, so I tend to prefer moisturizers that are richer and more hydrating, so I can get away with missing a few days here and there without suffering the lizardy consequences. The Healthy Body Butter is an extremely thick and rich body butter in a squeeze-tube form, which is definitely a huge plus. I prefer squeeze tubes for lotions, because I feel like I get more control out of it. (A lot of body butters tend to come in jars/tubs.)
It uses 100% pure shea and cocoa butters along with goji berry and kakadu plum (antioxidants). Like the rest of Lavanila’s products, it doesn’t contain parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes/fragrances, petro-chemicals, phthalates, or triclosan. The body butter applies easily, because you can slide and blend it even on dry skin. It dries down within five minutes, and my skin feels hydrated all day long. No greasy feeling, no sticky aftermath. Just smooth, moisturized skin that thanks me over and over again for not neglecting it.
I recommend this product for…
Anyone with a propensity towards dry skin
Anyone who loves vanilla-themed scents
Anyone who is sensitive to chemicals
Anyone who is looking for natural alternatives
All ages, skin tones, and skin types
Availability: Sephora.com
Lavanila just recently launched The Healthy Deodorant ($18.00). It is touted as 100% natural, 100% healthy, and 100% effective. It is free of aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol, talc, phthalates, and triclosan. It uses a beta-glucan technology with antioxidants, active botanicals, and essential oils to fight against odor in addition to keeping skin smooth.
It’s available in four scents:
- Pure Vanilla
- Vanilla Coconut
- Vanilla Lavender
- Vanilla Grapefruit
I tested out the Vanilla Lavender scent, and I really put it to work, as it was about 85 degrees here, and I was running around playing with the dog for a bit. The Healthy Deodorant met the challenge, and I was surprised at how longwearing it is. In my experience, deodorants that are more organic or “natural” tend to just not work quite as well as other deodorants.
The Healthy Deodorant keeps me dry all day long, and it has a nice scent, too. I find most deodorants smell quite powdery (no matter the scent), kind of as an after-scent, but Vanilla Lavender smelled like a slightly sweet lavender scent. It’s dome-shaped, which actually makes it easier to use than deodorants I’ve tried in the past. It glides on easily and doesn’t leave a slew of white film behind either. I’ll definitely be checking out the other scents, too, when I run out of this one!
Availability: Sephora.com
