Sarah Bellum Says:

The Lefty & Righty Beauty Brains don’t like writing product reviews themselves which is why you won’t find many here. They think reviews from them might compromise their scientific objectivity or something. That’s lucky for me though because I get to try all the products they pass up! It’s also lucky for you if you’re a Beauty Brains forum members because they can get free products too. (Do you need a better reason to join our forum?)

Anywhoo, I was lucky enough to get the Schick® Quattro for Women® just when my trusty old Venus was due for a replacement.

Initial Reactions

You know my immediately observation about the razor?…it’s pink! I love all things pink. They make me happy. I also liked how it looked and feels like a high quality product. You know how sometimes your razors feel all flimsy? This one is just the opposite. The only thing I did not like was getting it out of that stupid plastic package. Why do they make these things so hard to open? Damn those clam shells.

Using the Schick

First time I tried the Schick I liked it. It’s nice to hold and feels soft and smooth on my skin. It just felt like a high quality product. It’s great that you don’t have to press hard on the skin. It glides along, easily getting rid of three-day old growth. (What can I say, I haven’t been wearing skirt much lately.) Another thing I liked was that I didn’t get any nicks or cuts. Do I have to tell you how critical that is??

I’ve been using the razor for about 2-3 weeks now and it still does a decent job. It definitely is not as good as in the beginning but that’s expected. For some reason all the razors I use that have those moisture strips seem to get duller faster. In this way it’s not much different than similar razors I’ve used. If you use a shaving gel I doubt the moisture strip really helps anyway.

Sarah’s Surmise

Overall, I liked this Schick® Quattro razor and will definitely continue to use it. It’s better than my Venus and pink makes me happy whenever I look at it. The only thing that could make me happier is not having to shave at all! If you need to try a new razor (and who doesn’t at some point?) I think you should consider this one.

What do YOU think? Leave a comment and share your shaving secrets with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Ligirl217 says: I use Rusk’s smoother shampoo and calm conditioner. I would not buy my hair products at a drug store because they are loaded with stuff that makes you feel like your hair is silkier but it actually does nothing to solve the problem with keeping your hair in good condition. I use a deep conditioner by the brand Italy which makes hair dye and is sold at my salon…this thing is god sent because my hair is AMAZING after I use it (once a week). Here’s a trick: when shopping for both shampoo and conditioner, make sure to read the ingredients and look for silk or wheat proteins…it’s the key to healthy hair!

The Right Brain Responds:
We’d love to find out exactly which “Italy” deep conditioner you’re using, we’re not very familiar with that brand. However, we are very familiar with conditioner formulations so here’s the real scoop. First of all, from a scientific standpoint, there’s nothing inherently different about drug store conditioners. It is NOT true that they use ingredients that are very different than most of the salon or department store brands. There are good and bad products in drug stores and there are good and bad products in salons. Where you buy the product doesn’t tell you ANYTHING about how good it is!

Protein power

Now let’s address your second point about looking for silk or wheat proteins because they are the key to healthy hair. Although your hair is made of protein, protein doesn’t do much when added to your hair from shampoo or conditioner. That’s because to be made soluble, proteins have to be broken up into tiny pieces (called hydrolized proteins). These little protein fragments are not very effective and forming the kind of films your hair needs to more conditioned. Therefore, it’s the other conditioning agents in the formula that are really smoothing the cuticle and protecting your hair from damage.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

There’s nothing wrong with using expensive salon brands and looking for ingredients that you like. But just remember, there’s a lot of advertising hype in this industry so be careful. The more you know the truth about your products, the better shopper you’ll be!

When we were putting together the Beauty Brains book, we had a lot of great material that didn’t make it in to the final pages. The editors around here are so tough! But this is the Internet and it’s not as restrictive as the pages of a book. That’s why we’ve create for you the first in a series of Beauty Brains Basic Beauty Science reports.

In this 47 page report you will learn

• How various cosmetic and personal care products are made
• What chemicals are you being exposed to
• Are different shampoos really different
• How do lotion moisturize
• How do they make fragrance smell so good
• Why doesn’t mascara wash off
• How to replace your discontinued eyeliner
• And much, much more!

Best of all, it’s free for you to read and distribute to your friends. We here at the Beauty Brains want to encourage everyone to learn more about the products they use every day. A smarter consumer is a better and happy consumer.

Get instant access to this free report right now. Your personal information is safe with us, and you’ll only receive valuable content, not sales spam.

From the Beauty Brains Forum Member Pas71:

Lahens Viarr has four different toners designed to use after cleansing to refresh and calm the skin. I tried the Chamomile Mint Freshener with Salicylic Acid, which is made for oily skin.

According to the Lahens Viarr website: “A hint of alcohol, coupled with the cool freshness of Salicylic Acid, cuts through oils and residue gently reducing dead skin cells. Naturally soothing chamomile nurtures the skin while vitamins and natural herbal blends refine pores. Helps to restore skin’s original moisture balance and control excessive oiliness.”

Tingly touch

I really enjoyed how the toner made my skin feel; it was cool and tingly thanks to the mint. It also did seem to calm my skin, which is not what I’m used to. Generally, I use either Biore Triple Action Astringent or Neutrogena Rapid Clear Treatment Pads. Both of these products have quite a bit of alcohol in them (I have to hold my breath when I use the Neutrogena pads!), so the Lahens Viarr was a nice change from that.

Costly cleanser

However, the Lahens Viarr didn’t take off as much soap/makeup residue (especially from my hairline) as my other products do. It also didn’t seem to clear as much oil off of my skin as my other products do. Of course, this is likely due to the lower alcohol content, which is probably a good thing, but I enjoy that squeaky clean feeling! And at $18 for 6 ounces, it’s far more expensive than my preferred Biore and Neutrogena products.

Good for rebound oil

Overall, this is probably a good product for someone who is looking for a gentler toner that will clear off excess oil and soap residue after washing without over-drying. It may also be great for someone who experiences “rebound oil” after using a toner that is too harsh. However, I think I’ll be sticking with my (far less expensive) Biore and Neutrogena.

What do YOU think about toners? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Pas directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

Sarah Bellum Says:

I was lucky enough to sample a lip stick and lip gloss from Lahens Viarr and while I have to admit that I had never heard of this brand before, it may just be my new favorite combo.

Getting glossy

First I tried Viarr’s Brown Sugar lip gloss. I’m particularly picky about lip gloss packaging and this one met my high personal standards. It has a sponge type applicator that spread the product easily. I do wish it was a bit fluffier so it would hold more product because I had to dip it too many times, but overall it applied very nicely.

I liked the gloss itself because it’s smooth but not messy. It was easy to control so it sticks to my lips and doesn’t smear on the sides of my mouth. And I LOVED the color looking at the bottle even though it seemed a bit too orangey. But once I put it on, I loved it even more. It has a very light shimmer which I really like and it keeps my lips moisturized which is important to me. In fact those are the two things I feel are most imporant: moisturizing as well as nice color. I loved the scent too but the taste is a bit perfumey. It’s a little bit sticky when kissing but that’s a good trade off. Oh, and I really like the design on the collar of the tube, like a black ring around the top.

Savory stick

Next I used their Petal lipstick. Again I was thrilled with the results. I’m not as critical of lipstick because I don’t wear it alone, I always put a gloss on top. I like that Lahens’ product provided a nice even base that I could add shimmer and glossiness to with a lip gloss. These two worked very well together even though they’re not the exact same color.

If you’re looking for a well balanced lip products, Lahens Viarr offers great products at very reasonable prices.

From The Beauty Brains Forum Members: Cate, Purple Passion, and Pas71

Cate

One of my goals during 2007 and now into 2008 was to learn to apply eyeliner in a classy manner. I was so excited to try Pencil Me In eyeliner in Silky Suede which is a beautiful chocolaty color. Now I have definitely had problems in the past with pencil liners and generally prefer crème liners, HOWEVER, Pencil Me In went on very smooth and stayed very nicely. I did however, use an eye primer because I do have oily eyelids and when I didn’t use the primer the liner was gone in no time at all. The color was amazing and matched my green/gray eyes, pale Irish skin, and wannabe red hair beautifully. I liked the idea that the lid had a built-in sharpener, but unfortunately, mine was lost the minute I opened it. Seriously, I don’t know what happened to it. I was impressed with the number of different colors to choose from and took a good 20 minutes to decide . That is definitely a good thing!

Purple Passion

I tried the Pencil Me In eye liner pencil in Purple Passion. I’m not usually a fan of eye pencils. The line is never as sharp or as distinct as I’d like and it tends to smudge as the day goes on. The Pencil Me In eye liner produces a cleaner line than other pencils. The tip is harder; it’ almost as hard as a lead pencil. I got the best results by applying it in short strokes and building the color up rather than trying to apply it in one long stroke. This also gives you the option of going with a very soft, blended line or a more dramatic line. You can also use it as a shadow since it blends beautifully but it’s very shimmery so it’s definitely an evening look. The selection of colors is excellent and you could really have some fun with an assortment of colors.

Pas71

I am an avid fan of eye makeup; whatever it is, I’ll try it. I love doing dramatic eyes when going out and need to restrain myself during the day so I don’t go out with too much makeup on! Needless to say, I was psyched to try these new pencils.

I was really impressed by the color collection and settled on Char-Kohl, a nice, matte grey. When I received it, I was pleased to see that there was a sharpener in the cap! It didn’t work all that well and I don’t actually need another sharpener, but it’s a great idea, especially for on the go!

As for its performance, the color payoff was decent. I had to go over the line three times to get the color intensity that I was looking for, but it was, in the end, achievable.

The color was beautiful, but it did not stay put. I thought if I let it dry down a bit, it would stay, but 5 minutes later I could still smudge it quite easily with my finger. Great for a smokey look, not so great for a nice, neat line.

Also, the pencil had a nice consistency. Though I am used to gel and liquid liners (and Urban Decay 24/7 pencils, which are uber-soft and have the consistency of a gel), this pencil was not too hard for me, which was a nice surprise.

Overall, the pencils come in a wide range of colors, which is great, but the staying power and color payoff is not quite what you’d get in other pencils, such as Urban Decay’s 24/7s. I would suggest looking to them first (especially if you are looking for staying power and waterproof-ness), and then turning to Pencil Me In pencils if you are looking for a different color.

What do YOU look for in an eye pencil? What’s your favorite brand? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

From The Beauty Brains Forum Member: Purple Rules

Neutrogena has introduced two new products that promise to make you look great and to improve the condition of your skin and lashes as well. I tried out the Healthy Volume Mascara and the Nourishing Eye Duos.

Super-size it

The mascara promises to give you 400% fuller lashes and to moisturize, protect and improve the condition of your lashes. 400% fuller lashes! Even professional athletes only promise 110 %. They say “the exclusive super sized Visible Volume Brush quickly coats and builds every single lash.” The brush certainly is super sized. It’s on the far left in the picture and is clearly larger than any of the other brushes. The mascara contains Olive, Meadowfoam Seed and Sweet Almond Oil, which “penetrate lashes on all dimensions to moisturize, protect and improve the condition of lashes” and rinses clean with water.

Big brush

The proof is in the pudding, of course; what really matters is how it applies and how it wears. The super sized brush made applying the mascara a challenge at first but gave me soft, natural looking eyelashes. The mascara didn’t clump or smudge and still looked great at the end of the day. I wasn’t able to remove it with water alone but it came off easily with a little help from a gentle cleanser. One coat resulted in a nice, natural look. Two coats gave me a little more oomph without getting clumpy or spidery. I don’t think my lashes were 400% fuller but I don’t own calipers so I can’t be sure.

Eye conditioner

The eye shadow duos are “the next evolution in eye shadow.” They contain a multi-vitamin complex that is “clinically proven to condition the delicate skin around the eye.” Each duo contains a coordinated base and accent color. The colors are sheer and easy to apply. I tried “Sweet Dusk” (a great color if you have green eyes) and “Iced Coffee.” They’re not highly pigmented and appear much lighter on. They stayed on well when I used a primer underneath but when I tried to build up the color for a more dramatic effect, I had problems with creasing.

Healthy and wholesome

Both products give you a healthy, natural look that’s entirely in keeping with Neutrogena’s wholesome image. I don’t know if my lashes and the skin around my eyes are healthier then before but both products apply easily and stay on well. They also wash off easily, which is important. There’s nothing more frustrating then watching your lashes go down the drain along with your makeup. You’re not going to achieve a dramatic evening look with these products but that’s not what we’ve come to expect from Neutrogena.

The mascara sells for 7.99 and the eye shadow duos sell for 8.49.

What kind of make up looks best on your? Natural and wholesome, or dramatic and glamorous? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Purple Rules directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

From the Beauty Brains Forum Member Judy:

I generally like John Frieda Hair Products. I have successfully used his Frizz-Ease Straightening Cream, Radiant Red Color System and Luminous Color Glaze. These products give good value for money and…uh…I try to get them when they are on sale.

The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

Sooooo…I was very receptive to trying their new product in the Frizz-Ease line called Weather Works which is meant as a system of products that are meant protect your hair from changeable weather conditions. Their promotional material says that these products are designed to “create a barrier to seal in essential moisture and block out excess moisture, thereby blocking out style-ruining effects of ANY weather condition (Winter, Spring, and Summer).” Huh? Did I actually believe THIS? Of course not, I am a natural skeptic and a regular Beauty Brains reader!!

However, I have naturally curly hair that misbehaves whenever there is ANY humidity so I thought I would suspend my disbelief and see if these products could deliver on their extravagant promises.

I used the products the first time (Weather-Proofing Daily Shampoo, Daily Weather-Proofing Daily Conditioner, and Weather-Proofing Style Sealant Crème) as directed and my overall impression was…Big yawwwwwn!. My hair felt soft to the touch but kind of flyaway and certainly not immune to humid weather conditions.

Let It Rain

However, realizing this was hardly the scientific way to experiment I decided to use it for a week to see what would happen. I was in luck…California was scheduled to get rain throughout the week so this would help me in more accurately assessing the product claims.

I can now revise my initial snap judgment and say that these products DO indeed seem to control the effect that humidity would normally have on my hair. Both the shampoo and the conditioner are nice and creamy and the sealant styling cream is light but effective. I have used other silicone products to tame my naturally curly (and colored) hair but this lighter product seemed to work even better.

Long term effect

I think it is possible that the effect of these products may be cumulative after a few days of use. Today I thought perhaps there was some build-up from the shampoo and so I used my regular shampoo followed by the Weather Works products and would have to say my hair wasn’t as weather-proofed as it had been when using all THREE products.

My bottom line would be that these products DO deliver what they promise. Yippee for me! When it’s raining I no longer have to resemble Mel Brooks’ Bride of Frankenstein with out of control hair!

The cost is reasonable at $5.99/for each component. The ingredients touted as producing the weather proofing results are: Glyceryl Oleate in the shampoo to smooth, soften and resist humidity; Aminopropyl Dimenthicone in the condition to resist humidity; and a complex of polymers and silicones to smooth hair and maintain style.

What do YOU think about John Frieda products? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Judy directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

From The Beauty Brains Forum Member: Cate

Most everyone should know how important it is to exfoliate your skin to keep it bright, fresh, youthful and healthy. But if you don’t know here’s a quick overview. When you exfoliate, you remove old layers of skin cells that can dull your skin, thus brightening it. I am always looking for a good facial exfoliant and I was extremely please when I had the chance to try the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator Kit. From the Neutrogena website:

“For softer, more luminous skin today and firmer, younger-looking skin tomorrow, Neutrogena® Healthy Skin Rejuvenator Kit™ delivers noticeable results every time you use it. Even more effective than professional microdermabrasion, Healthy Skin Rejuvenator is a simple, convenient at-home system that features single-use puffs and the Neutrogena microdermabrasion applicator. Each puff is pre-dosed with ultra-fine crystals and mild purifiers for the perfect degree of gentle exfoliation. What’s more, the massaging micro-vibrations boost microcirculation and oxygenation for increased radiance, while surface stimulation increases cell turnover.”

The kit came with the microdermabrasion applicator, 12 rejuvenating puffs, puff attachment head, and 2 AA batteries. It was extremely easy to use. I just snapped the attachment head on to the applicator and then stuck a pre-dosed puff on the head. The directions say to massage for 1-2 minutes per facial area. Use it 3 times a week in place of your normal exfoliant.

I was given a full month’s supply of pre-dosed puffs. I wanted to get the most out of my experience and really see if there was a difference in the way my skin looked so I used it for the entire month every other day in the shower. It’s great because the applicator is waterproof. I just left everything in the shower when I was finished…except the puff that went into the trash.

My experience with this system was bittersweet. I have combination skin and this really dried out my entire face especially my cheeks. I really had to moisturize after using this. Also, I knocked down the length of time that I used the applicator in hopes of less drying. Instead of 1-2 minutes per facial area, I used it for about 1-2 minutes for my entire face. That being said, my face looked amazing and felt smoother. It was bright, clear and acne free. I felt fresh and barely wore any make-up…maybe just a little tinted moisturizer or some powder. I really love the way I looked, but didn’t love all the drying out in the process.

You can get the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator one-month starter kit for $39.99. Refill puffs are available in packs of 24 for between $18-$20. If you go to the Neutrogena website and register you can get a $5 off coupon for the Healthy Skin Rejuvenator Kit and a $3 off coupon for the refill puffs.

What do you think of the new beauty gadgets, like Neutrogena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator? Are they a flash in the pan fad or the future of beauty care? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Cate directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

From The Beauty Brains Forum Member: Taiwanese Gurl

MAC has found an iconic worthy star in French graffiti artist, Fafi, to follow up its collaboration with Barbie last year. Fafi is a tremendously talented artist who created her Fafinettes on street paintings in France to represent the girls that she sees around the world. The Fafinettes have come to represent girls who are unapologetic to be girly, sassy, and fun.

MAC does Fafi

MAC interpreted Fafi’s artwork into this beautiful and colorful collection, MAC Fafi. The entire collection is listed on the bottom in a laundry list style for those who are interested. Base on the colors presented, and the packaging of all the products, the line looks like its only intended for young girls to wear. However, while the entire collection contains a lot of bright colors, but they are mostly on the sheer side, so overall you get kicks and punches of girly colors. The sheerness of the collection makes these otherwise bold colors very wearable for those who are no longer in high school.

Gal pal

The entire collection also looks very inspired by a subculture fashion trend in Japan called “Gyaru.” Gyaru is a Japanese play on the word “gal,” and their style is practically identical to the promo shoots for Mac Fafi! I was introduced to the Gyaru style by a friend of mine, and while playing with the eye kohls in Smoldering and Fascinating, as well as the Fluid Line gel eyeliner in Black Track, I subconsciously created something similar to a classic Gyaru look, which are the big anime-looking eyes. At first I was a bit disappointed by the lack of originality from MAC, but as I thought about it, the more the similarities made sense. Gyarus are unashamed and unapologetic to be extremely girly, and many are fun and sassy, just like the Fafinettes! So as a whole, it’s still a great positive message for girls and women.

My faves

As with all collections, there are some items that you must get, and some that you could skip. I recommend both blushes; Fashion Frenzy, a blue-based pink for cool complexions and Hipness, a coral based pink for warm complexions. Out of all the Paint Pots, the most versatile and wearable is Perky, a shimmery nude pink that’s great to use as a base and by itself. Out of the lipsticks, Strawbaby, a coral rosy red, is flattering on a lot of different complexions, and although it looks very glittery and shimmery, it’s definitely day-time appropriate. Hightop is a sleeper hit, with its purple base and giant blue and green glitter, but it’s surprisingly flattering and easy to wear. Of the lip glasses, Cult Fave definitely lives up to its name. It’s a gorgeous sheer pink that could be worn alone or layered on top of any color. Sugar Trance is also great, similar to NARS Greek holiday with its soft nude shimmer, and is best worn layered on top of any color to make your pout extra sexy.

Glitter quitter

Unless you are stuck in the 80s, you’d want to skip Fun ‘N’ Sexy, a bright fuchsia pink with tons of glitter that just reminds me of a bad prom picture from the 80s. That goes for Totally It too, because that bright pink screams nothing but 80s to me. I have nothing against the 80s, but there are some trends that better left in the past. I am also having a really hard time liking Rollickin’ because the green turquoise color is just so hard to wear.

Stick it

The other complaint I’ve been reading on other beauty blogs is the use of stickers on the packages. Many fellow beauty bloggers feel that it cheapens the product, but I myself have nothing against it. Why? If it peels off, I can still stick it on somewhere with glue or tape, and have the image forever, unlike the cute Tokidoki images that have completely rubbed off from my Smashbox lip gloss!

Fan of Fafi

I hope you’ve enjoyed this long review, and please do check out Fafi’s work at her website. Her talent will definitely amaze you. Also, if there are any MAC stores or counters in your area, check to see if they are having any store events. They are always fun and you get all sorts of great make up tips from the talented MAC make up artists. This review would not be possible without consultation from Angelo; the extremely talented and gorgeous make up artist at the MAC Store in Santa Monica on 3rd Street Promenade. *Peace*

What do YOU think about Fafi? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Taiwanese Gurl directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!