Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Cream Liner

A quick trip over to CVS and look what I stumbled upon, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liner, pheew!, now that is a mouthful.  The Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips line was not unfamiliar to me being that the eye popping colors of shadow strips targeted to specific eye color can be found at a vast number of stores.  However, I had never seen a gel liner as part of the collection. For less than $11 you get three nice detachable creamy liners labeled, natural, playful and dramatic.  There is a cool little diagram on the back of the box that gives you an idea on how you can wear each or all three of the liners.  A liner brush comes in the box and although it is not a a bad quality it's size and shape makes it difficult to achieve a defined line.   All in all this is a great buy! The liner is creamy, goes on smoothly, and delivers on long lasting wear.  The only downfall is that I have yet to find it in any other store, so I'm not sure if its exclusive to CVS.  When I checked recently they released a dual pack, the shimmer strip eyeshadow and gel liner for a whooping $14.95  yes, ladies, you need to get on this deal

front and back shots

the stackables come apart

 swatches down with brush included w/ liner

physician's formula shimmer

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway

A few months back I was asked to try Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. I went over to their website to read about the product and my inner geek went straight to the ingredients page before I read anything else. You see I can have an experience with a product just by reading the ingredients. Immediately I saw that this lotion was one that was light in texture (water & aloe base) provided a protective barrier( 2 silicones) and delivered benefits like: hydrating, healing & soothing (vitamin E & herbs) Now per my previous post on reading labels all of these ingredients ranged from top to middle of ingredient list. So that means that this product might actually deliver on their claim: "Shielding lotion is a lotion that forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better.

The product arrived and I was ready to give it a try. I had my husband try it first as the site said shielding lotion is great for the whole family. Upon applying the lotion hubby says "this stuff is like silk, goes on real smooth", he sniffs, gives a nod of approval and continues to use the lotion. I asked could he smell it and he said it was very slight so that was another plus for him since it didn't smell "all girly". Next I tried it on myself and my children. At first I felt like the lotion was too light in texture for my taste but that is only because I tend to use heavier creams during the cold months. The first week of using it, I needed to reapply during the day to aid the dry skin but by the next week not as much. The shielding lotion seems to respond as a treatment if used consistently. My toddler son developed a new case of eczema and I used this lotion as a reinforcement to aid in restoring back the moisture level in his skin. I have to say that the anti inflammatory properties really did deliver when I used it on my son. He had a serious flare up and when I used the lotion the inflammation went down which in turn smoothed the texture of the skin. So all in all I was pleased. I did try the product on my face and it was OK, my face didn't feel tight, dry or greasy. I wont be switching it out for my daily moisturizer but it is good to know if I need a quick little moisture pick me up I can grab a little of the shielding Lotion (with SPF 15). Honestly, my final impression of this product is that it would be a good staple to keep in my summer beach bag. A nice light textured lotion that will sooth, heal and protect skin from the sun exposure (comfrey ,chamomile extract and SPF) Now, the price tag on this product does sparkle a bit, 4oz for $18, $25 for the one with SPF. The site states that the product will last 1 to 2 months with daily use. Personally, I would probably buy it again since it was useful to my whole family and I feel it is what we all would enjoy during the summer months.

The Skin MD Natural though it has the word natural is not a 100% natural product. There are ingredients that are man made, derived from a natural source. The company does a good job of explaining their position : Why is Skin MD called "natural" (scroll down to bottom of the ingredient page) I have to admit this is probably one of the most honest explanations I have seen in a company give on formulation in a long while.

GIVEAWAY:

Skin MD Naturals would like to give you the opportunity to try their product. Go over to their site (click here), they have a lot of really good information, come back and post a comment(w/ your email address) telling us something you read of interest. One winner will be randomly selected and the company will ship you a full size product YAY!!

(contest will end April 22,2010)