Plump, Plump, Plump It Up

Well, Ms. New Beauty is finally back online. Despite losing absolutely everything that was on her hard drive - documents, pictures, music, everything - she's just glad to have a computer again and be able to spend endless hours in bed playing on the internet. You don't know just how hard it was for her to miss her almost daily dose of the Evil Eye Baby. But now she's back and ready to get back to blogging! MNB had lined a whole Valentine's beauty series that was going to be absolutely fabulous, featuring specific recommendations for ladies going out on dates, hanging with the girls, or staying home and pampering themselves, but sadly, that's no longer relevant. So she'll just jump right into a new product review just for you New Beauties that want a little more pout for your pucker.

Physicians Formula Plump Potion

I got this lip plumper in a gift bag for an event I attended. Whenever I get beauty products in gift bags, I follow the same little ritual. I dump everything out onto the floor and thoroughly review what I got and what I'm going to use. For makeup, I try it right on the spot to decide if I want to keep it, give or throw it away. Then, I use that time to edit my current collection to see if anything I already have needs to get thrown out too.

So, by the time I tried this lip plumper, I had already been under my sink, reaching into the depths of my product stash pulling things out, rearranging and throwing stuff away. I swiped some on my lips and then stopped in my tracks trying to figure out what the horrible smell was that had just overtaken my bathroom. I was sure that it was something in the plumbing under the sink that I had mistakenly let loose. It took me a good minute to realize that that strong chemical/plain old funky smell was coming from the lip plumper. That alone was enough for me to drop it in the trash. But then, my lips started burning. Not a friendly tingle, a straight up burn. There must be cinnamon extract or oil in this formula because it felt as if an entire jumbo pack of Big Red had been crushed up and put on my lips. Obviously, I didn't let the burning continue to see if it did make my lips plumper. If you have a weaker sense of smell and a higher tolerance for pain that I do, you might still be intrigued. But I recommend just skipping this one altogether.

$8.95, available at drugstores

Now, onto a much more satisfying plumping experience.

Freeze 24/7 PlumpLips

I think I may actually be addicted to this lip plumper. I keep one in my purse and another by the side of my bed. I actually slick a little bit on before bed, a habit that my boyfriend thinks is completely ridiculous. But I can't help it. I just love the way it makes my lips feel. This tingles a little when you first apply it, but unlike the Physicians Formula, it's not painful. It's just a pleasant little tingle that makes you go "hmm, that was nice." No mad dashes to the sink to wash off your lips and definitely no weird eerie smells.

What I love so much about this is the texture and staying power. This isn't thick and isn't goopy. But it's also not too thin or runny. It falls right into that happy medium area. The texture reminds me of BioSilk or another hair serum serum - thick enough to get the job done, but thin enough not to be heavy. But it also leaves my lips crazy shiny but stays on all day. The only time I need to reapply is after eating or drinking.

I am actually quite happy with the fullness of my lips. In the lip lottery, I feel like I hit the big one. I love the shape, size and fullness of my lips. So, I can't say that I've ever noticed a real plumping effect on me with this. But I have seen it work on other people's lips and make them fuller and pinker.

$40, available at Saks


Plump up your pout, but skip the stinking and the burning, and don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

Mustang Sally

In some aspects of life, Ms. New Beauty can be the walking definition of the marketing term "brand loyalty." When MNB finds something she likes, she sticks with it and accepts no substitutes. Like, she will reach into the depths of her wardrobe for clean clothes before she does laundry with anything less than Tide. The taste of any orange juice but Tropicana just assaults MNB's palate. When it comes to her beauty products, Ms. New Beauty is a little more willing to venture out and try new things. She can't afford to pledge her utmost loyalty to any one brand because not every product works for her every time. She may love a company's moisturizer but find their face scrub not "scrubby" enough. Normally, MNB finds that of the brands she love, their products always work, but sometimes they just don't work for her. Except for one brand in particular - Sally Hansen. Sally Hansen has the peculiar ability to create products that Ms. New Beauty absolutely loves, like this dark polish from fall, and simultaneously promote products that are just plain old crap and do not work, like this so-called "colorless"airbrush foundation. (Notice how "no color" certainly has a color that is a shade that wouldn't even match most fair-skinned New Beauties). So, this post brings us both an all-star product and an absolute Money Saver from a brand that's as hit or miss with beauty as a 6-year-old little leaguer.

Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit

This is one product by Sally that I always have on hand. Anyone who's been waxed regularly realizes that the waxing process is pretty straight forward. Submit yourself to an esthetician's spatula enough times and you'll have the procedure down pat. And, you'll realize that only certain areas take real skill to make hairless. When it comes to eyebrows and bikini lines, it pays to let a professional handle those hairs. Anywhere else though, you can do it yourself. And, this kit makes that so easy.

There's no mess from goopy wax that needs to be microwaved or cotton strips that shed strands. In this kit, you'll pre-waxed plastic strips that are pretty much ready to go. Just rub between your palms to warm the wax a little and pull the plastic apart to give yourself two strips that are ready to rip. Smooth them on in the direction of your hair growth, grab the skin tight, and pull quick in the opposite direction. You'll end up smooth and hairless. Rub on a little bit of the included oil to remove any stray wax and you're good to go. The best part is, you can wax your whole body for way less than you would pay to just get your brows done at a salon or spa.

Around $8, available at drugstores

Sally Hansen Gentle Peel for Rough Lips

Any loyal New Beauty knows that dry skin is my declared nemesis. I never leave the house without lotion and lip balm lest my mortal enemy catches me slipping. I am also known to vigorously overscrub my lips with a toothbrush in pursuit of a perfectly soft pucker. So, when I first saw this product featured in a magazine, I thought it could be the cure to my toothbrush lip scrubs and just knew I had to have it. I went right out to the drugstore, searched the beauty section until I found it and had swiped it on my lips before even pulling out of the parking space.

This treatment is a fruit acid based peel that gently exfoliates lips to get rid of dry, chapped skin. It comes in a small tube that makes it simple to give your lips a peeling treatment any time. The concept behind it is great! Sadly, the exclamation points of excitement stop there. The concept is wonderful, but the result could not be more disappointing. After using this religiously for weeks, it made no difference. I actually didn't notice any less dry skin after the first use, but I stuck with it for a few more weeks just to be fair. And, I can fairly say it didn't do a damn thing. It actually felt like my lips were a little drier than before after each application. What's worse, this product comes with a felt tip applicator that started to smell bad after a week or so. Something in the formula made the applicator smell like gym socks after repeated use and that is absolutely the last thing I want to smell as I'm approaching my face with a product. This could have been revolutionary if only Sally had gotten right. If only.

About $10, but save it and buy the wax strips instead


Love Sally Hansen when she's lovable, but save your money when she comes with the crap, and this time, tell a friend that Ms. New Beauty told you!

Liking It Rough

Ms. New Beauty is really not one for the roughness of modern life. She prefers things soft and gentle. She simple adores her uber-soft high thread count sheets. She consistently wears an almost neon pink sweatshirt because the inside is as soft as egyptian cotton. And, MNB does not go for those harsh physical assaults that some spas call a massage. She'd much rather have a gentle rub down with hot stones placed strategically on her back and limbs. But, there is one place where Ms. New Beauty likes it rough. (No, not the bedroom, all you Filthy McNasties). MNB likes a little roughness from her scrubs. She fell in love with a rough body scrub when she had an authentic Tunisian gommage that made her skin feel as if it was being sandpapered off during the procedure and then instantly clean and softened after it was over. Since then, she's always taken pleasure in a rough body scrub in the shower. With the temperatures changing and wintertime dry skin just around the corner, Ms. New Beauty is in the market for an expanded repertoire of rough but just gentle enough body scrubs. Sadly, the last one she tried just isn't going to cut it.

Boots Mediterranean Olive, Bergamot & Walnut Body Scrub

I picked this up at Target about a month ago when I was there scoping out the Alice Temperly Collection. The price was so low and the jar was so big that I just knew it was going to become my new favorite shower staple. Whenever the weather turns cold, I always like to have a good body scrub in the shower to help exfoliate that dead, dry skin that often turns itchy. I typically go for a sugar or salt scrub with an oil based, like my lovely Brown Sugar Body Polish, but this one had me intrigued. With a base of creamy moisturizing olive, bergamot and walnut oils, I thought it could get the same job done for a lot less money. I was wrong.

The first thing that turned me off once I got this home was the texture. Initially the creamy texture made me think this would be like an in-shower lotion and body scrub all in one. Wrong. This scrub is really, really runny. It's way too runny to be in a big tub like this and would be better suited for a squeeze bottle. When I first used it, it ends up splattered all over my tub. Given it's pale yellowish-green color and brown scrubbing particles, it really looks like I've come down with a mid-shower case of the flu and vomited all over my tub. But, the worst part is that the scrubby particles meant to exfoliate are far too fine and far too few. I generally like big exfoliators that I can see, but I'll use a finer formula if it gets the job done. This does not because there really aren't enough particles here to exfoliate your body well. This really wouldn't even do much for your face either. This scrub isn't even as good as trusty old St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Boots needs to at least double or triple the amount of scrubbers in the formula for it to really have any impact. You can get a better exfoliation by rubbing yourself down with a loofah than you can get from this.

I'm not heartbroken that this was disappointing, but next time I'll surely spend my ten bucks on something that will make me happy, like the new L'Oreal H.I.P. Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Purple or Navy.

$9.99, available at Target and CVS.


Save your money for something's that rough just the way you like it, and get your mind out of the gutter, but just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

P.S. There's still time to sign up to win a ridiculous amount of M.A.C. goodies from the Holiday Collections, so don't forget to enter for your chance to win.

Hand It Over

One of Ms. New Beauty's favorite people on earth, her Partner in Crime, is about to turn 25. It's going to be a glorious celebration in Las Vegas replete with late nights, ignorant amounts of champagne, lots of short skirts and long legs, and one pair of fabulous Chanel shoes. MNB is quite excited to take part in the festivities especially since her Partner in Crime's birthday is the day before New Year's Eve. But in thinking about her friend turning 25, MNB came to the realization that this event means she'll soon be turning 25 too, since their birthdays are only about a month apart. For a beauty junkie like MNB, turning 25 means only that now she will officially fall within the target market for anti-aging skin care products and treatments. Now, Ms. New Beauty knows that she doesn't quite need wrinkle cream yet. Mama New Beauty still looks 10-15 years younger than she is, so MNB knows that her face won't be cracking any time soon. What she was surprised to learn is that her hands may not be so lucky. Since her hands have been wrinkled since birth, Ms. New Beauty can only imagine what they will look like once the signs of aging add to what genetics has already done. Not one to lay down and give up without a fight, MNB is taking matters into her own, for lack of a better word, hands.

Freeze 24-7 IceCrystals Anti-Aging Prep and Polish

Most anti-aging skin care products are far too rich and emollient for my face. My skin tends to be dry on my body and annoyingly oily on my face. So wrinkle creams and cleansers often make me break out. But, I recently learned that those creams that my face can't handle my body will readily drink up. So, I've been using traditional face creams on my hands and I'm quite happy with the results.

IceCrystals Prep and Polish is one of the scrubbiest exfoliants I have ever tried. The particles are small and fine but ridiculously powerful at their task. They scrub, scrub, scrub to get rid of layers or dead, dry skin without being too harsh or abrasive. What I really love about this scrub and what sets it apart from others I've tried is that it's creamy and moisturizing without being greasy. Many body scrubs are just way too oily to be effective for the hands. Unlike the skin on our bodies that really doesn't have much to do once we get dressed, your hands are constantly at work. And, anyone who's ever tried to open a door after applying a greasy lotion learned this lesson the hard way. IceCrystals is special in that it gives you the level of moisture you want and need in the most ingenious way. Within the scrub are encapsulated beads of jojoba oil. The beads help to exfoliate and during the course of the wash, they burst and leave behind soothing moisture. If you use it on your face, the jojoba beads actually let you skip your moisturizer afterwards. And, because this is an anti-aging product, it actually helps to reduce age and liver spots so your hands look younger.

$65, available at Freeze247.com

Freeze 24-7 IceCream Double Scoop Smoothing Anti-Aging Moisturizer

After I'm done giving my hands their nightly scrub down before bed, I like to follow with this thick, rich moisturizer. This also is traditionally meant to be used on your face but I love the way it makes my hands feel. It's thick but sinks right in. It's rich but not the slightest bit greasy. I had been using Creme de La Mer on my hands right before bed, but I found that a little too greasy for me. (So, I'm using it on my feet instead. How ridiculously indulgent of me!) When I wake up in the morning, my persistently dry hands are softer and smoother and feel glorious.

Since the weather is changing, I've noticed that certain parts of my face are drier than normal, particularly right around my nose and mouth. So, I've also been putting on just a touch after my normal moisturizer has had a chance to sink in and absorb. All that dry tightness is gone but this doesn't make me any oilier. I really love that because any girl with oily skin will tell you that eradicating any bit of excess oil or shine in products or on your face quickly becomes your life's mission. I also have to admit that I get a bit of an Erica Kane rush of glamour by displaying a luxury face cream on my night stand and say "oh that, it's just for my hands" when friends ask what it is.

$105, available at Freeze247.com

Neutrogena Illuminating Whip Moisturizer with SPF 20

The last part of my Young Fingers Forever trifecta was going to be a face cream with SPF that I can carry with me and use on my hands throughout the day. I am constantly washing my hands (germaphobe + small bladder = hands washed at least 15 times a day) and all that soap and water is really drying. Plus, I know that sun ages skin more than anything else and my hands are the one part of my body that is always unprotected and exposed to sun damage. The commercials for this product really got me excited, enough so that I scoured three drugstores looking for it. When I finally found it, I was in love with the texture. It's so light and whipped that it feels like applying some kind of moisturizing frosting to your hands. The jar is a little big for toting around, but I figured that I carry enough other crap in my purse all day that one more thing won't hurt. Well, I really have no need to carry it with me anymore because it only took one day to leave me unimpressed.

Now, the first word of the product's name is Illuminating, so that should have been a tip off for me. But, after reading it, I didn't think that illuminating meant tons of shimmery gold sparkles more fit for a disco than daytime wear. After I put this on, I looked down to find the palms of my hands almost completely shining with gold. I know that it's supposed to add radiance, but this much shimmer is a little too much. I thought maybe the effect was harsh just because it was on my hands, but I was similarly unimpressed after trying it on my face. The shimmer is more obvious than it ought to be and just not right to be used all over as a sunscreen. This would be better suited as highlighting cream for certain spots only. I also hate the smell. When you open the jar, it's overly perfumey and enough to send anyone with allergies into a fit of sneezing and headaches. Plus, I found that something in the formula reacted with the silver of my ring to produce a really horrible aroma. It's a nice idea in theory, but definitely needs more work to be a product worth investing in.

About $14.99, availabe at drugstores


Keep time off your hands, and be a little indulgent in the process, but remember that Ms. New Beauty told you!

P.S. If you haven't already, sign up for the M.A.C. Holiday Collection giveaway. Don't let all that goodness go to somebody else.

Take Your Baggage

Ms. New Beauty has always felt a real connection with the elderly. She loves to spend a lazy afternoon with a person of a certain age soaking up that wisdom and insight that only comes from having lived quite a long time. As a child, MNB spent almost every weekend with her grandmother, just asking questions like "Mom mom, why they do that?" and listening to the thoughtfulness of the response. The one thing that Ms. New Beauty has always loved about the elderly is the seemingly bottomless pit of platitudes that they all seem to have. Those simple sayings always make her laugh. A response to stay out past 10 met with a "ain't nothing open that late but 7-11 and legs!" will make Ms. New Beauty crack up on the spot. And, she carries the sageness of "when you see crazy walking towards you, cross the street" with her everyday. One of her favorites though is "when you put the devil out, make him take his baggage." It's so simple on its face, but much more profound after some consideration. MNB never thought this saying would relate to her skin care issues, but she's found that as a brown girl who gets a pimple that lasts for two day followed by a scar that lasts for two years, it's come in quite handy. She'd found the ways to get rid of her acne and now she's searching for the products that will get rid of the baggage those horrible blemishes left behind.

DERMAdoctor Immaculate Correction

There's been a big debate lately about the use of hydroquinone in cosmetics. One study showed that the chemical is a carcinogen and led the EU to ban its use and the FDA may be following suit. This has led to a big backlash from dermatologists claiming that people who use it in beauty products will not be applying it in levels high enough to cause cancer. The derms seem quite adamant about protecting the use of hydroquinone in over the counter skin treatments. Now, I'm nobody's doctor or scientist, so I'm not about to analyze each side for the merits of their arguments. But, it's enough for me that hydroquinone was carcinogenic under any condition. Whether a study can support it or not, I do believe that what you put on your body will eventually end up in your body. So, I spent a lot of time wandering around Sephora looking for a hydroquinone-free treatment to combat the post-acne scars that I have.

What I ended up getting is this and I've been very impressed with the results so far. The package suggests that optimal results will take 6-12 months, but I swear a pimple scar I have above my lip is getting lighter already. The day before my sister's wedding, I felt a pimple coming up so I tried to pop it in a preemptive strike. It didn't come up and look horrible on my face for the wedding, but in the days after I had a huge scab and following that, a very dark scar. Since then, I've been applying Immaculate Correction every morning and evening to the spot and it's getting lighter by the day. But, that may just be me, you definitely have to give skin lighteners at least a month or two to judge the results.

$62, available at Sephora


Bliss Sleeping Peel Liver Spot Lifter

This peel is intended for age spots and sun spots and not necessarily post-acne scars. But, I figured melanin is melanin so it should work. Wrong. This has been sitting in my medicine cabinet for months. When I first bought it, I slavishly applied it to my dark spots every night before. And, every morning I woke up and did not see one bit of progress. I don't know if there truly is a difference between dark spots caused by different skin damage, but this just did nothing for me. And, for the price, I need it to do something besides take up space in my already crowded bathroom. I also found the texture a little too runny and watery. With one pump, it became a race against time to get the serum onto my face before it all ran through my fingers and into the sink. All in all, nothing about this impressed me. Luckily, I bought it at Sephora, so I can take it back and treat myself to something else. Save your money on this one girls.

$52, available at Sephora


Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel

Unlike most post-acne treatments, this is an exfoliant and not a skin lightener. This is a salicylic acid based peel that gently exfoliates your skin to leave it smoother and clearer. Over time, all that exfoliationg brings the dark spots up to the surface and then off of your face. Although the smell is a little weird to me (not bad, just weird), I really do enjoy using this on my face. It leaves my skin so soft and smooth afterwards and makes the perfect little at home skin indulgence. Plus, it really does help clear those marks up. Using this in tandem with the DERMAdoctor has left me needing less and less on the spot concealer in the morning.

About $14.99, available at drugstores.


Rx For Brown Skin Naturally Flawless Advanced Botanical Brightener

I wish I could give you a full review of this product, but I can't. And, here's why. As a Philly girl, I was so excited when this line launched at Sephora. Dr. Susan Taylor is a Philadelphia dermatologist and basically the first doctor to pay any attention to the special needs of skin of color. Before her, cosmetic companies didn't differentiate or even recognize the skin issues that are specific to women of color. She changed all that.

So, I went into the Center City Philadelphia Sephora, which I must note is about three blocks from Dr. Taylor's offices, looking for this line to try it and support. And, it was nowhere to be found. Not sold out, not out of stock, they just don't carry it. Considering that Rx for Brown Skin is a Sephora-exclusive line, Philadelphia is a city full of women with brown skin, and like I said, the store is right near Dr. Taylor's office, there's only one word that I can use to describe this situation - Travesty!!!! So, I can't review this product yet and it's all the Chestnut Street Sephora's fault. Hopefully, I'll be able to grab one in New York with no problem.

$34, available at Sephora (well, at least it's supposed to be)


Put your acne out, and get rid of its baggage too, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

And, make sure you don't forget to sign up for the M.A.C. Holiday Collection giveaway! It's too much goodness to miss.

Just A Touch

Just a touch. Of Love. A Little Bit. Ms. New Beauty has been planning this post for well over two weeks. And she knew that the title would be "Just a Touch." Ever since then, she's been singing that song to herself and dancing a little bop to herself. She can't help herself. She's still having a little private party on the couch as she types. Okay, enough of that. On to the regularly scheduled post.

Now any faithful reader of Ms. New Beauty knows that MNB has a number of mandatory beauty routines to keep up with. There's the weekly hair appointment. The bi-weekly eyebrow wax and pedicure. Weekly exfoliation and monthly hair removal. And, that does not even take into account all of the daily rituals that help MNB preserve her sexy - pushing back the cuticles, taking the pumice stone to her heels, cleansing, toning and moisturizing her face day and night, plus the regular sun protection. Anyone who says living a beautiful life is low maintenance lies like a rug. But don't get her wrong, MNB loves all of these beauty routines. They are the sunshine in her life. But, she just doesn't have time for everything. And, the one thing to be consistently sacrificed is nail care. Ms. New Beauty just does not have the time or energy to worry about keeping her fingers painted. Shamefully, the only reason she keeps her nails trimmed is because they interfere with her text messaging when they get too long. Most days, a swipe of cuticle oil is all they get. So, when MNB saw a new nail polish pen that's just as easy to apply as her faithful cuticle oil, she just had to try it.

Yves Saint Laurent Nail Touch

The idea behind this nail color pen is ingenious. Similar to their cult favorite concealer Touche Eclat, Nail Touch is a pen with the color and brush attached right to it. Just pump the end and the color dispenses on the brush, ready to hit your fingernails. It's the perfect size to just drop into your purse and go. The nail polish inside is thinner than the average nail polish, which I assume is to make it dry quicker. As soon as you brush it on, the polish gets really tacky almost instantly and then is dry within about a minute. In theory, I should be in love with this.

But, in practice, I'm underwhelmed. The brush attached to the pen was a little too wide and unwieldy for me. The polish did not go on smoothly at all. Also, because the polish is so thin, it goes on really streaky. I tried two colors - #4 (a beigey pink similar to Essie Ballet Slippers) and #1 (clear). The both went on streaky. The clear dried to a pretty finish but the beigey pink dried with the streaks and looked quite the mess on my fingers. The drying is also a little hard to navigate. By the time you get one coat on all your fingers, it's way too tacky to come back for the second coat so the streaks just look even worse.

All in all, this could be a great product but it definitely has some kinks to be worked out. It's barely available online which could be because it was released with the new summer collection or because it's just sold out. But, I picked mine up with no problems at the YSL counter in Neiman's. If you see it, I'd suggest you keep that $20 and treat yourself to something you know you'll love.

$24, available at Nordstrom and YSL Beaute counters


Save your money on this one, but keep on having your own little private parties, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

P.S. And Comments 4 A Cure is still running on Ms. New Beauty until Saturday, so keep them coming.

Oh K!

Ms. New Beauty is getting grown. She didn't quite realize it at first, but she is surely a grown woman. It just happened one day, she was driving in her car and the "old school" lunch mix came on. And, to her dismay, all of the songs were ones that she used to party to in high school. Apparently, the late 90's is now considered old school. Biggie Smalls, SWV, Next, and Xscape have gone the way of Kurtis Blow when it comes to radio play. But don't get confused, MNB is still as young and fresh as she wants to be. In a hoodie and some doorknockers (don't act like you don't know those big hoop earrings you can fit a fist through), she can pass for a teenager. Yet, she still has to confront one of the most vexing signs of aging, dark circles. Now, Ms. New Beauty didn't claim to have dark circles, just an area beneath her eye that's a deeper hue than the rest of her face. That's how she described it, and yes, she was quite comfortable in denial. She set up a nice little apartment in denial and had the mail forwarded there. Oh, but MNB just got back from U-haul with a bunch of boxes because she's moving out and back into the real world, where she doesn't have to worry about dark circles any more.

Peter Thomas Roth Power K Eye Rescue

I have been trying to find a solution to my aforementioned problems for months. I posted before about a total waste of money that is still taking up space in my medicine cabinet. Since then, I tried two more creams and serums that promised to visibly reduce the appearance of dark circles. Neither delivered, explanations below. I was ready to give up on my search until I remembered an eye cream that was recommended on the Dark Circles Blog. This one.


This cream is the only thing that has made a difference on my dark circles. After just a few days, I noticed a difference and I have not been happier. Packed with vitamins, anti-oxidants, and even caviar, this cream helps to relieve puffiness and relieve dark circles, fine lines, and even bruising caused from rubbing your eyes to vigorously (something I am guilty of when I'm sleepy, like now). But, the key ingredient in this cream is Vitamin K. This ingredient has been shown to relieve discoloration and help even out skin tone. I truly believe that this is the only thing that made a difference for me. PTR also makes a Power K face lotion designed to even out complexions. My fav saleslady at Sephora told me that lots of women rave about it, especially women of color. This eye cream isn't cheap, but it was well worth it.

$100, available at Sephora

And now onto the creams that were not worth it.

Hylexin

You know how they say, "you get what you pay for" right? Well, in this case, it's not true. I paid $95 for this eye cream and delicately patted in on with my ring finger twice a day for months. Nothing. Not one difference. Dark circles can be caused by two things - hyperpigmentation or leaky capillaries. Capillaries are the tiniest of the tiniest veins in our bodies and in very sensitive areas like the eyes, those capillaries can rupture and leak blood. That blood pools under the eyes and darkens causing those dark circles. Hylexin claims to reduce the appearance of that darkened blood and to strengthen your capillaries so that they don't leak as easily.

All that science and it did nothing for me. It's likely that the darkening around my eyes is attributable to just general darkening and not leaky capillaries. But I don't know for sure. What I do know is that I'm glad I decided to try this one out at Sephora, who has a very liberal return policy. I exchanged the half used cream for the Power K and I couldn't be happier. Not quite bad enough to qualify for Money Saver status because it just might not be designed for me, but make sure you get this one from a place that accepts returns.

$95

DDF Erase Eye Gel

And now we come to the worst of the worst. First, this eye cream smells like buttercream frosting. Now, I'm not a fan of the foody scents, but at least I can understand the appeal of a body butter or lotion that smells sweet like frosting. But an eye cream? Who in the world wants their eyes to smell like frosting? Smells aside, this thin serum was not easy to apply. One pump of the bottle dispenses way more product than you will actually need, unless your eyes are the size of baseballs. And, it's runny texture made the cream get into and subsequently burn my eyes. Every day, no matter how carefully I applied, my eyes were stinging and burning for five minutes after application.

Yet, despite the smell, the messiness and the burning, I forged ahead and continued to use this for almost a month. No change, no improvement at all. I can look past a lot when I get results. But there's no way I'm putting up with messy, smelly, stinging products that do nothing. This one is definitely a Money Saver.

$45.


Lighten up around the eyes, and stay as young as you can pass for, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

It's Like Buttah

For some odd reason, it's still unseasonably warm in Ms. New Beauty's little part of the world. By this time, it's normally frigidly cold and Ms. New Beauty is trying her damnedest to stay moisturized and fight off the dry, itchy skin that winter air can bring. After having lived through two of said dry winters, MNB has gotten the winter moisture thing down pat and it's all about the body butters girls.

Thicker than lotions or cremes but still creamy and soft, body butters are the key to preserving your sexy during cold temperatures. The best body butters, in my opinion, have a soft, smooth, almost pudding like consistency, but sink in and keep you moisturized until your next shower. I have tried plenty and I'm giving you the best of the best today.

Jaqua Sinfully Rich Body Butter

Jaqua specializes in making those "foodie" scented body butters. Normally, I find those scents sickeningly sweet and way too reminiscent of the Bath & Body Works lotion and body spray craze that took over my high school in 1998. But, my favorite scent, Banana Spice Cake, is so sumptuous that I completely forget all memories of girls lathering themselves in Jolly Rancher scented lotion. The scent is a perfect autumnal blend with hints of ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a subtle staying power. When I get home after a long day and take off my street clothes, I get a subtle whiff of the scent, but it's light enough that I can put on perfume without over powering the noses of every person I meet.

The Jaqua Body Butters often have that coveted pudding consistency, but I've noticed that it can be irregular. Certain scents can be thicker and less smooth than others. I always check to make sure I'm getting the smooth kind I like before I buy.

Korres Natural Products Body Butter

You wouldn't expect a rich, moisturizing body butter to come out of this bottle, I know I didn't, but it does. I'm so used to the short, fat tub of butter to slather all over myself, but this one comes in a convenient pump bottle. It's still rich enough to keep the winter itch away, but it's light enough to smooth right onto skin without lots of vigorous rubbing that those super thick formulas can require. Made from all natural ingredients, it contains Quince extract and shea butter (a must have ingredient for dry skin) to soften and moisturize and almond, sunflower, and avocado oils to smooth the skin.

My favorite formula is the Quince, but the Guava is divine too. And, you know I love this because the bottle is the perfect shape to drop into some of my larger purses. This one fits very well into my Botkier Trigger Fan Hobo.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Creme

The granddaddy of body butters, this cream barely needs any description. L'Occitane's body creme has a high shea butter content, 25%, and contains a cocktail of natural oils to soften even the driest of the dry skin. Even my good friend's Sahara-esque case of eczema was no match for this creme. If this doesn't soften your skin, get thee to a dermatologist post haste.





Body Butter Money Saver - Biggs & Featherbelle

I originally tried the Biggs & Featherbelle Body Butter early this fall. The concept of a body butter bar intrigued me. It's a solid bar that you rub over your skin. The heat from your body melts the body butter right in. What?!?! So innovative. You know I had to try that, so I put in my order for two different kinds - Lavender & Bergamot and the Ylang Ylang & Patchouli.

The scent of the Lavender & Bergamot was so strong and overpowering that I could not even use it. Literally, I could not even bring myself to put it on my body because just opening the jar almost knocked me out. The second one, Ylang Ylang & Patchouli, was strongly scented, it wasn't as bad so I gave it a try. The concept was great - the bar just melted onto my skin and left nothing but soft body butter in its wake. But, the scent never faded away. I smelled like Patchouli all day. I don't hate Patchouli, but I surely don't like it enough to walk around smelling like the Health & Beauty section of Whole Foods.

But, scent alone is not enough for me to post something as a money saver. Some of you may love, love, love a scent that I can't take, so I reserve the Money Saver distinction for products that truly aren't worth the money. What did it for the Biggs & Featherbelle? The fact that the body butter that melted so gloriously onto my skin never absorbed into my skin. It just sat on top and resolidified, eventually leaving a Patchouli scented body butter lining in my clothes. Make me smell like a health food store, but don't go messing up my clothes!! That's where I draw the line.

Well, stay soft ladies, banish that nasty winter itch, and don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

Money Saver

Ms. New Beauty likes to think that she has a knack for picking the right products off the shelf, some kind of beauty product ESP. But, she is not infallible. Every so often she spends money on and gets excited about a new product only to be let down. Now is one of those times. You may be wondering why this post is titled Money Saver when MNB wasted her money (on a product she bought from a store with a "no returns" policy no less). Well, it's all about you ladies. Ms. New Beauty may have wasted her money, but you can save yours.

Save your money on Darphin Dark Circles & Depuffing Eye Serum. I get a little shadowy under the eyes. I'm not going to call them dark circles, just round areas that are a deeper hue than the rest of my skin. I have been faithfully applying this serum every day for the past month. I've even been using the figure 8 application technique recommended on the bottle. No improvement. None whatsoever.

The worst part, I'm actually perturbed that this product isn't working for me. It's not just that it's messing up my good product record. It's really that I bought this serum in an attempt to save money. I've been wanting to try Hylexin for months, but I couldn't justify spending $100 on eye cream. So what did I do? I spent $75 instead. I saved a few dollars by buying the Darphin, but not really - I'll end up buying the Hylexin cream anyway. I've heard that it's like a good night's sleep in a tube. I don't know how true that is yet, but it's convincing enough for me.

Save your money, use concealer instead, and don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!