Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer

I bought this tinted moisturizer about a year ago, thinking I was buying a full-fledged foundation. It really appealed to me because it is oil-free, and includes retinol and SPF 20 moisturizer. It wasn't until I got home and used it that I realized it is quite sheer. (Perhaps if I'd read more of the label, I would have realized this - as it clearly says "Sheer tint.") The only reason I haven't used it all up is because I have frequent, UGLY breakouts on my chin (I may have disclosed this before, but just in case - and in the interest of pure honesty - I have a hell of a problem with ingrown hairs on my chin), and when that is happening, this just doesn't do the job, even with a concealer. However, it is very light, and very pretty on your skin. I use it during those times my skin is very clear and blemish-free. It is a great product, and I recommend it highly, especially to those of you who don't like to put a bunch of gunk on their face - this is a moisturizer and a tint all in one. Neutrogena puts out a very good product, and this is no exception.

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Tip o' the Day

If your eyelids are oily, eyeshadow won't stick. Before applying any color, prep the lids with foundation, then press a velvet puff with translucent powder on top. Then apply your color. To prevent eyeliner from doing a disappearing act, trace over it with a short, stiff eye-shadow brush dipped in powder in a similar shade.

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Lumene

The only reason I can review these products by Lumene is because, bless Target, they were on clearance. With the exception of the Radiant Touch Moisturizing Cream Cleanser, which is $10 even regularly priced, these are kind of pricey for regular ol' me. (Especially when hubby's job has been cutting overtime, grrr...), but if I COULD afford them on a regular basis, I would use nothing else. The pretty orangey-pink stuff, Vitamin C+ Energy Cocktail normally retails for around $23.99. Oh, my gosh, it's spectacular. It just makes my skin so radiant and, dare I say it, LUMINEscent. Really. After using it the first time, I woke up the next morning and was like, "Oooooh..." and I couldn't stop rubbing my hand along my cheek. I really do love it. I actually use it kind of sparingly because *sniffle* I can't buy any more right now, or any time soon. The Radiant C-Energy Age-Defying Day Cream, retailing for around $19.99, goes on so nice and smooth, and softens the skin quite nicely. Bonus: it includes SPF 15. The aforementioned Cream Cleanser is also good, although I'm not singing with choirs of angels in its praise. It does the job, and I like it. To be fair, what's probably holding me back from using words like "spectacular" about the cleanser is that it doesn't lather much. But, really, I've heard the more something lathers - the more it's drying out your skin. *Sigh* I just like a lot of lather and foam. But I'll get over it. These products rock. So if you are in a position to spend $20+ for your skin-care, please try this brand. It rocks. See, it rocks so much, I've actually used the term "rocks" far more than someone should on a civilized website.

(Prices quoted from CVS.com, which, by the way, is holding a sale, so currently these very products are cheaper than stated.)

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Hairapy Sunsilk Therma Shine

A few years ago, there was that line called Thermasilk, and it was just the best. I believe this is the line that basically replaces it, and I can certainly say it is just as good. These products are heat activated, and are supposed to make your hair softer and smoother if used prior to blow-drying or ironing your hair. They do! My hair is so soft after using these. I'm sure you've noticed on lots of cosmetics lines, one the back will be the assertion "for best results, use in conjunction with other products in *insert brand here* line." I'm always skeptical about that, and rarely follow that advice, but I will definitely say in this case it appears to be true. I tried using the shampoo and conditioner without the detangling spray, and the results just weren't as dramatic. I also tried the detangling spray after using another brand of shampoo and conditioner, and again - I didn't get the same great results. I really love this line because I take my showers at night, and when I use these products and blow-dry my hair before I go to bed, I wake up with very smooth, soft hair that often doesn't even need to be flat-ironed. Also, it smells just plain good.

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TRESemmé Tres Two Hair Spray

I recently spent around $4 for a Pantene hairspray I hated (Ice Shine). When I was at the store looking for a new one to try I saw this Tres Two Extra Hold from TRESemmé (around $3.50). The thing that sold me? The small little icon that says "All Day Control. Climate Control. Humidity Resistance."

Kelli and I live in Texas where the summers are hot and the humidity can kill a great hair day the minute you step out your front door. Our winters are dry and it's then that I take the time to flat iron and keep my hair styled great because we're not battling the incessant heat and humidity. Summers here call for ponytails and curls. Even though it's springtime, the summer heat is already creeping in on us. So far though? This hair spray has done its job.

This is really unlike any other inexpensive hairspray I've tried before. It's really dry and not sticky at ALL (I loathe sticky hairsprays!) So when you first spray it on it's hard to tell if you actually got it where you intended. I looked at the spray nozzle to make sure it wasn't turned backwards the first time. The only downside I've seen it is that the fact that it's so dry really means it dulls your hair out a little. I combat this by spraying it on, running my flat iron through the front parts of my hair to get some of the shine back and that seems to help. But it honestly does keep your hair really smooth and dry all day long. I was really impressed! Now if you already live in a super dry climate, this may be dryness overkill, but it still has great hold and smells good too. I think I might even pick up the mousse from this same line for those summer curls.

Come July and August when it's 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity I may be changing my tune, but I'm keep my hopes up for this one to save my summer hair!

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Winners!

Congratulations to our winners! The first one is user name MC, and the second one is Kristen Birkmeyer! Thanks for reading and entering. Please e-mail us at primpandtell@gmail.com with your address and we'll mail them out right away.

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Rude Cosmetics Salesgirls

I must apologize for not having a review up today; my morning was quite hectic and I just never got the chance to sit down. I haven't decided what I'm reviewing next, but promise to have one up tomorrow. So just for the sake of something to write about, I must tell you about my experience this morning. (I mean, after all, we have to give you our war stories in our quest for perfect products, right?) I was doing some serious spring cleaning, moving my boys' room around, and just generally all sweaty and tired, and my makeup had pretty much melted off, when my mother-in-law and I decided to meet up at Ulta. She was also quite sweaty as she'd been walking around in our lovely 80 degree heat this morning. They were offering a free gift with a $40 purchase, so she was kind enough to let me help her rack up $40.

I walked into the store carting my five and two year old, and my six month old sons. One of the women there looked at me, dropped her jaw in disbelief, and shook her head as her eyes rolled so far back into her head I thought they were stuck that way. What? Mothers with young children don't buy makeup? This was kind of odd for me, as usually I am fortunate that my husband can watch the kids if I go off hounding for makeup. I've never experienced someone's dismay that I would dare show up somewhere with children. How disgusting of me. I shrugged it off and I was looking around for some of Sally Hansen Natural Beauty by Carmindy Face Primer. (I'm on a quest to find us an amazing face primer.) They had the signs up, but none of the product was on the shelf. I approached a salesgirl, who said, "Hmm... let me look over here." She went to some boxes of new shipments, gave it all a cursory glance and said, "No, we're out." How she could possibly know that for certain by glancing at a mountain of products is beyond me, but, you know, whatever. I wasn't too worried about it because my boys were getting antsy and we needed to head out. (For the record, they were antsy, but they were totally behaving and were quiet.) As we checked out, my mother-in-law was trying to make a little small talk to the same employee who "helped" me, and she wouldn't even respond. Then she requested her free gift with purchase, and the girl smirked and said, "Um... that's for fragrances." I swear she stuck her nose so far up into the air it looked like it was about to crawl over her head. And she just stared at us as we realized our mistake, like she couldn't wait for us to get the hell out of Dodge. Okay, so we didn't read the fine print, is that some reason to act like you caught us digging in your trash bin? We were both quite uncomfortable from being treated so distastefully (and my mother-in-law is NOT easily offended) that we were pretty glad to just get out of there.

I share all this because - isn't makeup and beauty and shopping supposed to be fun and for everyone? Don't you want people to come back to your store? If, in theory, my mother-in-law and I were some yucky, scummy people and were plain and didn't know a lipstick from a roll of toilet paper, wouldn't we be the ones who needed the most guidance? A woman and/or mother of any age, and a grandmother should be able to walk in a place like that and feel special and beautiful. It irks me because I know if I had walked in there on a day where I hadn't been working and was wearing my full face, I would have been treated like royalty.

Okay, I just wanted to vent. And if any of you readers out there are salespersons in a cosmetics store, please treat every woman who walks in there like a queen. She deserves it and she'll keep coming back!

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