Blow Dryers etc...

Revlon One Step Hair Dryer

Often what sparked my interest in purchasing and writing about new products, was the 911 I would receive from one of my Gal Pal"s, who had just tried something fabulous.  I recently received a call from dear friend Linda Levy, who received Revlon's One Step Volumizing Hair Dryer as a gift...Did I know about it???

Of course dear Linda! I had blogged about it back in 2017.  Shortly after I did, Allure also discovered how amazing this inexpensive, fast working dryer could replicate sleek locks that almost looked salon created. It literally almost broke the Internet....  My issue with it was that it almost made my hair too sleek.  I have since learned to manually spin the brush around my roots to create some lift.

Which brings me during the pandemic, to my goodie closet, which embarrassingly houses 4 blow dryers plus the Revlon One Step, Con-Airs Infinity Pro Styling Brush, 2 heat styling brushes, 2 flat irons, two texturizing irons and one ionic smoother. UGGGHHHH!

I'm strictly in simplify mode right now, (and hopefully, you are doing as I blogged about previously, and deep conditioning for several hours before washing your hair). Tonight will make #5 and I'm pleased to say I have significantly improved the state of my previous parched locks in the process.

Vogue's 2015 Beauty Break Throughs; JeNu Skin Infuser

How influenced am I by beauty endorsements from Vogue, Elle, Allure etc...? Pretty much, sucker punched, every time.  After all, they have full staffs of people doing nothing but trying products day and night and lucky for them, and sadly not for me, they are even paid for it.

I came across this nifty little product via my Facebook feed.  It turns out that the hand held JeNu's Skin Infuser one of Vogue's 10 "Game Changers" for 2015.

JeNu's Skin Infuser available online with a (hefty discount) or at Neiman's and Nordstroms (without)

What dozens of women report, is that when using JeNu daily with their favorite skin care products, the boost the "infusion" system provides greatly improves the efficacy of their skincare routine, plumping, tightening and reducing fine lines, wrinkles and folds. It is also extremely well reviewed on independent sites that rate products such as these.

JeNu comes with a 30-Day Risk Free Return Policy.  Most of the women reported great results in less time. I opted to purchase my JeNu system with a discount and in three installments.  I figured that way, if I'm not seeing results within a few weeks, I can return it, without having to lay out a large sum.

DivaDebbi and Mary Kay

DivaDebbi  wearing Mary Kay Cosmetics
for a Conde Nast Holiday 2013 Promotion

My beauty life works in odd ways some times...I had never tried Mary Kay products, but I did take notice of a stand out ad campaign in December's Allure. The focus was Holiday makeup, created by makeup artist Mariela Bagnato and inspired by the fashionable Lindsay Calla, who is the featured muse in her blog Saucy Glossie.

The very next day, I received a reach out from Conde Nast (Allure's publisher) inquiring if I would be interested in receiving a complimentary box of products from Mary Kay.  

I would...

In return, I only had to promise to recreate the look of , The White-Hot Suit, which Lindsey interpreted as a, "sleek and sexy 1970's style; menswear-inspired but still feminine."

Can do...

The Mary Kay/Conde Nast goodie box I received

Products used to recreate the look

Nothing lights up my day like receiving a big box of beauty or skincare products.  This Mary Kay treasure trove surpassed my expectations; it was beautifully presented and loaded with full size products.

It turns out, I love a lot of them, particularly the eye products.  The quality of the mineral powder eye shadow is phenomenal and I cannot stop using Sweet Cream (lid) Chocolate Kiss (crease), my new fave Copper Glow (upper lid) and the perfect under brow highlighter Bleach Blonde, which is in a cream form, daily.

I'm a fan of lash primers--I like slapping on that first white coat with reckless abandon, making the second coat, Lash Love  mascara, a breeze to apply.

Nice...

Are you Finished?: Shu Uemura Sheer Lacquer Finishing Spray

Shu Uemura Sheer Lacquer Micro Finishing Spray
$38
 

Last week was, (pray God,) unseasonably warm in the Northeast. I save all my weather complaining for the Winter---you can't have it both ways, but my hair woes are another story.

I have noticed of late that all of the hairsprays I have tried have been leaving my hair with a dull finish...not pretty. I need the control, particularly with some of the flyaways that drive me mad, but still want hair that looks reasonably shiny.

The Allure of Allure

When Allure Magazine debuted in 1991, it felt like a gift from the God's.  In the talented hands of it's longtime Editor-in-Chief Linda Wells, Beauty now had its own glossy; no longer just the lonely step-sister, banished to page 205 in the Fashion Magazines.

I was of course, in heaven  subscribed for well over 10 years.  Each month I looked forward to it's arrival and pored over their editorial picks. Then Beauty Blogs arrived on the scene...

 

The first Beauty Blog I discovered was Beauty Addict, written by the product obsessed Kristen Kelly. Readers like me, were equally obsessed with Kristen and somewhere along the way her lipstick flame fanned out. She was one of the best and an early inspiration to me. I still miss her blog.