I have been using these Melvita products for about 3 weeks now. I was introduced to them and generously received some full-size samples. I really wanted to give them a true, honest fair shake because many of the organics I’ve tried in the past simply don’t live up to their claims. Melvita Piece by piece, I’m finding I love these Melvita products! Do we finally have a true organic line, certified by Eco-Cert, that puts the others to shame?

I started with Hydrastim: a face moisturizer for dull and dehydrated skin. It not only reduces expression lines but makes a perfect base for a flawless foundation application. My skin appeared smoother and firmer after one use after one week and I had softer, more perfectly balanced skin. You can’t ask for more than that from a 1.69 oz. bottle! It contains aloe vera and other organic exotics and smells great too! Tip: don’t stop with your face. Apply it to your neck as well and you’ll promote a nice, smooth transition from your cheeks through to your neck… great for when wearing outfits with plunging necklines.

Another Melvita daily routine product I’m using is their Eye Contour Gel – This Eye contour gel reduces bags and shadows and smoothes over wrinkles and lines. Well that’s their claim and I have to say it holds water. Not only does the Eye Contour Gel product tighten the skin under my eyes and reduces puffiness, it also has a soothing effect that lets you know it’s working. Filled with all the natural properties needed to do the job, this eye gel really works and makes my eye area look and feel younger which is a must for this type of product. I started to see real results after a few days of use.

Last but not least, Melvita also makes a great, extra rich moisturizing hand cream. Their Extra-Rich Hand Cream has shea butter and won’t break down or leave a greasy feeling to your skin. My hands are very dry from working in water, constantly washing and cleaning them between clients so I need extreme moisture. This product protects, nourishes and delivers repairing properties that made my hands feel instantly comforted. It’s got a pleasant scent and isn’t overbearing like so many other organic hand creams that try to mask those not-so-nice smelling ingredients. It really “hand” delivers a smoothing layer of protection.

So have we found the next organic line of beauty products that live up to all the claims? Well Melvita is certainly on the top of my list. Check out their website and full line of products; from soaps to oils, beehive products and a nicely rounded men’s line! They have a responsible no-synthetics policy and as far as the company itself, they seem to be on the cutting edge and of course have a Facebook page which I’m a fan of. You can buy all of their products right from their website and soon will have boutiques popping up all over the country!

Eight years after getting out of the business, the retailer is opening full-service beauty counters at 13 stores in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York this week.
By Sandra M. Jones

Eight years after getting out of the cosmetics business, Sears is jumping back in, banking that the high-margin sector can give the retailer a much-needed profit boost.

The flagship brand of Sears Holdings Corp. is opening full-service beauty counters at 13 stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York this week.

The goal is to roll out the beauty business to 100 locations next year and, if all goes well, expand to as many as 400 of its 852 Sears department stores by 2012, said Andrea Goldner, Sears’ merchandise manager for cosmetics.

“There is absolutely an opportunity for beauty products at Sears,” Goldner said. “The time is right to get back into that business.”

The pilot is the latest in a wave of concepts Sears has been testing, such as a drive-through general store and a free-standing appliance shop.

Beauty products, including fragrances and skin-care products, are widely considered more resistant to recession than other categories and indeed are selling better than discretionary items such as apparel, said Karen Grant, vice president and global beauty industry analyst at NPD Group, a market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y.

“Of the industries to get into, it seems to be a bit more stable,” Grant said. “It could be a good venture for [Sears] if they could execute it — which they’ve had trouble with in the past.”

Sears eliminated the beauty business in 2001 under former Chairman and Chief Executive Alan Lacy as part of a broader effort to peel away poorly performing businesses. The exit was less than graceful, coming just weeks before the company was set to launch a partnership with Avon Products Inc. inside scores of stores.

Sears has been in and out of the beauty business for decades. The company got out of cosmetics in the mid-1980s, only to return with its own brand, Circle of Beauty, in 1995.

This time, Sears is carrying nationally recognized and specialty brands, including CoverGirl, L’Oreal, Maybelline and Burt’s Bees. Sears also will be the exclusive U.S. retailer for French firm Yves Rocher’s botanical products.

Sears will try to differentiate its beauty business by mixing mass-market prices and displays with department-store service in a mall, Goldner said.

From Tarte:
Our proprietary HydroPlant Peptide™ is clinically proven to give the appearance of longer, thicker lashes naturally: soy and amino acid proteins combine to form an essential super-protein base that fortifies and nourishes lashes. This protein emulsion is infused with cellulose, a plant-derived thickening agent, and vitamin C, an antioxidant booster.

Clinical Results:
152% change in the appearance of lash length after 6 weeks
100% of subjects reported an increase in the appearance of lash length
100% of subjects reported an increase in overall lash health
90% of subjects reported an increase in lash thickness

Tarte multiplEYE effects

They claim a 152% increase in the appearance of lash length with multiplEYE, a natural lash enhancer. I’m not sure of the percentage but you can certainly see a difference after a few applications. It’s basically a natural thickening agent that gets applied either on the lash line or over your lashes. I love the packaging, eco-friendly, and the only thing I don’t like about the product is the drying time. They say 2-3 hours not to rinse after application. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem but you never know when you have to rinse.

If you follow the lesson to a “T” you can’t go wrong – but don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve found a few different looks and even combined these colors with a few others for outrageous gray/blue combos and even a funky yellow/green to really feel wild.

Everyone wants sexy, smoky, cover-model eyes & perfectly groomed brows… here you go! Our all-in-one kit has everything you need to create your own smokin’ eyes… 3 shadows, a black eyeliner pencil, a brightener, 2 brushes, mini tweezers & a complete lesson.

Independent Beauty! Add extra sparkle with a FREE double-ended lip gloss with $50 order. Enter JULYFOUR at checkout. Don’t forget to add product to shopping bag before checkout. Offer valid 6.30.09 to 7.7.09.

I’m exaggerating of course but there may be a silver lining here. More availability of product, better prices and store-exclusive freebies. This may not be a bad idea after all. CVS does have some serious buying power. I’m dying to know who the 32 are! Any inside info you want to share? Post a comment & tell us!

The PURE Skin Lipo Serum is a clear lotion, fragrance free and comes in a 1 oz. pump dispenser (you know how much that is important to me because of contaminants!). 1 pump applied to the face and let it dry. That’s it. Then moisturize as you would normally.

It contains antioxidants- vitamins a, B5, C and E. All to help strengthen skin cells to fight against aging (free radical damage) and moisturizer which plumps up the skin by increasing moisture uptake. Sodium Hyaluronate- known as a moisture binding ingredient able to hold up to 180 times its weight in water.

AHA/BHA – an active blend of natural multi fruit acids, This natural blend weakens the connective tissue holding dead cells together for an overall smoother skin, while maximizing cell renewal, and minimizing irritation.

There’s an entire line of PURE products including mineral makeup. So far I’ve been very happy with the results to date. Here’s their official site. Be sure to tell them MissTrendyGirl sent ya!

Makeup artists Jemma Kidd, Napoleon Perdis and Petra Strand have signed on to collaborate with the retailer to bring out more affordable and slightly different versions of their existing prestige lines for the Target beauty shopper.

When a major retailer realizes their target market (pun intended!) isn’t the stereotype discount shopper I’m an instant fan. Target has a history of great partnerships with designers and the like which has worked out very well for them. If you see these in your local Target before I do let me know how they are. Look for them around the end of August and happy shopping!

So what’s with the humidity that makes your hair such a chore? Well water is an essential part of your hair’s chemical makeup. When it’s humid out your hair shaft will swell as a result of absorbing and retaining water. When it’s dry out, your hair shaft actually shrinks (and yes it is actually shorter). How can you control it? Well the best I can say is stay indoors or just work with it. Leaving your hair longer during the humid months can help weigh it down which only slightly helps with the poofs but it helps. Frizz control products used in moderation can work but be careful – too much can flatten your hair and make it look greasy. Last resort? How about spending a little time in the morning and putting that hair up in a ponytail, an up-do or even get some trendy hair accessories for the occasion. Personally I love chopsticks. Twist, curl and stick to hold!