It’s week two of the SkinStore Blog anniversary giveaway!
If you haven’t heard, we are giving away one $100.00USD SkinStore gift certificate each week through October 20th!
Join us each week to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of four grand prizes!
Like us on Facebook to get all the latest details about the contest! Follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute offers, steals & deals, insider updates and beauty secrets.
To enter this week’s giveaway:
“Like” SkinStore on Facebook and then post your response to the question below by leaving us a comment on our blog. Please note that you must enter a valid first name and email address in order for us to contact you in the event that you are the randomly selected winner! Rest assured your email address will NOT post with your comment.
Question: What’s your “must have” fall product? Post a comment telling us about your fall “must have” skincare, hair care, fragrance, or tool.
Entry for this giveaway is now closed.
Valid entries must comply with the official rules of the SkinStore Blog Anniversary Giveaway.
Bushy, hairy, untamed brows.
You know what I’m talking about… those few heart wrenching weeks where you’re trying to grow out your brows between waxing appointments or when re-shaping your arch. It so frustrating! I just don’t feel the same with out my perfect, groomed arches.
This is hands down a struggle for me and I’m sure for many other ladies out there.
So, during my desperate attempt to cover my “hairy mess” I took out my super duper Dermablend Quick Fix Concealer and applied under my brow bone. To my surprise it covered every single dark hair and looked flawless! By using a shade lighter than my skin tone and applying a little champagne shadow on top of the concealer my brows were pure perfection!
I hope this quick tip works as well for you as it does for me!
To celebrate the SkinStore Blog one-year anniversary, we are giving away one $100.00USD SkinStore gift certificate each week through October 20th! Join us each week to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of four grand prizes!
Each week the SkinStore bloggers will post a new blog that will provide instructions on how to enter the giveaway. We love to get our readers involved by asking questions and encouraging everyone to share their favorite products, tips and tricks!
Like us on Facebook to get all the latest details about the contest! Follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute offers, steals & deals, insider updates and beauty secrets.
To enter this week’s giveaway:
“Like” this article and then post your response to the question below by leaving us a comment. Please note that you must enter a valid first name and email address in order for us to contact you in the event that you are the randomly selected winner! Rest assured your email address will NOT post with your comment.
Question: What would you buy if you won a $100.00USD SkinStore gift certificate? Leave us a comment below.
Entry for this giveaway is now closed.
Valid entries must comply with the official rules of the SkinStore Blog Anniversary Giveaway.
These days more and more consumers are becoming increasingly cautious about the ingredients used in their skincare and cosmetic products and they are trying to stay away from chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, or synthetic fragrances, just to name a few.
Companies are certainly aware of this and many of them are jumping on the “green” bandwagon. You are probably seeing a lot more products on the market labeled with the terms “organic” and “natural” and you may be wondering, what is the difference between these two? Is there a difference? The short answer is yes, there is a difference between “organic” and “natural”.
To start with, there may be some confusion for the consumer as to how these terms are regulated. In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government agency that regulates the labeling and safety requirements for the cosmetic industry. Yet, they do not have a sanctioned definition of either of these terms. While the term natural is not regulated by any agency, the term organic is. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the National Organic Program (NOP) which regulates what can be considered organic. That being said, the USDA does not have a separate category for cosmetics, they use the same standards used for the food industry.
There are also International organizations that certify organic products. ECOCERT is a worldwide organization working in over 80 countries and COSMEBIO is a French organization created specifically for cosmetics and skincare.
So, what does is actually take for a product to really be “organic”? To earn a certified organic label 95% of the ingredients used must be organic. For a product labeled “made with organic ingredients” the required percentage goes down to 70%.
Natural is a broader term usually used to indicate that a minimal amount of chemicals were used in either the process of making the product or the actual formula of the product. Typically, “natural” products are free of synthetic additives such as chemical preservatives, synthetic coloring or fragrance. However, seeing natural on the label is not a guarantee that any of these ingredients will not be in the product. If you are still uncertain, always check the ingredient listing.
With so many choices out there it can be overwhelming. How does the consumer know what they are getting? What’s the bottom line for all of you ingredient-savvy consumers? Read those labels!
 It is that time again, school is back in session for our young ones! That means that our schedules become crammed and our free time is drastically reduced. Time is money and finding shortcuts to your beauty needs is always in demand. So slide on your glasses, organize your schedules and look to some of the most convenient products to get you through the busy school season.
If you are stressed out, your hair is usually up in a mess or down and out of control, who has time or desire to do hair with so little time?! If your schedule is not too overloaded your hair is most likely styled and pretty. Bottom line is, the way your hair is styled and the time you have to manage it will be the determining factor to how it looks. Most likely there’s not much time on hand, so we suggest that you add products to your hair kit like dry shampoo (which absorbs the oils in your hair and adds instant volume to your style without having to wash everyday), revitalizing/conditioning mists (which condition, detangle, and refresh hair to style or re-style), and hair rescue products (which you can apply overnight to repair and protect damaged/ color treated hair). Some must have products in these categories include: Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo, Ojon Revitalizing Mist, and Alterna Caviar Overnight Hair Rescue.
Back to school season means more exposure to germs and dirt. Make sure you pack some portable cleansing wipes into your supply kit. They can be used to remove dirt/ debris from during the day or makeup from late nights. Many different companies now make these cleansing wipes and are easily accessible. A good eye product is also a necessity. Use an eye product which addresses multiple concerns such as puffiness, dark circles and dehydration. Try Jurlique Purely Age Defying Eye Cream or Canyon Ranch Brightness Eye Cream. To keep your face hydrated, combat aging and prep the skin for makeup try VICHY Normaderm Pro Mat (absorbs excess oils, instantly mattifies shine through the day, lightly hydrates, primes the skin for makeup and offers SPF protection) or try Too Faced Primed and Poreless (It contains vitamin A to smooth out skin texture; vitamin C to even skin tone and offer antioxidant protection, and the product will help hydrate and firm too!) Have some make-up kits or palettes ready, they will offer different color options for makeup application. This reduces time in finding different items you would apply to get the look you’re searching for when you’re in a hurry. To top off your multi function/ time reducing product arsenal look for all your favorite fragrances in roller ball bottles which are easy to apply and very travel friendly. You can’t go wrong with any of these products! With less worry about your beauty regimen you can focus on all of the daily tasks at hand!
Here at SkinStore, we believe knowledge is key when it comes to skincare and beauty! That’s why we have created Product Talk, an interactive Q&A feature for our customers. It’s a powerful, yet simple tool!
Here’s how it works: While on SkinStore, find a product that you would like to learn more about. Click the “Product Talk” tab under the product photo to access the tool. To ask a question, click the “Ask a New Question” button. To answer, click the question to open it, and click the “Answer this Question” button. You can even also vote for the best answers to questions. It’s your community.
Now is your chance to help us build the beauty community and to be a voice! We pulled a few unanswered questions from community members who would love to hear about your beauty experience and get your feedback on some products that you may have already tried. We encourage you to share your knowledge and experience. Click on the questions below to answer them (you may be asked to log in or register).
Click on the questions below to answer them.
Thanks for helping us build the community!
 This is for all you vegans and veggies out there that want to use products to fit your lifestyle. Here’s some info on some vegan and vegetarian products that SkinStore.com offers. For those of you that may be newer to the world of vegetarianism I have made it pretty simple to spot out products to suit your preferences.
Strictly vegan lines do not contain such ingredients as milk, honey, lanolin (substance derived from sheep’s wool) or any animal derived ingredients. Vegetarian skin care lines may include lactic acid or honey, however any other animal based ingredients such as squalene, fish oil, gelatin, carmine (pigment from a beetle), collagen, vitamin A, and glycerin will not be included as these are all animal by products.
A lot of makeup companies that are vegan use synthetic materials for their brushes instead of animal hair. This works well for vegans and people allergic to animals that may not be able to tolerate natural fibers.
Some alternatives to animal based ingredients include vegetable glycerin, soy and plant proteins, or almond and olive oil. Vitamin A alternatives include vegetables such as carrots, wheat germ oil or a synthetic form of Vitamin A.
The brands listed below are vegan or vegetarian:
Vegan Products:
 Nuxe: Contains no animal ingredients, synthetic coloring agents, no mineral oils, and is lab tested and under dermatological supervision.
Duwop: Is vegan, no animal testing, and uses many different antioxidants to improve the look of your skin to enhance makeup application
Sparitual: 100% vegan. We love this line for their fun colors, earth friendly packaging, and great smelling products.
Boscia: They are vegan, preservative and fragrance free.
Vegetarian Products:
Juara: 100% vegetarian, no animal testing, contains no artificial colorants, paraben-free, no sulfates or pthalates.
 Arcona-vegan (except for honey used in only a few products). This is one of my new favorite product lines. The smell, texture, and efficacy of the products are untouchable!
Juice Beauty: Is vegetarian and uses a lot of organic ingredients.
Melvita: Is vegetarian and organic
Colorscience: vegetarian and offers a wide range of natural sunscreens.
bareMinerals: vegetarian
Jack Black: vegan except for beeswax and silk amino acids that are in some of their products. They are cruelty, color and fragrance free.
Anthony Logistics: They are vegan except for their lip balms which contain beeswax.
Some companies are either reformulating their products or coming out with products that are exclusively vegetarian to meet the needs of consumers. Vegetarian based products have proven not to be just a fad, but offer real results and are here to stay!
 Working in the skin care industry has created a product connoisseur out of me! Starting from a regimen of never touching my face with anything but water, to testing a bunch of different products and eliminating those I didn’t like to being able to find some products that suited my picky, sensitive skin. My favorite? La Roche Posay!
Recently we had an up close and personal with the usual La Roche Posay products, as well as some updates for the product line. To my surprise, I was very pleased with the information I encountered. I happen to be the stubborn, reactive skin type that never feels relieved or satisfied by the products I try on my face. On top of being very reactive, I also have an oily t-zone and we’ll just say many scattered sun kisses. During our updates we went over how the product line is safe for all skin types and especially sensitive. Going behind the brand name and into the details was very assuring and helpful. This is just a short version of the information we went over- La Roche Posay uses clinical testing on their products to ensure maximum efficacy and has been committed to dermatology for 30 years. All of their products are 100% hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, do not contain any potentially irritating fragrance or ingredients and all contain their famous, soothing thermal spring water. After the review I decided to put the products to the test to see if the results fit the descriptions.
 I can testify that I can put full trust in La Roche Posay and that my skin will benefit. The products were not over bearing in scent or in texture. Those two elements are my key concerns. With daily use the products have not caused any negative reactions with my skin and I have seen improvements already after just a couple weeks. Usually in this case my skin becomes irritated, red and blemishes seem to make a consistent appearance. The products I liked the best and chose as my hero products to add to my skin regimen are the Derm AOX & Effaclar AI. So when you feel that at times there is no hope, keep looking! The best is always around the corner and my suggestion is to look within La Roche Posay.
The royalty of the world surely knows how to live- but before the modern day royalty had unlimited access to the beauty industry and whatever their hearts desire at the click of a button via the World Wide Web there were the kings and queens that used natural remedies to beautify in the previous centuries. Kings and Queens Body products make for a posh and luxurious royal experience that will surely leave you feeling like you belong in the imperial court.
Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of an Egyptian pharaoh is depicted as an icon of beauty and regal exquisiteness. She used honey as a beautifying treatment in skin care and hair care preparations. Shimmer with Kings and Queens Nefertiti Honey Shimmering Body Milk.
 Queen Isabella of Spain was fond of cinnamon and its aroma but not of its expense. Isabella financed Columbus’ search for cinnamon which led to his discovery of the New World. Soap up with Kings and Queens Queen Isabella Cinnamon Orange Soap.
The Aztec Kings loved vanilla as it was said to have aphrodisiac properties, vanilla was consumed internally and used in skin preparations externally. Slough off dead skin cells with Kings and Queens Aztec King Vanilla Pear Body Scrub.
A Chinese princess planted jasmine in her garden and used jasmine distillation in bath water as jasmine was said to awaken sensual thoughts and strengthen the feeling of love. Lather up with Kings and Queens Chinese Princess Jasmine Showergel.
King George III loved lime- for its beauty boosting benefits and for the benefit of his army and navy, as the vitamin C in lime juice warded off scurvy and other diseases. Soak in a lime-infused bubble bath with Kings and Queens George III Lime Showergel
 Emperor Akbar of India was a fan of mango fruit and planted over 100,000 mango trees in a mango orchard. Mango was widely used in beauty preparations due to its enzymatic and softening benefits. Nourish and deeply hydrate with Kings and Queens Emperor Akbar Mango Body Butter.
Get ready like a royal, start the day like a sovereign, make like a monarch. Kings & Queens is a royal body care range developed around the herbs and spices favored by the aristocracy. Kings and Queens Body products are enriched with antioxidant-rich pomegranate, blue Egyptian lotus extract, and malachite. The entire line is paraben free and mineral oil free. And have you noticed the price tag? $8-$15! Another AMAZING line available at SkinStore!
 Everyone has horror stories of waxing woes and waxing jobs gone awry and no I’m not referring to polishing your car’s paint! Here are some simple rules to keep in mind when using waxing as a hair removal option.
- If you’re taking a prescription medication for acne, consult your doctor before having any waxing done. Prescription acne medication can make your skin very sensitive and delicate and you can literally end up tearing a whole layer of skin!
- Be certain you go to a licensed Esthetician or Cosmetologist. Nail Technicians and Manicurists are not licensed or properly trained to do waxing in most states.
- Hair should be at least ¼ of an inch long and not more than ½ inch long. Anything longer than that should be trimmed; otherwise you will feel pain when the wax pulls at unintended adjacent hair! YEOUCH!
- All areas to be waxed should be clean and free of debris. Some products require you to pre cleanse and even use a powder, ask your professional.
- Wax should be applied in the direction of the hair growth. If you see someone applying it in any old direction beware of sloppy workmanship!
- Soft Wax with muslin (fabric) strips are best for large areas: arms, legs, chest, back, stomach. Hard Wax without fabric strips are best for small or sensitive areas or very coarse hair: facial, underarms, bikini. Eyebrow areas can be waxed with either hard or soft wax, followed by tweezing to fine tune.
- This is one of the most important steps to effectively waxing with minimal discomfort! When it comes time to pull the wax or muslin strip, be sure to firmly apply pressure with one hand just above the section of wax you are removing. Wax should be pulled in the opposite direction of hair growth. If your professional doesn’t do this, then you’re most certainly going to get an ineffective hair removal and it will end up hurting (more than it needs to.)
- NO Double Dipping! Be sure your professional is not double dipping the (disposable) wax applicator stick. For example, dip into wax, apply to skin, re dip into wax, then apply more to skin. Double dipping can introduce germs and bacteria from the skin INTO the wax. Not sure about you but I don’t want someone else’s cooties in the wax that will be used on my face or private areas!
- After removing the waxing strip, be sure to remove any residue and use an after waxing treatment product like oil, lotion, or aloe vera gel.
- Freshly waxed skin feels very smooth! Not just due to the absence of hair but because it also removes a whole layer of dead skin cells. Be sure to use a moisturizer with and SPF 20 or more to protect those newly exposed skin cells.
Of course your trained professional should know all these things, but you knowing them empowers you to make sure you get the best service possible! If you’re looking for home hair removal options here are some products SkinStore carries that I would suggest MOOM Organic Hair Removal Kit.
Which hair removal method do you prefer: shaving, waxing, laser, epilation or depilatory creams? Leave us a comment below!
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