Recessionista’s Fabuless Pick of the Week: Nivea A Kiss Of Shine Glossy Lip Care

Nivea A Kiss Of Shine Glossy Lip Care is available at drugstore.com and Amazon.com.

For more video product reviews and tips, click here for Spoiled Pretty TV.

What’s New Pussycat? POP Beauty Cat Eyes!

I’m no pro makeup artist. But there’s one beauty technique that I’ve got down pat - the elusive cat eye. It requires patience and a steady paw…but once you put in a little practice, a fierce fe-lined eye isn’t far off.

But what if practice doesn’t make perfect? What if your finished product is more Amy (Winehouse) than Angelina (Jolie)? Don’t claw your eyes out just yet. POP Beauty has just the product to produce a purr-fect cat eye.

POP Beauty Cat Eyes is a uniquely slanted eye crayon. Simply press it into the skin and follow the lash line - and it makes the perfect flick at the end, which is key to perfecting the look.
Go from "I don’t know how" to MEOW!

I was particularly impressed by how effortless it was to create a cat eye with this liner. The creamy texture of the crayon simply glides across the skin. And no more worrying about the uniformity of the wings at the outer corner of the eyes...with Cat Eyes, they're a perfect match - every time.


Cat Eyes isn’t deeply pigmented, so if you're looking to create a Nicole Ritchie-esque eye (I‘m obsessed), here's what I recommend:

* prep the lid with a primer
* Line the eye with Cat Eyes
* Trace over the line with a liquid liner
* Apply two coats of your favorite volumizing mascara

POP Beauty Cat Eyes comes in three colors (Black Onyx, Black Dahlia, and Black Olive) and is available at Sephora, amazon.com, dermstore.com, and popbeauty.co.uk.

Got Cracked Lips? Yu-Be Happy With This Product...

It’s getting downright chilly in Philly. In a matter of days, my lips started cracking up - like they’d been watching a Chris Rock comedy special. Luckily, I discovered Yu-Be, the #1 selling medicated, vitamin-enriched skin care cream in Japan.

Yu-Be is a Glycerin-based moisturizing cream enriched with Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 and Camphor. The uniquely high Glycerin content, achieved through a special manufacturing process in Japan, makes Yu-Be very effective on severely dry skin.

What sets Yu-Be apart from other lip treatments is the highly absorptive formula. Your thirsty lips will drink it in, and it will hydrate, heal and lock in moisture for hours. Yu-Be leaves behind soft, supple lips – without the greasy, balmy finish. Which means that, when your lips are especially jacked up, you needn’t choose between a cushy restorative treatment and a cute lip color. Just dab Yu-Be on and wait a minute…then swipe on your favorite lipstick or gloss, and you’re good to go.

In addition to curing cracked lips, Yu-Be also heals and prevents split cuticles and smoothes rough skin. Use it to soften calluses and hard, cracked heels. It replenishes lost moisture from frequent hand washing and minimizes scarring from burns. Even world-class mountain climbers from Japan use it to protect their skin from the harsh cold, wind, water and sun on expeditions to the top of Mt. Everest!

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream To Go (1.25 oz tube) is the perfect size for tossing into your purse or taking on trips.

Shop Yu-Be at Amazon.com, Beauty.com, Sephora and yu-be.com.

80s Ladies Week: Oh, Cargo...You're So Fine!

If you caught yesterday’s installment of 80s Ladies Week, you know that I’m pretty handy with the pom-poms. So it should come as no surprise that one of my childhood idols was singer/choreographer/fellow Philadelphian, Toni Basil.

For today’s 80s-inspired product review, I’m going to steal a line from Toni’s pop music classic…

Oh, Cargo you’re so fine,
You’re so fine you blow my mind.
Hey Cargo!
Hey Cargo!

On the 4th of July, I was invited to a late-evening barbecue not too far from my own apartment. I had to hoof it because there was no chance of finding parking anywhere in the vicinity of the art museum, which serves as backdrop for the city’s Independence Day festivities. The weather was pretty typical for July - hot and humid – with a light drizzle.


So before heading out the door, I finger painted with Cargo’s Melt-proof 3 in 1 Eye-Cheek-Lip Palette and swiped on some Better-than-waterproof Mascara. Eight city blocks later, I showed up at the party looking perfectly polished - and you know how shiny I can get. And when I returned home late that night, my makeup still looked freshly applied!!!

The Cargo Melt-proof Make-up Collection, which also includes a Melt-proof Bronzer, is limited-edition and costs $39 (retail value is $90). Pick this up immediately, you'll thank me later. You will be absolutely amazed at the staying power – it’ll blow your mind!

Cargo products are available at Sephora, Amazon.com, and cargocosmetics.com.

Isn't 80s Ladies Week totally rad? Be sure to check out Amber’s 80s inspired product review over at Beauty Blogging Junkie.

Holy Grail Hair Product Alert: Moroccanoil

I’m bossy. You probably didn’t know that about me.

For the past ten months, I’ve done a pretty damn good job of hiding my dictatorial demeanor. But sometimes, I feel so strongly about a product that a gentle suggestion just won’t suffice. So, at the risk of sounding like a despot, here goes my review of Moroccanoil.

I, Spoiled Pretty, command you, reader of Spoiled Pretty, to immediately purchase Moroccanoil hair care products. Heed this decree…for the use of Moroccanoil will, henceforth, transform your fried, lifeless locks into a mane of myth.

Moroccanoil Oil Treatment is a versatile hair product, made from the oil of the Argan tree. For centuries, Moroccan women have used this miracle oil to treat hair and nails, and to counteract the effects of the hot climate and aging.

In Philadelphia, we enlightened ladies like to treat our tresses to a little pre-shampoo Moroccanoil. Apply to hair (concentrating on ends) and cover with a shower cap for 30 minutes. If your hair is especially damaged, let hair marinate for a few hours or overnight. What kind of results can you expect? Moroccanoil’s many benefits include:

* Softens thick unmanageable hair
* Restores shine and softness to dull, limp hair
* Strengthens brittle hair
* Promotes healing and provides nourishment to hair damaged by coloring and styling
* Creates an optimal balance for the hair and scalp
* Nourishes the scalp (alleviates itchy, dry scalp)
* Protects against UV damage and other environmental factors
* Reduces drying time and speeds up styling time

Moroccanoil’s weightless non-greasy formula seals in shine, is perfect for all hair types, and won’t cause build-up on the hair. And the product is stored in an amber glass bottle to protect the oil from UV rays that cause oxidation and degradation.

You will notice a dramatic improvement in the feel and look of your hair after just one use. After introducing my mom to the line, she couldn’t stop raving about how Moroccanoil added softness and shine to her overprocessed hair. My mother doesn’t give compliments freely, so this endorsement was majah!


If you really want to go for the gusto, use Moroccanoil in tandem with the line’s other products.

The Masque is a rich, creamy conditioner, designed to hydrate and repair damaged hair. The Hydrating Styling Cream is a leave-in treatment that eliminates frizz, adds definition, and brilliant shine, while the pure argan oil conditions and hydrates the hair. And the Intense Curl Cream is used to enhance and define curly hair; repeated use will result in extraordinary hold, shine and protection.

Click here to find a salon near you that sells Moroccanoil. Or purchase products online at Amazon.com.

I've Got You Babe

While accompanying my mom on a recent trip to the Willow Grove Mall, I found myself drawn - like a moth to a flame - to the NARS counter at Bloomingdale's.

I was beyond thrilled to have finally hunted down the elusive Galapagos Eye Shadow, which was sold out at the first four stores I had visited. Before ringing me up, the saleswoman asked if my order was complete. I said yes, but then my eyes were seduced by the beauty of Babe Lip Gloss. It took me all of 30 seconds to decide that my lips would look delicious drenched in its sheer, fruit-punch red goodness.

I've worn Babe every day since, and I'm enamored. Punch drunk love, I call it.

NARS is available at Amazon.com, Bloomingdale's, Blue Mercury, Lord and Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Sephora.

I’ve Been Holding Out On Y’all

I’ve been holding out on y’all. Not on purpose, though.

Just now, I was searching around the blog – taking inventory, if you will, of what products I’ve tested thus far. When I went looking for my glowing review of Atopalm’s MLE Cream, it was nowhere to be found.

I must have told so many people about this miraculous moisturizer that I tricked myself into thinking I had reviewed it on Spoiled Pretty. But, alas, I did not – so here’s the 411, without further ado.

There’s nothing special or sexy about the packaging, fragrance (it's unscented), or name of this cream. But what I absolutely adore about this moisturizer is that Atopalm obviously put all of its resources into making a stellar product, rather than clever marketing.

Do you have dry skin? Do you suffer from dry flakes, no matter how much you moisturize? Is your skin extremely sensitive? Is rosacea your skin’s arch nemesis? Got a nasty case of eczema? Then you need to get this wonder cream!

Atopalm MLE Cream has plant-derived ingredients to aid in the replenishment of natural skin lipids to form a protective barrier against the elements. It also helps prevent the over evaporation of the skin's own moisture. And it helps in restoring the skin barrier depleted by microdermabrasion, facial peels, and other harsh treatments. It can be used on both the face and the body, is suitable for adults and children, and is side-effect free!

MLE Cream is the only moisturizer that quenched my perpetually parched face this winter. It fully hydrated my skin without turning greasy, even hours later.

Atopalm products are available at Amazon.com, CVS.com, and SkinStore.com.

I’ve Found Inner Peace – Want Some?

Have you seen those Axe commercials? You know…the ones where the guy mists himself with the aerosol spray, which makes him irresistible to women? Well, I think I’ve found the sophisticated, female equivalent.

Panpuri Inner Peace Body Butter isn’t your average lotion. This exotic moisturizer leaves skin sensually soft and the scent is absolutely intoxicating. Honestly, this product is so sexy that it might as well come packaged with a Barry White CD.

The body butter instantly sinks into and hydrates skin, while the floral-oriental fragrance is simultaneously heady and relaxing.

Additionally, there are no added perfumes or fragrances; only 100% pure essential oils (Ylang Ylang, Turmeric, Moist 24 of India, and Olive) are used to create Inner Peace.

Panpuri products are available on Amazon.com. You can also visit panpuri.com to find a retailer near you.

Tea Time

A few weeks back, I attended the TotalBeauty.com launch event at Space NK in SoHo, NYC. My trip up from Philadelphia was, let’s put it this way, an adventure. So upon crossing the threshold into the store, I quickly downed two glasses of champagne and perused the inventory with my fellow beauty bloggers – shout out to Marina, Elke, Julia, and Antonia for putting me at ease and making me feel so welcome!

I was introduced to many new brands and products that night, but the one that I immediately regretted not buying was the Thai Tea Body Wash from Philip B. Seriously, I was on Amtrak riding back to Philly thinking, “Why didn’t I get that body wash? It smelled sooo yummy.” After a week of hemming and hawing, I broke down and decided I had to have it; and it’s been a fixture in my shower caddy ever since.

Inspired by Philip B.’s journey through Asia, Thai Tea Body Wash is enriched with 20% pure botanical plant extracts indigenous to Thailand. Ingredients include Thai Tea (rich in antioxidants), honey (moisturizes), coconut oil (softens skin), milk proteins (gently exfoliates), peppermint (stimulates circulation), lemon grass (normalizes oil production), ginger root (soothes skin), and citronella (deodorizes and balances oil production).

The smell is sweet, yet invigorating (it reminds me of the spa) and is the perfect AM pick-me-up I need before starting my day. It foams well, and tingles a little on the skin - thanks to the peppermint oil.

At $40 (you can get it at Amazon.com for $35) it’s pricey; when I first saw the cost of the Thai Tea Body Wash, my eyes were as big as saucers…don’t ya just love my puns? But a little goes a long way, so don't use a cup when a teaspoon will do (there I go again) and use a loofah to extend the life of the 12 oz. bottle.

The Commitment-Phobe Finds A Fragrance

I recently introduced my sister, Lauren, to Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s line of fragrances – and was surprised by how strongly she responded to their Vanille Citrus scent. You see, Lauren is an incredibly fickle perfume user who never buys full-sized bottles because she can’t commit to just one.

The warmth of Vanille Citrus is nicely balanced by the zest of candied lemon peel, Brazilian orange, and blackcurrant syrup. With this sexy, playful perfume, you’ll be sure to stand out in a crowd of too-serious winter scents.

My sister raved about the smell, which she described as something akin to “vanilla lemon bars.” “It makes you want to eat yourself,” Lauren joked. “Vanille Citrus is not really a perfume to wear during a night out, but makes a great everyday scent – or a nice alternative to your favorite fragrance.”

Sold at Sephora and Amazon.com.

This Peel Makes Its Mark By Fading Yours

Just now, my mom called asking me to recommend a facial peel for my sister, Lauren. There are many types of peels on the market, so I inquired about what kind of result Lauren was looking for. My mom explained that the Molton Brown Skinbalance Toning Lotion I had raved about was doing a great job of clearing up my sister’s blackheads – but the process was resulting in some hyper-pigmentation. It didn’t take me long to offer a suggestion...almost immediately, I remembered a product I purchased over a year ago – that yielded great results.

Used consistently (1-3 times per week), Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel visibly reduces the appearance of post-acne marks. What I like most about the treatment is that it contains Salicylic Acid to prevent new breakouts from forming and discourage future marks. The product does a wonderful job of exfoliating skin…after using the peel, my skin had a healthy glow and was smooth as a toddler’s tuchis.

My only criticism is the smell – it isn’t pleasant, but it’s tolerable…and you get used to it after a while. In Spoiled Pretty’s opinion, it’s a small price to pay for smoother, clearer skin.

Available at Drugstore.com, Amazon.com, Walgreen’s, Eckerd, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart and Kmart.

Have You Found The One?

Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue perfume has been a favorite among women since its debut in 2001. Its mixture of Sicilian Citron, Granny Smith Apple, White Rose, and Amber is nice, but I never understood the hype. So on a recent trip to Sephora, when a saleswoman asked me if I’d like to try Dolce & Gabbana’s new fragrance, The One…well, I almost took a pass. But, as a beauty blogger, I have an obligation to neutrally report beauty news. I’m glad that I took one for the team because The One is warm, sensual, and sweet – just like we always dreamed ‘the one’ would be.

“The top notes radiate a vibrant luminosity, with a sun-touched citrus, while warm fruity notes of luscious lychee and succulent peach add to the delight. The passionate heart evokes an exploding femininity, with an opulent floral soul, creating a distinct, audacious signature. An unexpected hint of plum glows as the base finally blooms with luscious allure into the lasting warmth of vanilla and sweetened ambery-musk notes.”

The One is available at Amazon.com, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Sephora.

I Scream, You Scream

As a little girl, my favorite flavor and scent was vanilla. Not much has changed since then, as I still have a bit of a sweet tooth – and not just when it comes to food. That’s why I am so excited to try Organix Soft & Silky Vanilla Silk Blow Dry Cream.

It’s made with 100% Tahitian Vanilla Bean Oils and silk amino proteins to nourish and strengthen hair. Organix promises that the cream's "heat memory" lengthens the life of your style, while providing thermal protection from the heat of blow dryers, curling irons, and other hair styling tools. And Lucky Magazine says it smells like vanilla ice cream.

Why am I still writing about this and not out buying it?

Organix products are available at Target, Walmart, Walgreen’s, Amazon.com, and CVS.

Hell Has Officially Frozen Over

On Friday night, after returning home from a night out with friends, my husband took a long, hard look at me and asked, “Honey, when’s the last time you exfoliated?”

I was aghast at the question, considering this was a man who, just a few years earlier, had been cleansing his face with the same bar of Irish Spring he used to wash his body. He has since graduated to less archaic methods of skincare, but since when was he an expert in the art of exfoliation?

After taking a long, hard look at my dull complexion in the mirror, I reluctantly agreed that my husband might be on to something – so I asked what he recommended. He handed me his Energizing Face Scrub by Nivea For Men, and told me to give it a try.

As you all know, I’m not above using men’s products – so I applied some to my freshly-washed face and worked the product in in circles. The fine scrub particles are not for the faint of heart – so if your skin is on the sensitive side, you may find this to be a bit too abrasive. Otherwise, it’s great at unclogging pores and getting rid of excess impurity build up.

My husband’s Energizing Face Scrub did just what it promised – it smoothed my complexion by lifting off rough, dead skin. The “fine scrub particles” were a little more aggressive than I’m used to - so I think I’ll stick to my Fresh Sugar Face Polish and steal, I mean borrow, his Nivea Face Scrub once a week. And if he ever gets stingy and I have to go buy my own, it’s only $6.

Available at Drugstore.com, Amazon.com, CVS, Walgreen's, and Rite Aid.

The Beautiful People, The Beautiful People

From Elle to Essence, In Style to In Touch – it seems like every editor, stylist, model, and actress has fallen under the spell of Ojon. Month after month, my favorite magazines extol the virtues of this company’s products, particularly their Restorative Hair Treatment – “a versatile hair rejuvenator that strengthens and restores dry, damaged hair.”

With a price tag of $55 for 5 ounces, I was a little cynical. But then I figured that if Ojon was good enough for Gisele Bundchen, Demi Moore, and Scarlett Johansson, I could at least give it a try. So I picked up the 1.35 ounce jar ($22 at Sephora)…and now I’m wishing I had just trusted my gut and bought the 5 ounces.

The Restorative Hair Treatment is “Ojon in its purest form,” made with natural antioxidants and 100% pure Ojon palm nut oil - the same rare oil used by Central America's Miskito Indians, known as "the people of beautiful hair," for over 500 years. It instantly hydrates and fortifies damaged and abused hair, leaving it amazingly soft, shiny, and manageable. Even healthy hair shows a noticeable improvement.

What I heart most about this product I that it does triple duty. To use as a deep conditioning treatment, warm a teaspoonful in the palm of your hands and distribute onto dry hair, from scalp to ends. Leave on for 10-20 minutes, and shampoo well. For a leave-in conditioner, just warm a small amount in the palms of your hands until it becomes a lightweight oil, and distribute thoroughly through towel-dried hair. Heat a very small amount in the palms of your hands and smooth over the surface of dry-styled hair to use as a shine enhancer.

After using this product, I noticed the difference as soon as I blow-dried my hair. My mane was softer, smoother, and shinier than I’d seen it in a long time. Even better, I didn’t need to coat my strands with several different products, post-shampoo, to achieve this result. If there’s anything that I appreciate, it’s immediate gratification.

Bottom line: Restorative Hair Treatment is the secret to beautiful hair, in a nutshell.

Ojon products are available at Amazon.com, Nordstrom, Sephora, QVC (they’ve got some great discounts), and Ulta.