What is it? Lisa Hoffman's Spa Shower Hand and Foot Cream is available online and costs $17.95. "You'll feel a whole new kind of softness with this Shea Butter-rich formula. It's so luxurious, your skin will drink it up instantly. Stay soothed and comforted all day long. Exclusive ingredients and fragrances are gathered in a sustainable manner from rainforests around the globe. A portion of worldwide sales are donated to The Rainforest Foundation to lend support to the people living in these regions."
What did you think? Lisa Hoffman is Dustin Hoffman's wife, and she has a whole line of bath and body products. I've been trying out some of her products, and this hand and foot cream has emerged as my favorite of the bunch. But before I get to it, let me just say that all the products from the Lisa Hoffman line are a little slice of luxury without an insane price tag. Allure magazine has given major props to Hoffman's Bath Soak in both 2008 and 2009.
Ok, now on to the Hand and Foot Cream. It's so nice! The packaging is interesting--you basically pump down the center of the tube and just the right amount of product comes out. The cream absorbs quickly into the skin, so you don't get stuck with greasy hands or feet. No...instead your skin feels perfectly hydrated.
When I put this on, my husband looked over at me and said "hey-you smell really good!" And he's absolutely right. All of the Lisa Hoffman products, including the Hand and Foot Cream, smell fabulous.
The final verdict? For less than $20, this product will make both your hands and feet exceptionally soft without any yucky greasiness. And you'll smell great to boot. What's not to like? This product--and the entire Lisa Hoffman line--would make for a perfect gift...to yourself or anyone else! Try it...you'll like it!
Beauty Product of the Week: Hand and Foot Cream
Beauty Product of the Week: Smooth My Sole
What is it? Dr. Scholl's Smooth My Sole Microfile " is an effective, yet gentle stainless steel file that removes rough, dry skin and calluses to reveal soft, smooth skin. Stainless Steel ProSharp™ Micro File to remove rough, dry skin and calluses. Ergonomic Design - Designed to fit well in a woman's hand. Translucent, so you can see shavings accumulate as you file. So gentle, it won't burst a balloon. Easy, no mess disposal Smoothing pads provide the finishing touch!" Available at drugstores and wherever Dr Scholl's products are sold for about $10.
What did you think? I must admit I was a little nervous about trying this product. It looks a lot like the Ped-egg you see advertised on late night TV. The idea of a cheese grater like tool for my feet made me squeamish.
Despite my trepidation, I gave this a shot. And it works wonders! I get rough patches on the balls of my feet...and these rough patches are thick and gross. When I get pedicures, they require extra attention and when I leave, they're only a little better than when I walked in. But Smooth My Sole quickly, easily, and painlessly files away rough patches, leaving my feet feeling smooth and perfect.
Also included are "smoothing pads" that buff up your feet post filing. The pads are ok--they don't seem to do a whole heck of a lot. But the file? Wow! It really works.
The final verdict? I give this one a thumbs up...and that surprises me. I was fearful of this product at first, but it does a nice job at a very decent price. $10 for a product that gives top-notch, at home professional pedicure results? What's not to like?!
When Life Stresses You Out....
Get a pedicure!
I'm tired of day job drama, so I'm going to focus on being nice to myself for a bit (since everyone is hell bent on beating me down). I ran off yesterday and got a much-needed pedicure. I now have Vodka & Caviar red toenails and smooth feet. Yay!
I think I'll schedule an also needed bleach and tone for my hair later this week. If I'm not going to be kind to myself, no one else will!
I'll be back with a real beauty update soon enough...I promise.
Ask Lydia x2: Face Cleansers and Foot Care!
I've had two questions from readers lately. If you have anything to add, please leave a comment. I appreciate your thoughts, and so do two of your fellow Kiss and Make-up readers! And if you want to ask me anything, shoot me an email (asklydia@hotmail.com).
Question #1: I have normal to oily skin. What facial cleanser would you recommend that could double as a makeup remover?
Even though I did a "Battle of the Eye Makeup Removers" awhile back, I never use a special makeup remover. I don't have the time for it, and honestly...unless I'm wearing a ton of makeup, I don't see the need for it. Who wants to buy a special product when they don't have to?
When it comes to face cleansers, my first rule is stop using soap. Soap makes your skin too tight, drying it out and leaving it in need of extra moisturizer later. Instead, try a gentle product specifically designed for the more sensitive skin on your face.
If you want a high end product, I'd recommend Philosophy's Purity Made Simple. It effectively removes makeup--even tough to get off mascara and eyeliner--without striping away your skin's natural (healthy) oils. If you're looking for a drugstore brand, any of Olay's facial cleansers are worth a try. I usually keep a tube of Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Cleanser in the shower and a bottle of Purity Made Simple by my sink. And on days when I am really lazy, I swear you cannot beat Boot's 4-in-1 Quick Thinking Face Wipes, as I've said many, many times before!
Question #2: I've been wondering if you know of any good pedicure products. The heels of my feet are in awful shape (really rough), and it always tickles too much to have them filed or whatever when I get a pedicure. Do you have any recommendations for a good pumice stone that will really do the trick? My foot filer thing hasn't been working too well.
I try to get regular pedis in the summer (once a month if I can swing it), and I always worry that I am going to laugh when getting worked on. Sometimes I can't help it, but I can usually quash my giggles with the latest edition of Town & Country magazine (for some reason, reading a snooty magazine while getting a pedicure seems like the right thing to do!).
If you don't have the time or resources to go in for a pedi--or if you're ultra ticklish!--there are plenty of products you can try at home. Look for high end, high quality (high priced) products from Tweezerman. Their Pedro Callus Stone has a decent handle and is easy to use. If you don't want to invest in an expensive tool, all you really need is a decent pumice stone. They're typically pretty cheap and readily available. Look for affordable products from Earth Therapeutics (I adore their foot wipes in the summer time!), ecoTOOLs, or the ultra cute, budget friendly Ms. Pedicure line of goods.
One word of caution, and this is coming from me, a beauty enthusiast, not a professional: avoid callus shavers. They shave off the skin from your feet and are very effective in the short term. I forget where I read it, but supposedly over-use of callus shavers can actually worsen your callus problem. I've only had a callus shaver used on me once--in a salon I won't be going back to. The whole thing freaked me out for some reason. But hey....maybe that's just me.
So readers: if you want to add your thoughts, please do so!
New Goodies at HSN!
They're baaaack! The girls of Home Shopping Network's Faces of Beautiful You series are back at it with two new episode. And as always, they're featuring some pretty nifty products at great prices. Swing over to their website to and check out these featured products:
M. ASAM TINTED DAYCREAM
I love a good multi-tasking product. In the morning, I don't always have time to apply foundation, so this product is a huge time saver. This tinted moisturizing day cream is super quick to apply. It provides just enough moisture without being greasy, and the slight tint of the cream evens out skin tone in a snap. The day cream is lightweight and contains healthy ingredients like grape seed oil and Vitamin C. It also smells nice! Cost: $24.95.
EARTH TO SKIN CARE SUPREME EXTREME FOOT KIT
It's almost time for us to bare our feet now that the weather is (hopefully) warming up. I don't know about the rest of you, but after the winter we've had, my feet are in need of some TLC. This kit includes all sorts of fun products to make my feet sandal ready like: peppermint foot powder, cracked heel renewal, exfoliating scrub paste, and foot soak pearls. Cost: $24.95.
M. ASAM CLASSIC BEAUTY NAIL SET
Now that you've tended to your feet, don't forget to care for your hard working hands! This popular kit contains some amazing products like an easy to use cuticle care pen, a hand scrub that makes your hands feel velvety smooth, and a nourishing, non-greasy hand cream among other goodies. Cost: $29.95.
Don't forget: you can get a Faces of Beautiful You widget at their website or become a fan over on their Facebook page.
Beautifully Stuffed Stockings
One of my favorite parts of Christmas morning is tearing into my stocking. As I kid, my mom filled our stockings with small toys, office supplies (which I have an unhealthy obsession to!), and makeup products. Even though the gifts were small in size and value, it was always fun to see what my mother found for us.
Makeup products make for the perfect stocking stuffers since they're small and fun. However, if you're not careful, a well-equipped stocking could set you back a pretty penny. Well, I'm here to help! You don't need to spend the equivalent of a month's car payment to have a fab beauty inspired stocking.
Consider some of these products or get them all for about $75 (note: prices are approximate and don't include tax, shipping, etc.)!
- Winter means dry skin, and dry hands in particular. Add Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream to a stocking for soft, smooth hands smooth all winter long. $7.00
- Nail care products are ideal for stockings. Pick up a new nail clipper from Revlon for $3, a funky-printed nail file from Tweezerman for $5, Salon Formula nail polish remover for $3, Sally Hansen cuticle cream for $5, and a trendy, crazy bottle of polish from NYC (New York Color) for $1.
- Don't forget the feet! Pick up a pack of Earth Theraputic's Tea Tree Oil Foot Wipes for $5.25 (I love those things!), a pumice stone for $1.50, and a travel-size of Bath and Body Works foot cream for $6
- For the bath, try a fancy bar of Cranberry Shimmer Soap from the Body Shop for $3.50, a sisal bath mitt from Earth Theraputics for $3, a super-cute Snowman Bath Bomb from Lush for $4, and a retro-inspired bottle of Mr. Bubble bubble bath for $3.
- If you want to add a cult-fave to your stocking, add a tube of the ubiquitous Burt's Bees Lip Balm for $3. Or, in keeping with the Mr. Bubble feel of things, why not pick up a tube of Bonnie Bell's Strawberry Lip Smackers for $2.30.
- And finally, add a few tools to your stocking. Pick up a Revlon eyelash curler for $5, a mini brush set for $6, mini tweezers from Tweezerman for $9, and a small makeup bag for $4.
Get Natural At CVS
Damn! I've said it before and I'll say it again: I soooo wish we had CVS/Pharmacy out here in Washington state. I keep hearing about fun, exciting new products that are exclusive to CVS and I'm jealous that I can't check them out!
A new line of products is launching at CVS that I'm currently trying out called Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary. So far, I'm liking what I'm trying.
Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary products have an old-fashion meets the modern day feel. Their products provide benefits to both the skin and the senses and they have items to meet the needs of your face, lips, eyes, and body. They also have some products that will help cure what ails you! Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary products are more than 94% natural and contain no harmful ingredients. The key ingredients, such as Lavender and Peppermint, are good for your skin good for the earth. And their product are all under $12, so they're easy on the budget, too!
Here are a few products to check out:
- Vickery & Clarke Foot and Leg Spray: If you spend your days on your feet at work, or if you're out and about shopping for the holidays, your legs and feet may need a quick pick-me-up. A few quick sprays of this will stimulate your skin and make your legs and feet feel more alive.
- Vickery & Clarke Ultra Rich Eye Cream: I've been using this undereye treatment for the past few days. It's very thick and rich, but it feels so good going on and it really seems to moisturize the eye area.
- Vickery & Clarke Detox Bath Soak: These bath salts contain ginger, an old folk remedy that will stimulate circulation and help you sweat out any nasty impurities. Perfect for the holidays!
Well THIS Sounds Fishy!
I saw this on the Internet the other day, and now my local news station ran a syndicated story about it.
Apparently, there is a salon in Virginia that uses fish...carp, to be exact...to remove callouses and other hard/scaly skin from your feet. Don't believe me? Click here for the story.
What do you think about this? Would you be willing to plop your tootsies in a tub full of fish at your next pedi? I think it's kinda yucky. It reminds me of the old times when doctors would use leeches for bloodletting to cure what ails you. I just don't think I want to go there. But I guess I can't knock it til I try it, right?
