giveaways | | The Gloss Menagerie

emerginC Scientific Organic Skincare

Recently I had the chance to try out a few skin care products from the brand emerginC. Not to be confused with the vitamin supplement, Emergen-C. Very different things. ;) EmerginC skincare is found at top spas, like the one inside Caesar’s Palace, for example. It’s also a line you might see at a dermatologist’s office. But if you aren’t going to a posh resort or a dermatologist any time soon, it can also be purchased from their website.

Also worth noting is that emerginC products are paraben-free if you’re into that, and free of artificial colorants or fragrance. None of the products are tested on animals, and they do not use animal-sourced ingredients. EmerginC takes it one step further and their cardboard packaging is only made from sustainable materials and the ink is vegetable-based. They are a safecosmetics.org compact signer. I’m interested to find out if they use those new biodegradable plastic bottles for their packaging too.

Now, I can’t really do in-depth reviews of these since I only got some little sample packets, so I haven’t been able to use each product that many times, but it’s enough to give you my first impressions and initial reactions to them. Of course, the longterm benefits of these products aren’t something I can tell you after only using each thing a couple times. Keep that in mind if you decide to try these.

I tried three products from the Scientific Organics line of emerginC products. I tried the Kombucha Cleanser, Phytocell Cream, and Phytocell Detox Mask. There is also a serum and toner that I haven’t tried that make up the complete Scientific Organics line.

Kombucha Cleanser
The Kombucha Cleanser is meant to just be a gentle cleanser that cleanses the face of makeup, dirt, and other impurities without drying/stripping your skin. It does exactly what it says it does. The texture of the cleanser is a light liquid, thinner than a shampoo or body wash. It does have a scent (not artificial) that I don’t really like. It smells kind of like dirt, or soil. I like what the cleanser does for my face (cleanses, doesn’t make my skin feel stripped, removes makeup), but the scent is off-putting. If you’re looking for a good gentle cleanser, this may be an option for you. However, it’s kind of expensive ($34 for 120 ml or just over 4 oz) and I’m sure you could find something else that smells better and does the same thing. This is advertised as suitable for all skintypes, and I agree with that. I think it would be suitable for just about anyone.

Phytocell Cream
The Phytocell Cream is an intense anti-aging moisturizer. It is meant to moisturize as well as revitalize the skin while brightening and protecting. Note, they say protect, but this is most likely because of the antioxidants in the cream. It does not contain SPF. Do not make the mistake of thinking this product will protect you from UV rays. The Phytocell Cream is definitely very moisturizing. I would suggest using this only at night, so that you don’t have to wear too many products on your face (spf, moisturizer, etc.). Save a moisturizer with SPF for daytime. I have combo skin these days and found this to be a little heavy. It didn’t break me out or clog my pores, but I felt like it was too much. A little goes a long way, and it takes a while to fully absorb. If you don’t have the time to wait around before applying foundation, that could be a problem. Because this is so moisturizing, you could probably just apply it all over including under your eyes and have that be enough moisture. This product is even more expensive, at $85 for just 50 ml, which is just under 1.7 oz. This says it’s suitable for all skin types, but I think it’s best suited for all skin types except oily.

Phytocell Detox Mask
This is a clay-based mask (French green clay to be exact) with a pleasant citrus aroma. It’s supposed to nourish and soothe while also drawing out impurities in your skin. Additionally, it is supposed to brighten your skin and fight free radical damage, giving you radiant skin. The mask itself looks like wasabi. It’s a green paste. :) Unlike other clay masks I’ve used, it didn’t really give me that “tight” feeling when it dried. The directions say to leave it on 10-15 minutes, and use 1-3 times a week. I left it on for 15 and rinsed thoroughly with warm water. Right afterward, my skin felt very soft. Then, after patting my skin dry with a towel, I realized I felt sticky. I know I rinsed really well, so that was annoying. I grabbed a toner to make sure I got everything off my face, and while there wasn’t any green clay on the cotton pad I used to wipe toner on my face, the entire cotton pad was a very dingy grey. Eww! I’m not sure if this is residue from the mask or the “impurities” drawn to the surface, but it was gross! I still felt kind of sticky so I went for a second go-around with the toner. Still grey. Gross!!! The third cotton pad with toner is finally clean. I’m going to be contacting the person at emerginC to find out if that was mask residue or gross skin purging yuck. I’ll update when I hear back. Anyway! The mask is $50 for 50 ml.

What do YOU think? I want to know…

I know skincare is very personal and very much a product that you have to try to really know if it works for you. So, with that in mind, I am going to send a sample of every product I reviewed here to one reader so that one of you can tell me how these worked for you! The winner’s review will also be posted here to my blog. Please just leave a comment if you are interested, letting me know why you want to try it. I’ll pick someone next week to receive the samples. Sorry, U.S. only for this little giveaway.

Giveaway is closed :) thanks!

8 Comments

Out in a Pout Giveaway

Oh. Em. Gee.

Have you guys SEEN this giveaway at Out in a Pout? It’s Jess’ blogiversary and she is giving away an AMAZING prize! It includes a Sugarpill quad, a Sleek palette (it’s the BAD GIRL palette OMG), MAC Stereo Rose, and so much more. The grand total value is over $130!

Go enter now!!!!

1 Comment

Softlips Holiday Giveaway

I’ve gone giveaway crazy this December! The next of my Decemberfest Giveaways is already here! This time the winner will get a yummy prize pack of limited edition/seasonal flavors from Softlips! The only other place you can get these flavors all together in a pack is the Softlips Online Store, where the pack is $9.99 (plus free shipping in the continental U.S.!). There are also some other gift packs that look really awesome. These would make cute stocking stuffers, or keep them for yourself! ;) I won’t tell.

The winner will get 5 flavors of Softlips SPF 20 lip balm. The flavors included are:

– Sugar Plum Berry
– Mint (with a hint of Vanilla)

– Sugar Cookie

– Sugar & Spice

– Winter Mint

To enter you must be a blog follower in some fashion (please tell me where you follow!), comment on this post. In your comment, tell me where/how you follow the blog, and what flavor of Softlips is your favorite or that you’re most looking forward to trying. My favorite is the chai tea flavor. Yum!

If I get 50+ entries, I’ll pick some bonus winners too. ;)

Winner will be chosen Friday December 10th in the evening (pacific time).

Prize provided by Softlips.

4 Comments

ELF Glitter Brush Review + Giveaway

I’m such a huge fan of ELF studio brushes, and I absolutely squealed with delight when I saw the new limited edition glitter handle set for holiday! If you click the photo below to view it full size, you’ll see a better view of the glitter handles.

The holiday set is the same as their regular 11-piece collection, but with cute glitter handles. The brushes included are:

Blush Brush – This has a great tapered shape, perfect for applying blush to the apples of the cheeks.
Powder Brush – I have sung the praises of this brush before. This is a dense, flat-topped brush that is perfect for full coverage foundation applications. I use it to apply MAC studio fix powder or mineralized skin finish natural. You could also use this for liquid foundation, or for blending blush or bronzer, there are lots of uses for this awesome brush.

Eyeshadow “C” Brush – This one gets a lot of raves but I hadn’t tried it until now. It’s a thick, short brush, great for blending. ELF says this brush can create a perfect smoky eye.

Small Smudge Brush – This tiny detail brush is perfect for placing color in the inner tear duct area or under the eye. You could also use it as an eyeliner brush.

Fan Brush – I usually hate fan brushes and don’t know what the heck to use them for, but this is actually a really nice fan brush. Many times they’re too floppy to really do anything with except brush aside eyeshadow fallout, but this one is firm enough to apply blush or highlighter with.

Angled Foundation Brush – This brush is an awesome take on traditional flat paddle-shaped foundation brushes. The angled shape allows for precision around areas like under the eyes or around the nose. Could also be used for applying facial masques or creme products.

Contour Brush – I love this domed, dense eye brush for blending crease colors, or adding depth to a look on the outer v.

Complexion Brush – This is a traditional fluffy paddle-shaped powder brush. I use this brush for applying setting powders, or the ELF complexion perfection powder.

Small Precision Brush – A tiny detail brush, with a more pointed end than the small smudge brush. This brush would actually function really well as a lip brush, too

Small Angled Brush – Not a whole lot of explanation here. Just a typical angled brush, good for liner, or actually as I prefer it, for brows.

Concealer Brush (not pictured) – Also a pretty typical concealer brush, though its shape would also lend itself well to applying cream eye shadows.

The whole thing comes in a nylon, water-resistant case. Because some of the brushes are small, there is room to tuck extra brushes into the case if you needed to, but the brushes included here are pretty comprehensive. I could perhaps have done without the small precision or smudge brush and used a fluffy blending brush for eyes, but seeing as how almost all other kits come with them, I already have several. :) As to the glitter handles, the glitter is within the plastic itself, not glued onto the handles. In other words, it won’t flake off or anything. If you have any of the MAC Hello Kitty collection with glitter packaging, it’s like that. The ELF studio glitter brush set would make a great gift for both makeup beginners or junkies– anyone who loves glitter!

Thanks to all who participated in the brush set giveaway! The winner of the brush set has been contacted. Additionally, 2 more winners were selected to receive BONUS prizes! Thanks for making my giveaway such a success. :)

Samples provided for review consideration and giveaway prize.

18 Comments

December Is Here!

December. Yeah. We’re here. Once Halloween happens, I think time goes faster. The month of November absolutely flew by for me. Historically, Novembers aren’t good for me, but this year’s was pretty good.

It’s December. December, to most of you, means one thing. PRESENTS! Come on, be a child again for a minute. Yeah yeah, it means peace on earth and love and stuff but mostly presents. This kid has the right idea. I will be holding Decemberfest Giveaways all throughout the month! I’m going to give stuff away. Like Oprah. Except not cars, and not to everyone. Maybe not like Oprah. And keep your eyes on my Twitter account for random surprise giveaways.

Thanksgiveaway – Revlon Nail Polish Perplex

The blogosphere is buzzing with news of Revlon’s new nail polish shade “Perplex”. They’re not even trying to say this isn’t a dupe of Chanel Paradoxal. In fact, the displayer for the polish says “this season’s it shade for less”. I love it. It’s a greyish traupey purple. Griege-purple. Purgriege? Grieple? What would you call it? There’s subtle purple shimmer that is just gorgeous. So I went to CVS today and picked it up. And got extras. I haven’t even tried this sucker on yet, but I knew I wanted to do a giveaway.

Check out gorgeous pictures of Revlon Perplex at The Daily Varnish, The Polish Aholic, Cutiegingerbread, The Phalanges Files, and at Nouveau Cheap.

To Enter: Comment below with the phrase “I am Perplexed!”.

But that’s not all! There is also a “Twit-Away” for Revlon Perplex! Simply tweet “I am Perplexed”, and make sure to @ reply me (I’m @glossmenagerie). And um, it would certainly help if you were also following me. Pretty please? :)

You may enter both giveaways ONE TIME EACH. Multiple tweets/comments will be disregarded.

This giveaway is open to everyone, world wide.

The winners have been chosen! Congrats to Carrie and @BPHoney, who each win a bottle of Revlon Perplex nail polish!

4 Comments

Civic Duty Giveaway

Elections are more than just really annoying political ads. I know sometimes it’s a pain to vote because you don’t like ANYONE on the ballot, or are disgruntled by politics in general, but please do not stay home on election day. Get out to the polls and vote vote vote! As a reward to you, I’m having a little surprise giveaway. :)

This contest is limited to voters, in other words you have to be in the U.S. and be 18+.

To enter… comment below with a link to a picture of your I Voted sticker! If you don’t want to link it here, feel free to email it to me with “I Voted!” in the subject line. You can also tweet your photo to me, but make sure you put @glossmenagerie in your tweet or I won’t see it! One entry per person.

If for some reason you voted but did not receive a sticker, get creative! Take a picture with someone wearing one, or use a sample ballot, etc. :)

I’ll accept entries until Midnight PST 11/3/10. I’ll choose at least one winner to receive a surprise treat. If I get a lot of responses I might randomly pick a few more. :)

InStyler Rotating Iron Review

I’ve been nagging you all for your questions, but now it is time to finally sit down and discuss the InStyler Rotating Iron with you. I have mixed feelings about this. I tried to give it my most honest and straight forward review, and did a lot of testing. This is going to be a long review, so bare with me. It’s all for you guys! For those of you who are not all that familiar with the InStyler, you can check out their official page here: www.getinstyler.com.

The InStyler consists of 2 main components– the bristle brush side and the rotating cylinder side. When you clamp the InStyler down on a section of hair, the cylinder rotates and the bristles brush your hair as you move the styler down the length of each section. Only the cylinder moves. There are tons of videos on Youtube of the InStyler in action on their Youtube Channel as well as the official InStyler site.

First, I’ll just tell you a bit about my hair so you get the sense of where I’m coming from with my review. I have fine hair, but tons of it. It has a tendency to get bulky and big as it grows. It has been a couple of months since my last hair cut. My hair tends to be wavy. I can usually get a pretty good straightened look with a blow dryer, round brush, and comb. Putting more volume into my hair is not an issue for me. Usually I am trying to tame my hair rather than give it more life.

This is what my hair looks like after blow drying, but without straightening. See? Not a lot going on that needs fixing. Btw yes I’m wearing a shirt.

Now that you know what kind of hair I have and what my issues are, here is what the InStyler claims to do:

* Use less heat on your hair (less damaging).
* “Polish” the hair leaving it shiny and soft.
* Work on damp or dry hair.
* Straighten and smooth hair without removing body, add body to flat, limp hair w/ the proper technique, curl or straighten hair depending on technique.
* Cut down styling time.

I used the InStyler in 3 trials. First I used it by itself after blow drying. I played with doing flips, curls, and straightening. Then I tried the damp to dry method. Then I pitted it right against my GHD straightening iron (considered by many to be the top of the line flat iron on the market)– I did one side of my hair with the InStyler and the other side with the GHD.

So how does it stack up against its claims?

Use Less Heat on Your Hair

The InStyler claims that you use less heat on your hair because of their rotating iron design, and thus it doesn’t damage your hair. Newsflash: any kind of heat styling will cause damage to your hair. One of their little infomercial clips even has someone saying “so that’s like no damage” and they’re like “yes, yes!”. No. Lies. Anyway, there are 3 heat settings. You can use the lowest heat setting, but I found that even on my fine hair I had to pass the styler over several times, which kind of defeats the purpose, no?

Polishes Hair Leaving it Shiny & Soft

This one kind of has me lol’ing. To me, my hair always looks shinier after I straighten it because you can simply see the shine better on a flat (straight) surface. To prove this point when I did one side of my head with the GHD and one side with the InStyler, I saw no difference. Both sides were equally shiny and almost equally soft (I’m actually going to say I think the side I did with the GHD was a tiny bit softer). Mr. Boyfriend’s first impression was that the GHD side was shinier, but he wasn’t really sure and said the difference was so subtle that he wasn’t even sure if it was just the lighting.

Damp to Dry
I am a huge skeptic of any iron that says you can use it on wet hair. When I got my first straightener the thing my stylist friend stressed to me the most is “don’t flat iron wet hair”. But I decided to take one for the team and steam iron my hair for you all to see how this damp to dry method works. Or rather, doesn’t. I let my hair air dry until it was just damp. Exactly as the directions say. I detangled it, and then went to work straightening it. What I noticed was even though I did as they said on the directions (highest appropriate heat setting, moving SLOWLY through small sections), the hair was still damp after several pass-throughs with the InStyler, and it was retaining the heat and felt terrible– frizzy, fly aways, etc. If your hair doesn’t handle humidity well (like mine), this is literally like torture for it. Even I couldn’t take any more and I just gave up. So basically, if you decide to get an InStyler, don’t do this.

Styling and Volumizing
To put it simply, yes, these claims are completely true. It is entirely possible to straighten your hair with this tool without removing the body from your hair. It is also totally easy to add volume to your limp, flat, lifeless hair with this tool, too. However I really don’t think it is any easier than just using a flat iron. In fact, here’s a great tutorial on Youtube explaining how to get volume with a flat iron and a round brush. And here is another tutorial on how to get volume with just a flat iron. You can also make your hair look limp, flat, and lifeless with the InStyler. You can curl your hair with a flat iron, too. Basically what I’m getting at here is this is more about technique than it is which hot tool you use. I will say though that the InStyler is very easy to use!

Cuts Down on Styling Time
Depending on how difficult your hair is to style, this may help you. I suppose if the damp to dry feature worked the way it says it would on my hair it would definitely cut down my styling time, but instead I will stick to my trusty T3 dryer (or my Conair Infiniti! Guess it depends on if I feel like pink or orange…). Best to leave the drying to the dryers. Let a styler be a styler. Seriously. I went out and bought an argan oil treatment because my hair felt so gross after that experience. For me, the InStyler doesn’t really work any faster than my GHD. Not saying that either one takes much time (I don’t have very long hair anyway). The whole process of doing both sides of my head, switching to the GHD after I did the InStyler side, etc. took about 30 minutes.

More Reader Questions
Does it pull your hair? No. I was pleasantly surprised because you kinda think it would by looking at it, right? No pulling/snagging at all. You do need to detangle your hair before using, and I made sure to do that.
How long does it take to do your hair? My whole head takes about 20-30 minutes.
Does it cause frizz? Only when I used the damp to dry method. *shudder*
Does it make noise? Yes, but not a lot. It’s a lot quieter than a blow dryer, and definitely quieter than any electric razor I’ve ever used.

After – Side 1

After – Side 2

Can you tell the difference between Side 1 and Side 2? Which is which? You tell me!

Alright DO YOU NEED THIS?
Maybe. IF you have curly hair, the bristles in the InStyler may really cut down a lot of your straightening time. In the many videos I watched, the people who seemed to have the best results with this straightener are those with curly hair. The design of the InStyler seems to be most suited to that hair type.

My hair is not hard to straighten or style at all because it’s just wavy, and really doesn’t tangle at all. Ever. It’s freakishly untangled. If you aren’t worried about straightening/curling and just still looking for that magical product that is going to give you major volume and body, skip it. You can achieve the same results with the tools you probably already have.

If you don’t have a flat iron already, it will be fun for you to play with. What I’m really thinking about right now though is cost. The InStyler will run you about $100 before tax (and don’t go running to ebay, there are tons of FAKES out there, beware!). You can get a pretty darn great flat iron for about half that at your local beauty supply.

I’m not saying this is a bad product, it just may not be necessary depending on your needs. If you’re seriously hair challenged, it might be worth it for you as the InStyler does make it pretty idiot-proof! ;)

If you answered “yes, I want that!” after reading the above paragraph, I’ve got good news for you! One lucky reader is going to receive a FREE InStyler Rotating Iron! While I am not certain this tool is for everyone, I do think it has some good things to offer, and it’s free, so why not give it a shot? I would really love for the winner to review the InStyler, too. Part of what makes the beauty world so fun is how different people’s experiences with the same product are. So please only enter this giveaway if you’re willing to send me a quick review once you’ve gotten a chance to play with it. :)

To enter, post a comment on the blog! Tell me your name, your email, and a little about your hair or why you want to try the InStyler.

One (1) winner will be chosen on Saturday August 28th, so you have to get your entries in before then.
US entries only, please!

If you don’t win a free InStyler and you would like to buy one, I know Walgreens has them and they are the authentic InStyler, so try there!

Product provided by PR for consideration, and giveaway generously sponsored!

9 Comments

Win $50 in L’Occitane Products!

As I continue to celebrate my birthday month, I have another fabulous giveaway for you! This time one lucky winner will win $50 in products from L’Occitane! The coolest part about this giveaway is you get to pick your prize! L’Occitane has a huge selection of natural beauty products to choose from, including some simply divine French soaps. All are very high quality and smell so wonderful. Pictured above is one of my favorites, the verbena shea butter soap. I would seriously keep one of these around just to sniff it all the time; I love the way it smells! I suppose I really ought to just get a candle rather than keep hoarding the soap… Shea butter is so good for parched dry skin. I have made a sizeable dent in my little tin of pure shea butter from using it on my heels constantly, and an equally large dent in my bottle of shea lotion.

If you’re not familiar with the L’Occitane line, do yourself a favor and check it out. There are lots of really affordable, luxurious products there that are sure to help you in the pampering department. ;) There is a line of really nice men’s items too, so male readers don’t be shy about entering!

To enter, just leave a comment below with your name, email, and mention a L’Occitane product you love or want to try. This contest is open to continental U.S. readers only. If you would like 1 additional entry chance, tweet about this contest and link me to the status update.

I will accept entries all the way through August 21st at midnight PST.

By the way, when I say email, I mean in the form you fill out to leave a comment. You don’t have to leave your email address in the body of your comment. ;) This is to protect you from spam bots.

Edit After The Fact: Giveaway is closed and the winner has been notified. ;)

Giveaway prize generously sponsored by L’Occitane.

21 Comments

Conair Infiniti Pro Hair Dryer Review & Giveaway

I was recently able to try the new Conair Infiniti Pro hair dryer. This dryer has an A/C motor; it is the same high-quality motor used in expensive salon tools. Now, the hair dryer I have and love is the T3 Pro, which cost me a hefty $119, but I’m madly in love with the thing. Keeping that in mind, here’s what I think of the Conair Infiniti Pro:

Weight – If your hair takes forever to dry, the last thing you want is to feel like you’re hoisting a brick over your head to dry your hair. While this dryer is still heavier than my T3, it’s not so heavy that my arm gets tired when holding it.

Speed(s) – The Conair Infiniti Pro has 2 speeds (High and Low). The Low is still pretty powerful, and for the most part it’s all I use. The High setting is kind of jet-engine like. ;)

Noise – It always amuses me when a hair dryer claims to be quiet. Like many others, this one does too. I have yet to hear a truly “quiet” hair dryer! I don’t really feel this dryer is any more quiet than others.

Temperature – The Conair Infiniti Pro has 3 temperature settings. The hottest one is basically molten and I don’t plan on using it. I’m a total wimp when it comes to heat styling, anyway. The other 2 heat settings are enough to get me through drying my hair, which is fine but I have a ton of it. There is also a cold shot button which I really like to use. It really does get cold too, not a “cool” shot button. ;)

Attachments – The Conair Infiniti Pro comes with 2 different concentrator attachments. I’ll admit I didn’t even know there was such a thing as more than one kind of concentrator attachment, so I had to ask what the difference is. The information I got from Conair about the two attachments is:

“The concentrator that curves outward towards the outlet offers a concentration of air that is a bit longer in length and a bit hotter in temperature than the concentrator that has the two vent holes at its base.”

So there you have it! Two nifty attachments. I would have liked to get a concentrator and a diffuser, though…that gives you more styling options. I do not know if there are any diffusers you can buy that will fit this dryer. If you know of any give me a shout. I broke down and bought the diffuser for my T3 Pro, so I could try to fit it on there but I think the barrel of the T3 might be slightly smaller.

Drying Time – Drying my hair (which is shoulder length) takes roughly 18 minutes or so with this dryer. It’s slightly longer than the time it takes me to do it with my T3.

Results – I’ve never really had a huge problem with frizz (except when it’s really humid out, which it isn’t very often here in so-cal), but I do have an issue with flyaways. While my hair does come out looking sleek and smooth, I do notice more ‘floof’ (that’s a technical hair term) after using the Conair than I have after using the T3. Some of this could just be due to me being not as familiar with how to use the Conair as I am with the T3, having had my T3 much longer.

Overall, at $39.99 or so, the Conair is a great value. I definitely feel like this is a salon-quality tool. The AC motor will last roughly 3x longer than the average dryer with a DC motor, which is also nice. It certainly beats the big price tag of the T3! Not that I regret paying it, but I couldn’t afford that now and I’m sure a lot of you are in the same boat! I also read in the latest Ulta circular that this dryer is on sale! I think it’s like $25. So if you want a really nice, inexpensive hair dryer, do check out the Conair Infiniti Pro.

OR JUST TRY AND WIN ONE… ;)

Like the sound of this hair dryer? Now you can have one of your very own! The Gloss Menagerie is happy to offer one lucky reader a free Conair Infiniti Pro! (US residents only)

To enter, please email me the answer to this trivia question using this form (don’t post it as a comment).

Question: What household item did women use as a hair dryer before they had hand-held dryers like the ones we have today? Hint– it’s not a towel, lol.

This giveaway is closed. The winner has been selected and she has claimed her prize!

Review product & giveaway prize generously donated by PR!

2 Comments