Beauty Gifts For Mother's Day

Mother's Day falls on May 8th this year. There's still plenty of time to get the mothers in your life a nice gift. I'm a very practical gift giver and feel like you can never go wrong with the gift of beauty products. Below is a list of some ideas to help you find something that is just right for mom. 

1. KISS Salon Secrets Acrylic Nude Nails- These are perfect for moms who stay on-the-go. They can do their own nails quickly and effortlessly. You can't ever go wrong with a nude look. These are available at Walmart for only $7.99.

2. The NEW Instrumental Beauty Sonic Touch Cleansing System will instantly freshen and brighten your complexion with the unique micro-pulsating action combined with stimulating silicone-cleansing points.  The massaging action wakes up the skin, shakes off loose impurities and encourages healthy blood flow.  It feels SO good!

The dual silicone cleansing surfaces feature one side with fine cleansing points for extra gentle cleansing and the other side with broad cleansing points for deeper cleansing. No replacement brushes needed and it's waterproof. I LOVE this item and I keep it on the side of my shower for everyday use. You can find it at Rite Aid for $34.99.

3. Yardley London Soap- This is a name that has been around for a long time. These bars are perfect if you are looking for an affordable option to pair with the sonic touch system. They come in these scents: English Lavender,  Oatmeal & Almond, Lemon Verbena, Aloe & Cucumber, and Cocoa Butter. They cost around $1.59 each and can be found at most major drug stores and retailers.

4. CLEAN Reserve Six Piece Travel Spray Layering Collection - For the moms who loves fragrance and is very earth conscious, this set it perfect. Mom can wear these natural scents individually or layer to make her own signature fragrance. You can find this set at Sephora for $45.

5. Susan Posnick COLORFLO - Make sure your mom has flawless skin and is protected against the sun's rays with Susan Posnick COLORFLO mineral foundation in a self-dispensing brush that delivers invisible coverage so you don't feel it or see it and powerful, completely natural sun protection of SPF 26. It really gives your face a polished and natural look. It is available at SusanPosnick.com for $68 and there are refills available.

Make sure you don't forget any of the important moms in your life, and most importantly, don't forget yourself! 

I received product samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Bring The Spa Home For Less This Valentine's Day

One of the things I'm sure many moms can agree on is that we never take enough for ourselves. We are constantly trying to shuttle kids around, cook, clean, tackling mountains of laundry, and we tend to feel frazzled by dinnertime. Going to a spa sounds like a great idea, but the reality is that it's just not doable for most of us. Besides the cost involved, there is that time issue. Well why not bring the spa home to you? 

By having some simple items, you can feel pampered and relaxed without stepping foot outside of your home.

The Home Spa Treatment System by Instrumental Beauty is a great first step. This amazing tool is a 4-in-1 and is made for your body, face and feet. It has 4 attachment heads that include an over-sized rotary brush for the body, smaller one for face, a micro-dermabrasion sponge and a pedi smoothing stone.

This tool come with 4 AA batteries and packs a lot of power. It is a great way to feel like you had a mini spa session. It scrubs away dead skin to reveal your natural glow and to restore smoothness. I keep mine on the side of my tub for daily use, because why not! This home spa system can be purchased for only $30. I know you or someone you love is worth that. I'm sure you will not get any type of spa service for that price. Also to go along with your spa system, you need a good bath and shower gel. The Yardley Lavender and Rosemary is perfect! It is made with lavender essential oil and will calm your senses. At only $4.99, it's a great value. Definitely way less than the boutique brands, and just as effective. It's available at Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Publix and more.

Make sure you don't forget your lips. Yes, even your lips should be pampered. Lypsyl Ultra Soothing lip balm is a simple way to make your lips kissably soft and smooth. Formulated from all-natural, pure Swedish beeswax, and a combination of natural and therapeutic ingredients like organic Shea butter, coconut oil, Vitamin E and Vitamin A, Lypsyl provides unsurpassed moisture and lip protection. It’s only $2.99 and comes in Chamomile & Honey or Original Mint. You can purchase it at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid and other retailers nationwide.

These items would make a great gift for Valentine's Day or as a just because gift. I'm thinking ahead of Mother's Day as well. Don't forget your co-workers, moms, sisters, girlfriends, teachers and YOURSELF!

I received product samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own as always.  

Back-to-school Beauty Essentials from KISS & Instrumental Beauty #AD

In less than 2 weeks, my kids will all return to school. My girls will both be at the University of South Carolina and are very excited for the year ahead. They have been hustling around shopping for those last minute must-haves and beauty products are very high on that list.

Lucky for them, they have some great items we received for review to get them ready to head back. First up, it's all about the fabulous hair styles. Although both of my girls have curly hair, my younger one straightens hers and likes to add some curls for a more polished look. The KISS InstaWave Automatic Curler is the perfect tool to make quick, easy waves and curls. What makes this tool so great is that it works on all hair types. It even works on my silky hair that usually won't hold a curl for very long. I posted a review before if you want to check it out. You can purchase the KISS InstaWave at KissInstaWave.com for $59.99. Any young lady would love this item and it would make a great gift for your favorite college student heading away to school this fall.

Along with great hair, you can't forget to take good care of your skin. My older daughter goes through some trying phases when it comes to her face. The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush is the perfect thing for her. The best part about using a sonic facial brush is that it removes dirt and impurities traditional face-washing can easily miss.

The cleaner your skin, the healthier it looks and feels. My daughter has used her facial brush a couple times so far and can feel a big difference. She's so pleased that it hold the charge for a long time and has a built-in timer that alerts you when it's time to switch to another part of your face. Go here for a full review of this item. The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush can be purchased at select drugstores and at InstrumentalBeauty.com for $80.00.

My younger daughter, Brie loves playing with color and especially when it comes to her nails. KISS imPRESS Manicure ($7.99 / Walgreens) is an easy way to get a fabulous mani with minimal effort. With so many colors and designs, you can have a fresh new look as often as you would like.

Here is what Brie had to say:
When I first saw the Kiss brand imPress press-on manicure nails, I was very excited to apply them to my own nails because of how beautiful and professional-looking each pattern of nail tips was. When applying the nails, the process was very simple. Directions were included both in and on the box, but I did not really need them because all that I had to do was clean and prep my nails with the included nail file, then remove the sticker from the back of the nail tip, and finally stick it onto my fingernail firmly for about 30 seconds. Due to the variety of sizes of nails included, I was able to select one to fit each of my fingernails with ease. I received several compliments on my manicure, and many people were shocked to find out that it was a stick-on manicure that I did myself due to the high quality of it. Although the application process was easy, several nails began to fall off after a few days. That may have been due to me not pressing the nails on securely enough in the application process, which I will definitely keep in consideration next time I apply the nails, likely in the near future. This nail product is very practical and professional overall. 

She is planning to play around with the KISS Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit ($9.99 / Walgreens) this week. Since she is already and artist, this art kit makes her very giddy. I'll post at a later date with what she came up with.

I received sample products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own as always.

Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush Review #ad

I have been seeing commercials for years about those sonic facial brushes and I never really thought I needed one. I have pretty good skin and I have my daily regimen that works (or so I thought). I got the opportunity to review the Instrumental Beauty sonic facial brush and decided to have an open mind. What does a sonic brush even do? Well, it uses sonic vibration technology to penetrate your pores to remove impurities that regular face washing misses. All this time I was thinking that my every day face washing routine was more than enough. Boy, was I wrong!

This amazing sonic facial brush has a sleek design and comes with 2 ultra soft bristle pads that fit securely on its own caddy/charging station. When I held the brush in my hand for the first time, I had to figure out how to charge it. It showed no battery unit from the outside. It is actually inside and the unit is made to be waterproof which means you can take it on the shower. This is especially helpful if you are using it on your neck.

The instructions state that you must charge the unit for the first time for 16 hours. It lights up in a bright blue so you might want to leave it charging in a room that you are not trying to sleep in. The brush has 3 speeds and it is very important to not use a lot of pressure when you put it against your skin. Trust me on that one! Also, make sure you are generous with the amount of water you put on the bristles. A dry brush will make you feel like you are scraping your skin. Again, trust me on that! You can use your favorite face wash or soap with this brush and you are well on your way to the most clean and smooth skin ever!

Speaking of soap, you must try out Yardley of London's New Nourishing Elements Artisan Soap. it is made with 100% sustainable vegetable oils, natural butters and botanicals. They are extra gentle on all skin types and are cruelty-free and biodegradable. They are available in in 2 varieties; Lavender & Rosemary and Oat, Milk & Honey. They retail for $4.99 for a 3-pack and can be found at drugstores nationwide. The Oat, Milk & Honey is my favorite!

Okay, back to the brush--- Once I figured out how the speeds worked as well as how much face wash I needed, I was well on my way to glowing skin. This brush is especially good because it has a built-in timer that pauses the unit for a couple seconds to remind you when it is time to move bristles to another area of your skin. I have been using my sonic facial brush once a day and I especially love the convenience of taking it in the shower with me. Overall, I really love the Instrumental Beauty sonic facial brush and highly recommend it to anyone looking for one. It would even make a nice Mother's Day gift.

The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush can be purchased at select drugstores and at InstrumentalBeauty.com for $80.00.

I received a sonic facial brush unit and soap samples for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own as always.