China Glaze: For Audrey

I've had this thing for Audrey Hepburn since I was a very young girl. There was something just so......elegant, flawless....and simply lovely. In my eyes she was perfect. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen, and there she was....standing outside the door at Tiffany's. She was everything that every girl I knew had hoped to be. Later, when I found out about all of her contributions to UNICEF, and even starting her own foundation for children in need....I knew that I had found my idol. She will always remain a beacon of classic beauty and loveliness. I simply adore her. So when a polish was released just 'For Audrey' I HAD to have it.

This polish was inspired by those pretty blue boxes that one receives when purchasing at Tiffany's. I suppose they had the idea to have a tiny bit of that luxury in a nail polish. They had the right idea. What girl doesn't love Tiffany's? Though...few girls can ACTUALLY afford it.....China Glaze created For Audrey for the 'Something Blue' collection, which I was a bit confused by to be honest with you, because when I thought it was a wedding 'inspired' polish. Er...maybe it's just me....But anyway, after much searching, I couldn't find it on any discount online retailers, and going to the ebay scalpers is for the birds so, I knew I had to set off on foot to find it. Eventually I did, at a little hole-in-the-wall beauty store across from a Nordys. They had an ENTIRE box full of them....which I was SHOCKED to see after searching on the internet for as long as I had. I picked up a bottle for $4.99, which isn't terrible considering that I own a small collection of Chanel poshes, some of which I had paid over $30 for (Black Satin about a year ago, when black polish reigned supreme). BUT, you CAN get 'For Audrey' online, for as low as $2.99. BUT, they do sell out fast on retailers that actually carry China Glaze, so if you see it available, definatly grab it while you still can.




When I first got it, I thought it would be the PERFECT summer pedi polish. And, I was right.....to some extent. The color is gorgeous...not quite the 'Tiffany' blue it was inspired by, but close. This polish may be a little too grey-blue for some gals. I've read several other reviews this claim that the polish washes them out, especially when you want your pedi to stand out in the summer. I'm very fair skinned, and the polish came out to a milky turquoise color on my toes. It was pretty, but I wasn't too sure if I liked the color on or not. I had never tried a light blue/turquoise polish like this before, and it was a bit much for me at first. But, I picked up a pair of lovely silver metallic flats at Nordy's the other day, and when I wore them to work, I received many compliments on the color (pic above is color in indoor lighting)




This polish is actually quite bland once indoors, or at least in my opinion. It kind of reminds me of the early ninties. Um....ew. But, in sunlight it's a lovely creamy blue, just like Tiffany's. Blue fans, definatly pick this one up. Lookin' for some adventurous new colors? Check it out. Lookin to complete the rainbow of yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, green...get it. But, your more classic pink/red/vampy girls....pass this one up. Also, if you're a woman of color lookin for some fun polish, I think that this pretty blue would look amazing against darker skin :)

My Lip Stuff Lipbalms, and other stuff <3

I just got my box of 9 balms in mail today to add to my collection of balms. My Lip Stuff (www.mylipstuff.com) makes all natural, animal friendly, homemade lipbalms and other bath/body products. I actually found them on PETA's "mall" for eco-friendly/vegan friendly shopping online. Of course, since I've been on this lipbalm kick lately, I had to try it. My Lip Stuff is known for thier 400 flavor collection of balms.....so there is definatly a flavor for everyone! Also, their products are NOT vegan....they use bees wax which many vegan do not use (while it's okay for some). BUT, they DO carry 100% vegan balms which are made from candelilia wax (instead of bees wax).

I wasn't really sure what to try, so I just picked up a few of the top sellers and a couple that I just thought sounded interesting: Cinnamon Roll, Rainbow Sherbet, "Mixed Mystery", Upside-Down Pineapple Cake, Monkey Farts and Peach Melba. I also picked up the intensly moisterizing Lickity Lips balm, and the Pink Cake Lip Gloss (which was HIGHLY recommended on the website). Okay, so lets get started!



Rainbow Sherbet: Let me just say that when I opened up the tube, it smelled EXACTLY like rainbow sherbet! I usually don't really like fruity ice creams (I'm more of a vanilla kind of gal)....but I was pleasently surpised the super juciy scent. As I appiled it, the scent became even more intense and the balm glided on smoothly, almost like a gloss. It left a lovely sheen to the lips, and absorbed quickly as it moisterized. The scent died down a bit after a few minutes, but still lingered on the lips. This would be the perfect balm for a date night (or at least if you were expecting a kiss ;) ) Very good balm overall.

Peace of Mind: I see why they call this Peace of Mind, the name is very suiting of the peppermint, spearmint, anise, basil and eucalyptus blend. As soon as I opened the cap, I could smell the refreshing scents of mint and licorice. It appiled smoothly, as of the other balms and absorbed quickly, and left a slight sheen. It also had a nice tingle when first appiled (like the Burts Bees lipbalms). It claims that you could use it to freshen your breath after a meal, but I would still stick with a tin of Altoids. But, like the Burt's Bees balms, the peppermint dries out the lips overtime, and might make you reapply more often. But, the scent is nice and pleasent compared to the other intense scents that have a time and a place; for this balm it's right before bedtime.

Monkey Farts: Silly name, I know. But this balm is a combination of bubblegum, banana, stawberry, kiwi, vanilla and grapefruit (dunno how they came up with the name, it's a bit off putting isn't?). It appiles and is essentially the same as the others (consistency in this brand is very good in my opinion compared to other homemade brands). When first appiled the balm has a VERY intense bubblebum smell....almost too overwhelming. BUT, after a minute or two, it mellows out, and I can definatly smell the notes of banana, strawberry, kiwi and vanilla (and not so much grapefruit, except in a slight tartness). Very good, but might want to pass it up if you are sensitive to intense scents.

Peach Melba: I've never had the dessert which was the inspiartion for this balm, but I just might now...Peach melba (just in case your like me, and had NO idea what it was) is a dessert with chilled peaches, rasberries, vanilla ice cream and a tiny bit of lemon juice. When I first appiled it, I at first smelled the rich vanilla, and then began to smell the other more subtle notes. Good balm, nothing special. Pick up one of the more interesting scents instead.

"Mixed Mystery"- the idea behind this balm is the 'mystery' scent which apparently changes each time you apply it. I'm not so sure about that....but it came free with my order, so I had to try it anyway. Essectially the same as the others. When appiled it had the same intense bubblegum scent, and really didn't die down until I wiped it off my lips. I'm not the biggest fan of bubblegum scents in balm, they give me a headache and just smell.....a little too strong for me.

Upside-Down Pineapple Cake- MmmmmMMmmmmmmMMmmm........probably has the best scent that I've tried on so far in the tube. You can immeadiatly smell the yummy yellow cake and frosting...and then you get the juicyness of the pineapple, which is absolutely AMAZING. It reminds me of summers sitting by the pool at my Aunts house and eating freshly baked Upside-Down Pineapple Cake under the cabana. The scent is sweet, but not TOO sweet versus the intense bubblegum (Monkey Fart) scent, which for me was a bit too strong.

Cinnamon Roll- I have a Cinnabon in the mall where I work, and occasionally I can smell the fresh baking rolls, even from the other side of the mall. As this is one of my all-time favorite desserts, there are sometimes when I just crave a fresh baked cinnamon roll. This is JUST like that......it smells warm, cinnamon-y, goey and delicious. You can seriously smell the frosting when you lick your lips....yummy. I would HIGHLY recomment this one for cinnamon roll lovers. It's like eating a cinnamon roll, without the guilt ;)

Lickity Lips- This highly moisterizing balm is unscented and has a thicker texture than the other lipbalms. It is meant for the more 'mature' crowd you just want all the moisture without the fun scents. Although, I think that it does smell like the spa....relaxing and natural, but nothing overwelming. Very good for very dry lips. Has the signature My Lip Stuff ease of appilcation and give a sheen to the lips. Perfect before bedtime for an overnight lip treatment.

Last but certainly not least:

Pink Cake Gloss: The gloss is in those old-school rollerball tubes that I used buy at the dollar store and smelled like candy. So, it had a little bit of nostalgia for me to get it....just with a super yummy flavor. I read quite a few reviews that were featured on the website and this gloss falvor was HIGHLY recommended. When I first even twisted the cap, it smelled exactly like freshly baked yellow cake (very similar to Jaqua's Buttercream Frosting). It glided on easily, even though it took a few seconds to get the ball rolling (pun intended). It left a nice 'wetness' to the lips, like just coming out of the pool. But, not a super glossy appearance (go with a MAC lip gloss for a UBER shiney lip). This is perfect for the girl who wants a glossy look, but without the worry of the gloss being stuck on her hair. Ovetime, it absorbs into the lip, leaving them nice and smooth. But on the downside, the slight gloss completly dissolves.

overall, the products were very good. The only problem that I had with the brand was its quick absorbtion. I prefer when I purse my lips and I can feel a little bit of something on my lips. This brand wouldn't be good for those who like to lick their lips, even from time to time because you would wipe off any product that you appiled. But, don't get me wrong it's not that big of a deal, and the yummy flavors more than make up for it!

Burt's Bees Lipbalm

I think that my love of natural products began when I became a vegetarian and started being more concerned about animals, animal rights and just, being good to myself! I know that not everything i buy can be eco-friendly and/or vegan, it is something that I opt for. So, I will also try to include some vegan options out there for our compassionate friends.

Burts Bee's is one of the lines that caters to the all natural crowd, a trend that I am happy for. Burt Bees products are NOT vegan, but are animal friendly and use products that you can actually pronounce, so rejoice y'all! The lipbalm in this line has become most recently, a cult classic, in the handbags of young starlets everywhere!

Classic Lipbalm: Each and every swipe of this cooling balm is refreshing to the mouth, and tingly on lips. While still not being unpleasant, it soothes the lips and simply feels devine. It's very, very, very moisturizing and leaves a slight sheen to the lips. The ONLY problem I have with this libalm is that the peppermint extact dries out the lips overtime, making one constantly reapply.

Lifesaver's Lipbalm: I don't know who thought of this balm....but's pure crap. It's thick and goopy like a glue-stick with the same milky color. When applied it whites out the lips and just looks.....well, unflattering. While it's meant to protect the lips from the sun (especially at the beach, hence the name) but contains no actual sunscreen of anykind.....which is basically as useful as using baby oil at the beach instead of sunblock.

Tinted Lipbalm (or Lip Shimmer): Nice, shimmery or matte lipcolors in a range of colors that women of all skin types and colors will enjoy. As a red lips kind of girl, I picked up the Raisin color and looooooved it. It is the same formula as the classic Burt's Bees lipbalm but with a dose of color. It was a sheer rasberry at first, but when appiled with a lipbrush, it became a very rich, true, blue-toned red. Lovely.

Pomegranate Lipbalm: I first saw this featured in an anti-aging artical in InStyle Magazine, and it immeaditaly appealed to me. I just love the juicy smell of pomegranates.......which is also known for being a major source of antioxidants. Okay, it's a win/win situations. I smells delicious, I won't look 50 when I'm 25. So I picked a tube up at my local pharamacy, and when I opened up the tube the smell was.....just like a freshly opened pomegranate. It's very tart in scent, but also with just the right amount of sweet. When applied to the lips, it leaves a very sheer pink gloss, with the tiniest bit of sparkle (which you can also see in the tube when looked at in sunlight). The only problem that I had with it, as amoung the other burt bee's that I've tried is that overtime, my lips do dry out and I need to constantly reapply. So gals lookin' for a single swipe of balm in the morning, you might want to pass this one up. ALSO, a warning to coffee lovers: for some strange reason this balm tastes absolutely horrid when you mix it with coffee. I'm not sure if it's just the taste, or one of the ingredients in it.....but it just tastes acidic :/ So, just pass on the lipbalm until after you drink your morning coffee

Cherry Gloss (also in other flavors): Is nice, but really nothing special. It has a nice, pleasent cherry scent and glides on smooothly. But, pick up the classic or pomegranate balm instead.

Lush Lip Squeak

My most recent obsession has been lipbalm, dunno why.....probably has something to do with the fact that the California Valley heat is just beginning and my lips have taken a beating....

So, here are just a small handfull of reviews of the small oasis of lip moisture that is is in the bottom of my purse right now

So, as shown right is Lush Lip Squeak lipbalm, which will cost you about $7.95. As a more $3-5 lipbalm kind of girl, this is pushing it. But, when a friend of mine would put this delicious smelling balm on, I could resist asking "where on earth did you get that?", she then intruduced me to Lush products....which Ive pretty much been obsessed with ever since. But anyway, as soon as she told me she got it there, I knew that I had to check it out. So, I drove over to my local Lush store, and when I got there....I couldn't remember the name of the balm for the life of me! All I could remember were the deep, rich notes of apples, cinnamon and vanilla! Luckily one of the clerks helped me find it when I described it for her, she knew right away that it was the lipbalm that was suitingly fitted in a little pink tin.

The lipbalm has a very smooth consistency, and glides on with ease. The smell is absolutely AMAZING.....it truely smells like apple pie a la mode! It's glossy for a balm, and could potentially be used instead of lip gloss if your prefer a more 'touchable' mouth look, which is much more natural. It moisturizes from the moment you put it on your lips, and stays there! The only problem is that, like a gloss, it doesn't absorb onto the lips like other balms do. So, when drinking from a water bottel, soda can, etc. it probably will smudge off. Which, for me at least is just another excuse to put more on (haha). But, another problem that I have heard of is the inconsistentcy of the products. Lush is an all natural line are pretty much homemade, which is to say that each and every little tin of lip balm ISN'T going to be exactly the same. A few of my girlfriends have found that some can be more 'vanilla-y' or thicker in consistency than others. Also, because of it's very intense smell, ladies or gentlemen that are sensitive to strong odors might want to try another balm.....

Overall Score: 8 outta' 10, baby!

welcome to rehab

Contrary to the name, and my own lack of a better name (and also to pay tribute to my beloved Amy Winehouse):

This is Beauty Rehab

Now, let's start this off right....you can call me Peach

no,no,no....it's not what your thinking....this is a place where beauty addicts like myself can come and pay homage to the beauty gods.....er, like Sephora...Labello lipbalm and Chanel Nail Polish (preferably in Organdy and/or Vamp) Whatever it may be, I promise that I will search to the ends of the internet to find the newest, hottest and latest in Beauty Products. Nail Polish, Shampoo,Conditioner, Lipbalm, Blush, Foundation, Hair Brushes, Lotions, Sunscreen, Toners, Mascara, Lipstick, Face Powder, Eye Shadow, Eye Liner......you name it, I got it. Now, as a fellow blogger, I am going to devote massive amounts of time and money (well, mostly money) to review the best of the best, from the cult classics, old-time favorites and the up-and-coming trends to share with you all

I will try to update my reviews daily, or at least as often as I can. So please, please, please check in often. It might be a bit rocky for the first few days to try and get thing off the ground, but in due time we'll get this par-tay started , okay gals?

Now, of course, my opinions/ reviews for each product are strictly my own.....I do have quite a bit of experience in recognizing what is good or bad in a product only because I have tried SOOOOOOOOOOO many products. Quality is whats MOST important to me, if it's cheap, it's a plus. Not that I'm one to skimp out on walking through the aisles of CVS. But of course, these are only the products that I find superior, or....not so superior. But, try it for yourself! Perhaps one mascara that worked for me, didn't with yours, or vice-versa! (Example: the often debated Maybelline Great Lash)

I want everyone to comment on my review, I want all voices to be heard! Don't be afraid to speak up!