From the category archives:

Bath and Body

Jo Malone Reviews, Jo Malone Review, Pomegranate Noir review, fall 2009, holiday 2009, beauty blog, product review, makeup reviewWho would have ever thought the crisp, snappy scent of Pomegranate could be made so utterly seductive?  Jo Malone!  The Pomegranate Noir scent should be your choice if you’re in search of a fragrance to set the scene for a romantic encounter.

The inspiration for Pomegranate Noir was a red silk dress.  Notes of pomegranate, raspberry, plum, pink pepper combine with patchouli, frankincense and spicy woods to create this magical, mythical, mysterious scent.

For the holidays, Jo Malone has packaged Pomegranate Noir Bath Oil (200ml), Body Crème (175 ml) and a special-edition Body Powder to make the ultimate, luxurious bath & body holiday gift.

The Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Pamper Kit retails for $245.  If you’re looking to buy the scent, stand-alone, a 30mL bottle retails for $55.  A 100mL bottle retails for $100.

Click HERE to buy it from Jo Malone online.

Click HERE to buy Jo Malone at Nordstrom.

Click HERE to buy Jo Malone at Saks.

The author of Raging Rouge received press samples for purposes of this makeup review / product review.  For more information on sample policies, please click HERE to read my full disclosure statement.

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beau bain, bath bombs, petite bath bombs, holiday 2009, product review, makeup review, bath & body

Great news for those of you in search of a great gift idea!  Beau Bain recently announced that their beloved bath bombs are now available in petite versions!

I’ve written about the virtues of Beau Bain in the past, and it’s safe to say my entire family is crazy about this brand.  My personal favorite “flavor” bath bomb is Coconut Lemongrass.  The scent has a zippy citrus element that puts a little pep in my step, while simultaneously giving me a 5 minute tropical vacation with the essence of exotic coconut.

My obstacle to a relaxing bath is my oldest son.  He is obsessed with these bath bombs.  If I dare take one out for my personal use, he hoards it for play.  While an apothecary-styled jar filled with mini bath bombs makes a wonderful gift for others, it also makes it much easier for me to “share” with my little guy.  One mini for the tub, one mini for his play.  I manage to get my 5 minutes of R&R while he is gleefully entertained.  Bath-time bliss!

A large jar of 12 petite bath bombs retails for $30.  A small jar of 6 petite bath bombs retails for $15.  Two great holiday price-points!

Click HERE to head over to Beau Bain to check out these new additions to the bath & body fun!

Click HERE to read my original review of full-sized Beau Bain bath bombs.

Click HERE to read about Beau Bain’s divine whipped body cremes and scrubs in a feature story called “Always The Bridesmaid.”

The author of Raging Rouge received press samples for purposes of this makeup review / product review.  For more information on sample policies, please click HERE to read my full disclosure statement.

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When I recently received word of this promotion via email, I knew I needed to blog about it immediately for the benefit of my readers.

Ordinarily, I pass on Body Oil. Slathering myself in oil generally makes me feel more like a salad than a woman, but the LaLicious formula is different. LaLicious Body Oil has a gel-like consistency, making it less messy and easier to control while applying.  It absorbs rapidly enough that I'm never concerned about staining my clothing, and leaves behind the slightest hint of yummy scent.  My super-dry skin just drinks this moisturizing formula right up!

Ordinary retail price for the LaLicous Collection Gift Set (pictured above) is $95, but from November 15 through January 2, you can score 25% off of this set!  What a terrific hostess gift this box of 4 full sized products would make.

The Collection Gift Set is offered in the following scents:  Brown Sugar & Vanilla, Coconut Cream, Lily Mango, Passionfruit Lime, Island Guava, Tahitian Flower and Peppermint. My pick for the season?  Peppermint. Unlike some "mint" scents that can be overpowering in a menthol sort of way, the LaLicious take on Peppermint is sugary sweet, just like a candy cane!  Yummy!

Click HERE to visit LaLicious to check out their extraordinary bath and body products!

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tria review, tria reviews, home laser hair removalUpon receiving my Tria Laser Hair Removal System, I was terrified.  Who could blame me?  The contraption (pictured at left) looks more like space-aged weaponry than any beauty tool I've ever seen!  After weeks of glancing at the box and nervously shuffling by it, I finally decided to take the plunge.

Startup is easy, but for safety reasons, you need to call customer service to activate the laser before your first use.  The instruction manual claims this call will last for about 5 minutes.  My call took 5 1/2 minutes to almost the second, and only because I asked a LOT of questions.

"Laser Hair Removal" is a bit of a misnomer for Tria.  Unlike some hair removal processes, Tria requires no growth at all prior to use.  In fact, to use Tria properly, you have to be freshly shaved.  What Tria does promise is that over time, the tool will actually prevent hair from regrowing.

Once activated through customer service, you're ready to get started!

tria review, tria reviews, home laser hair removalEach time you use Tria, you need to activate the system using the Tria skin sensor (pictured at left).  The sensor determines if your skin is acceptable for the Tria to be used.  It also happens to be an excellent way to ensure that the kids don't accidentally play with it!

How to use:  Start on the lowest Tria setting, and work your way up to higher settings until you find the feeling too uncomfortable.  Some can use Tria on its highest setting with no discomfort.  For me, the "high" setting felt hot on my skin, so I kept the device on its medium setting for use.

All three sides of the triangular laser window must be touching your skin.  The device will beep once indicating the start of the process.  Hold the laser in place.  When the device beeps again in a lower tone, you can move on to the next section of skin.  That's it!

It does take a while to effectively cover an entire area, so some patience is required!  The good news?  Treatment is only needed once a month, and over the course of months, Tria promises that regrowth will become more sparse, or even cease altogether.

After use, my skin appeared very mildly red, but didn't feel irritated at all.

Tria is groundbreaking option for women with excess body hair they find embarrassing.  There are some restrictions!  Only those with lighter skin-tones can use the Tria safely!  African-American, East Indian, Native-American or Pacific Islanders can not safely use Tria  Sadly–Tria can not be used safely on the face, so you'll still need to wax that upper lip!

Retail price is $795, but there is currently an Easy Pay program to help lighten the blow to your wallet.

Buy at www.triabeauty.com.

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bath & body works review, morocco collection, cedarwood spice warming body scrub

Space for product in the shower is scarce, so I'm always happy to stumble upon a product that can be used by men and women.  One less bottle in my shower caddy!

True Blue Spa's Morocco collection includes this Moroccan Tea & Cucumber Shower Gel.  The woodsy scent is just a touch masculine… so he'll reach for this bath and body treat as often as you will!  Moroccan green tea acts as an antioxidant, while shea butter and cucumber soothe and moisturize the skin.  I find the exotic scent combination so refreshing (green tea, crisp mind, cucumber and woodsy notes).  This gel is ideal when you need an eye-opener first thing in the morning!

Click HERE to buy Moroccan Tea & Cucumber Shower Gel at Bath & Body Works. Retail price is $15 for a huge 16 oz. bottle.

The collection includes:
Honey & Date Body Yoghurt ($17.50)
Sweet Fig & Argan Body Lotion ($16.50)
Moroccan Tea & Cucumber Shower Gel ($15.00)
Saffron & Fig Shower Gel ($15.00)
Rose Petal & Orange Flower Shower Cream ($15.00)
Cedarwood & Spice Warming Body Scrub ($15.00)

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August can be a strange month in the Pacific Northwest.  Some years, by mid-August Fall is officially here… with cooler days and overcast afternoons.  In other years, the warmth of an Indian Summer can extend through the end of September.

Naturally, I have my fingers crossed that the warm weather will continue… but regardless of what happens, I have all bases covered with one of the recent releases from True Blue Spa:  Morocco.

The Cedarwood & Spice Warming Body Scrub from this luxe collection keeps skin summer-ready by smoothing away dryness.  My favorite part, however, is that the scrub actually warms slightly on the skin.  What a wonderful way to kick off the day when chillier weather begins!

Click HERE to buy Cedarwood & Spice Warming Body Scrub at Bath & Body Works.  Retail price is a very reasonable $15.

The collection includes:
Honey & Date Body Yoghurt ($17.50)
Sweet Fig & Argan Body Lotion ($16.50)
Moroccan Tea & Cucumber Shower Gel ($15.00)
Saffron & Fig Shower Gel ($15.00)
Rose Petal & Orange Flower Shower Cream ($15.00)
Cedarwood & Spice Warming Body Scrub ($15.00)

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Summer fun can hit a rough patch if legs, arms and bikini lines aren’t tended to. Smooth out stubble trouble with a trip to the waxing salon. Waxing guru Leah Nacion, owner of The Waxing Co. in Hawaii, has the inside scoop on the do's and don’ts of baring all.

DO Forget Razors’ Edge
According to Leah, waxing makes skin softer and it lasts much longer than shaving. It can also seem more hygienic because it creates a cleaner and fresher feel that lasts about four weeks before new growth begins.

DON’T Be Fooled
The simple truth is home waxing kits aren’t as effective. Professional estheticians are trained to know the best conditions under which to wax – with high quality products and excellent technique. Temperature of the wax is important to avoid burning the skin, and high-quality products pull the hair up by the root, which avoids hair breakage that can cause ingrown hairs and discomfort.

DO Prepare
Preparation beforehand is also important. Hot showers and exfoliating softens hairs before waxing making it easier to remove. Leah also suggests applying a topical pain relieving cream to soothe and reduce discomfort. The Waxing Co. uses their special “No Scream Cream”. Ask your estheticians for a similar product to apply.

DO Shape It Up
Shaping up that down-there hair doesn’t mean only daring to go bare – there are other options … creative ones. Waxing into shapes or designs is one of Hollywood’s hottest trends. Or add some bikini “bling” with Swarovski crystals in shapes of hearts, initials or stars on the hip.

Leah Nacion’s high-end boutique, The Waxing Co., offers a variety of services – facial waxing, brows, body waxing (from underarms to Brazilians), as well as personal services such as coloring and bleaching – and is the destination for hair removal in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Click HERE to check out her website, Waxingco.com

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sabon nyc, organic butter cream, bath and body, beauty product reviewI made a serious mistake when I opened the recently-launched Organic Butter Cream by Sabon.  The instant I inhaled the divine scent, I ooohed and aaahed about this product a little too loudly, piquing the interest of my pre-schooler.

From that night on, he insisted that the cream be used on his skin each night after bath-time.  Oh no!  That meant I zoomed through this amazing body cream twice as fast…

So what smells so divine?  My contact at Sabon informed me that it's apricot fragrance and plant life from the Swiss Alps.  Let me tell you… it's an incredible and unique combination!  My amateur nose picked up a dairy essence…  like the actual scent of fresh whipped cream!

Of course, all of my fussing was justified.  This buttery concoction is extremely rich and moisturizes the skin well.  The formula is based on organic shea butter, and contains a high concentration of essential organic ingredients from the Swiss Alps (edelweiss, hysopus, imperatoria and marrubium).  Organic oils contribute to softening the skin.  Sabon may have released this new line in the Spring, but this skin-treat is a must have for the harsher months of Fall and Winter. 

The packaging is luxe, too.  The butter cream is contained in a heavy (totally reusable) glass jar.  What a terrific hostess gift this treat would make!

Sabon's Organic Butter Cream retails for $39.

Click HERE to buy it at Sabonnyc.com

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'Tis the season for travel, and whether your journey will bring you near or far, Bath & Body Works has the perfect pint-sized companions to fit into your carry-on! 

I recently had the opportunity to try some travel-sized products from the Aromatherapy Blends offered by Bath & Body Works.  I can't think of a better product to pack on a business trip than the lavender and chamomile-laced body wash and body lotion.  These essential oils instill feelings of relaxation and tranquility.  Perfect for helping you get a good night's sleep in a bed that's not your own!  Three time zones away, and a meeting first thing in the morning?  The citrusy zing of Orange and Ginger invigorate a tired spirit like no other combination.

Traveling to see a friend?  These teensy bottles make a terrific hostess gift!  Just pack a gift-bag, some tissue paper, and a few travel-sized Aromatheraphy bottles.  Your hostess will be thrilled with her gift, and you can still travel light.

Retail price is $5.

Click HERE to head to Bath & Body Works.

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Latest MAC launches, mac limited edition, mac naked honey, product review, beauty blog, makeup blogIf I had to select one singular product that embodies the spirit of MAC's new Naked Honey collection, it would have to be Naked Honey Skin Salve.  With the consistency of honey itself, this buttery-rich concoction not only softens the skin on contact, but leaves it utterly glistening.  Ideal for use this summer– your legs will look utterly flawless!  Don't stop there, this salve can be used anywhere!

The Naked Honey collection will be available starting on June 11th!  Do NOT miss these skin-tingling honey treats!

Naked Honey Skin Salve retails for $18.50.

Click HERE to shop MAC online.

Click HERE to buy MAC at Nordstrom online.

Click HERE to shop MAC at Macy's.

Like what you just read? Be sure to head to the Raging Rouge Beauty Blog homepage for more makeup reviews, product swatches and beauty news.

 

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