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Emanuel Stolaroff (Neutrogena)

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:14:53 +0000

Have you ever wondered how the Neutrogena brand got started or how it got its unique name? It was actually launched by just one person, Emanuel Stolaroff, in 1930. He started a small specialty cosmetic company called Natone which was a supplier to Beauty salons associated with the film industry. By the 1940’s, Natone began manufacturing and distributing cosmetics for retail. In the 1950’s, Stolaroff became interested in a soap developed by Dr. Edmond Fromont (a Belgian cosmetic chemist) that rinsed so easily from the skin that the skin would return to its normal pH in just 11 minutes. This is where the name ‘Neutrogena’ came from. Stolaroff brought the Neutrogena brand to the United States and his company became so much associated with Neutrogena that he renamed his company to ‘Neutrogena Corporation’.

The next big thing to happen to the brand was in the 1960’s when Lloyd Cotsen (President and Stolaroff’s son-in-law) promoted Neutrogena soap to the medical profession. This gave Neutrogena a huge advantage over other companies. The company focus turned to safe, mild, premium quality skin care products. In 1973, Neutrogena went public and by 1980 it also offered hair care products.

In 1984, Stolaroff passed away after a lengthy illness at the age of 84. He remained active chairman of Neutrogena until his death.

In 1994 Johnson & Johnson acquired Neutrogena for $924 million, which boosted Neutrogena sales and introduced it to markets such as India, South Africa, and China. Neutrogena products are now distributed in over 70 countries.

To see more of our beauty history articles click here.

Contest of the Week – Got2b Blow Out Lotion and Shine Serum

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:10:36 +0000

Frizz-free healthy hair is always in style. This week, we are giving away Got2b’s Guardian Angel Gloss Finish Blow Out Lotion (see our product review here) and Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. To enter to win, just comment below with your best frizz fighting tip.

Here’s ours: If you don’t wash and heat style every time you shower, then shower steam is your hair’s sworn enemy. Give your hair an extra layer of protection from shower steam frizz by putting on a satin bonnet underneath your shower cap. The fabric will absorb the moisture that manages to sneak in.

One winner will be chosen by 2/8/2012 and notified by email 2/15/2012. U.S. residents only. Odds of winning are 1 out of number of comments on this blog post.

Contest of the Week – Dove

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:57:53 +0000

We’re liking the trend with deodorant companies – they are offering fun scents and sprays. We especially liked Dove’s Cucumber and Green Tea fragrance, so this week, we are giving away Dove Ultimate Go Fresh Deodorant and Go Fresh Body Mist (both in cucumber and green tea scent). To enter to win, just comment below with your best deodorant tip.

Here’s ours: To remove the inevitable deodorant stains from your white shirts, put vinegar on them before tossing them in the washing machine.

One winner will be chosen by 2/1/2012 and notified by email 2/8/2012. U.S. residents only. Odds of winning are 1 out of number of comments on this blog post.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal EyeLiner

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:14:07 +0000

With eyeliner you can transform the shape and the size of your eyes. And when you want a dramatic look, waxy formulas can take some serious effort to show up on your skin. We tried Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Intense Kajal EyeLiner in Blackened Black since it was advertised to give intense color. This product saves time; you don’t have to line your eyes more than once to see great color. It’s a regular pencil that must be sharpened but the liner blends easily and goes on soft. On the downside, you need to be careful when using it on the lower rims of your eyes – you can get specks or smearing. Because the eyeliner is so intense, if you’re not a pro you may want to start out light at first and then press down harder as you get more comfortable. In short, we thought this $20 was great for smoky eyes but wish it flaked less.

To see other posts we’ve made about eyeliner click here

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:15:26 +0000

Since foundation can truly transform the look of your skin, we certainly don’t judge anyone who’s willing to spend a lot on it. We tried Chanel’s latest foundation – Perfection Lumiere. At $55 it’s pricier then many of the foundations we review but we decided to give it a try. It has a very pleasant light fragrance which is a nice touch. Now, does it give you perfect skin like the model in the photo? We found that it does have a perfect mix of a natural finish with full coverage. In other words, you look like you’re not really wearing much makeup but your imperfections are covered. We think it’s most likely the finish to the makeup, which mimics the texture of skin (not too matte, not too dewy). Lumiere Foundation is also available in 20 shades, so more likely than not, they have a shade for you. This is a long-wearing foundation, but if you have oily skin, you may find this not to be so. This foundation doesn’t stop your face from being greasy. So if you have normal to dry skin, we think this is truly an amazing product! Also remember that department store makeup counters are happy to give samples (which is last for a few days to a week) so you can be completely sure before buying. If you have oily skin and want full coverage that lasts all day, we recommend Estee Lauder’s Doublewear foundation. The only thing that stops it from being perfect is that it’s a bit drying, which is a good thing for oily skin.

To see other foundations we’ve reviewed click here.

Contest of the Week – Rimmel

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:53:20 +0000

Rimmel is one of our favorite brands – just a few dollars gets you great cosmetics. It’s also a brand that’s almost 200 years old! This week, we are giving away Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer, Noir 261; Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil, Jet Black 061; and Rimmel Mascara Lash Accelerator with Grow Lash Complex, Extreme Black 003. To enter to win these three great Rimmel products, just comment below with your favorite eye makeup trick.

Here’s ours: After you finish your eye shadow, use a eyeshadow brush to add some color between your brow bone and eyelid. Try bronzer or blush. It’s subtle but completes the look.

One winner will be chosen by 1/25/2012 and notified by email 2/1/2012. U.S. residents only. Odds of winning are 1 out of number of comments on this blog post.

La Roche-Posay Mela-D Serum

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:39:12 +0000

The primary purpose of La Roche-Posay’s Mela-D Serum Anti-Dark Spot Concentrate is to correct skin discoloration and even skin complexion. However, what we loved to most is how it improves the texture of your skin. Sometimes you don’t realize how clogged your pores are until you use a product like this. The product contains kojic acid and glycolic acid. This is one of the milder products we’ve tried with glycolic acid so it’s a good product for those with sensitive skin. The directions called for applying once a day during morning or evening, but if in the morning apply a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. In our experience, you get the most benefit out of using this product at night under your favorite moisturizer. It seems to make your moisturizer more effective. At almost $60 this drugstore product isn’t cheap, but in our opinion the product quality is as good as high end skincare lines such as Natura Bisse. We like to use this 3 times a week to maintain the great effects this serum has on our skin.

Click here to see our product review for La Roche-Posay’s Mela D Dark Spots, which you can use as a daily moisturizer.

*UPDATE You can now enter to win the new Spot the Difference with Mela-D Pigment Control on the LaRoche-Posay USA Facebook page

Got2b Guardian Angel Gloss Finish Blow Out Lotion

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:32:58 +0000

At the salon when you get your hair blown out your hair is lustrous and silky. At home it’s easy to get discouraged when your hair starts to get that dried out straw look every time you blow dry. And then afterwards you have to use a curling iron or flat iron just to get the same look that your hairdresser can wield with a blow-dryer. Although we’ve used many heat protectant products, we found Got2b’s Guardian Angel Gloss Finish Blow Out Lotion to be the only one where you could actually see that there was less damage. You blow dry your hair, without the smell of torched hair in your bathroom! With this product we got admirably close to salon blowout. To use, you just spray on sectioned damp hair first, and then blow dry your hair. We appreciated that it was a spray, because it’s hard to get an even application with lotions. The Blow Out Lotion has a nice scent but it’s not overpowering. Got2b also has another product, Got2b Guardian Angel 425° Heat Protect Flat Iron Balm (we tried this one too and it gives great shine and less frizz) that protects your hair from the flat iron. However, since they are both spray on products you may be able to just get away with using the Blow Out Lotion only when styling.

Contest of the Week – Maybelline Mascara

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:41:45 +0000

At the start of the New Year it’s a great idea to get rid of old makeup and applicators that have seen better days. This week, we’re giving you fresh mascara – Maybelline Volum’ Express the Falsies Mascara, AND Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara (click here to see our product review). To enter, just comment below with your New Year’s resolution!

One winner will be chosen by 1/18/2012 and notified by email 1/25/2012. U.S. residents only. Odds of winning are 1 out of number of comments on this blog post.

Regis Coupon

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:41:40 +0000

Regis just sent us a pretty great coupon! Use the box below to get amazing $9.99 and $11.99 haircut coupons from 13 Regis Corp. brands including MasterCuts, SmartStyle, and CoolCuts4Kids: