Beautiful Things My Mother Taught Me


Mom and me, circa 1979 Disclosure: This post is sponsored by CoverGirl. Mother’s Day is this Sunday and I’m so excited. Not just because Mr. Spoiled Pretty and my son, Westley, are treating me to a decadent brunch. But because it’s an opportunity to celebrate my hero, Andrea Stamps. I must admit that until two years ago, Mother’s Day was just another CONTINUE READING

Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candles: 2 for $22


At Christmastime, I agonized over what to get my son's daycare teachers. There are 12 of them - and even though he has his two main teachers, they all have interaction with him and take excellent care of him. So I needed to buy 12 gifts to show my appreciation, without breaking the bank. $10 each seemed doable, except CONTINUE READING

IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Creme SPF 15


As a beauty expert, I’m embarrassed by how late I am to the BB Cream party. In the past year, so many friends and colleagues have asked me about BB Creams—what’s the buzz, which brands are the best, etc. —and they would look at me funny when I admitted to not having tried BB Creams yet. I mean, they CONTINUE READING

CoverGirl Outlast Brilliant Shine Nail Gloss in Vio-last


I’m very fickle about my fingernails. Before I paint my nails or get them professionally did, I spend a inordinate amount of time pondering my polish options. I consider the season, recent trends, my wardrobe that week and anywhere special I might go. But despite all of this planning, I’m usually over my polish choice before it even dries. Not CONTINUE READING

My New Arm Candy: Rebecca Minkoff Swing Bag


After beauty products, handbags are my secondary addiction. But when it comes to arm candy, I have discriminating taste. For me, the perfect handbag seamlessly marries fashion with function, is handcrafted from high-quality materials, has really unique hardware and is classic but edgy - all at the same time. I don't like to carry the of-the-moment "it" bag. I CONTINUE READING

Bust a Move On Over to Saturday.com


Earlier this month, Kate Spade (aka creator of cuteness and the reason why I can't seem to keep money in my wallet), launched a brand new line called Kate Spade Saturday. Kate Spade Saturday is a new global lifestyle brand created to channel the spirit of Saturday seven days a week. This younger, more accessible sister to kate spade new CONTINUE READING

••••••

Hyperpigmentation

Get Even

Posted on April 3, 2008 by daneen in Hyperpigmentation | 10 Comments

evenbetter Get Even
One of my biggest skin concerns is hyper-pigmentation. While most people pray for their acne to dry up, I dread it – thanks to the dark marks my pimples inevitably leave in their wake. A blemish that spends a few days on my face can leave a spot that lasts for years.

For what seems like forever, I have been waging war against hyper-pigmentation. My bathroom cabinet is a graveyard of scrubs and creams that wooed me with promises of a clearer complexion. Unfortunately, most of them don’t work…and the ones that do can lighten skin to such an extent that they can lead to hypo-pigmentation – which is especially bad for brown gal like me.

A month ago, I was sick of looking into the mirror and seeing my dark marks staring back at me. So I decided to get even – and I’m so glad that I gave it another try.

Clinique’s Even Better Skin Tone Corrector has made a marked improvement (pun intended) in the appearance of my skin. Developed specifically to address all skin tones, this lightweight serum gently erases discolorations – and results can be seen in 4 to 6 weeks.

How does it work? Clinique’s Executive Director of Research and Development, Dr. Tom Mammone, says, “Even Better breaks down the appearance of dark clusters caused by hyper-pigmentation into less visible dust. Then exfoliating ingredients whisk away these clusters.”

In addition to acne scarring, Even Better also treats sun damage and age spots – and it prevents the appearance of new dark marks. So use it on your face, neck, chest, hands, or anywhere you’re looking spotty.

Even Better Skin Tone Corrector is available at Clinique counters and at clinique.com.

Clinique Gets Even Better

Posted on February 18, 2008 by daneen in Acne, Exfoliation, Hyperpigmentation, Skin Care | Leave a comment

evenbetter Clinique Gets Even BetterNew from Clinique is a skin care product that promises to create brightness and clarity for all ethnicities.

Even Better Skin Tone Corrector is a lightweight serum that creates a notably more even complexion by helping to undo the visible evidence of sun damage, dark patches, skin stresses, age spots, even the darkening that follows acne scarring. It supposedly even helps to prevent new dark spots from forming.

Developed specifically to address all skin tones, it can be used anywhere on the face, hands, and chest – and results can be seen in 4 to 6 weeks.

Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, and Neiman Marcus.

Praying For Pimples

Posted on February 13, 2008 by daneen in Acne, Hyperpigmentation | Leave a comment

zeno2 Praying For Pimples
Lately, I’ve been praying for a pimple. Sounds odd, I know. But ironically, ever since I got my hands on Zeno, my skin has been uncharacteristically clear. So last week when a monster zit erupted on my chin, I was excited. Finally I would see if Zeno lived up to the hype.

zeno Praying For PimplesZeno is a hand-held battery-operated device designed with a tip that heats to a pre-set temperature. The tip is designed for direct contact with a blemish on the skin. Once in contact with a blemish, the tip transfers heat into the follicle – killing the bacteria, reducing inflammation, and allowing the skin to return to a healthy state.

For someone like me, who has a problem with hyperpigmentation (resulting from acne), Zeno is a godsend. It literally zaps zits before they have a chance to erupt – therefore thwarting dark marks.

Please note that Zeno isn’t a magic wand. You have to be diligent about using it, in order to see a difference. Acne doesn’t just miraculously disappear after one treatment; it takes two to three 2½-minute treatments spread over 24 hours to get rid of pesky pimples. Another bonus is that Zeno doesn’t have the nasty side effects (dryness, irritation, sensitivity to sunlight) that accompany most topical acne treatments.

Available at Sephora and myzeno.com.

This Peel Makes Its Mark By Fading Yours

Posted on November 4, 2007 by daneen in Acne, Exfoliation, Hyperpigmentation, Peel | Leave a comment

Just now, my mom called asking me to recommend a facial peel for my sister, Lauren. There are many types of peels on the market, so I inquired about what kind of result Lauren was looking for. My mom explained that the Molton Brown Skinbalance Toning Lotion I had raved about was doing a great job of clearing up my sister’s blackheads – but the process was resulting in some hyper-pigmentation. It didn’t take me long to offer a suggestion…almost immediately, I remembered a product I purchased over a year ago – that yielded great results.

neutogena peel This Peel Makes Its Mark By Fading YoursUsed consistently (1-3 times per week), Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel visibly reduces the appearance of post-acne marks. What I like most about the treatment is that it contains Salicylic Acid to prevent new breakouts from forming and discourage future marks. The product does a wonderful job of exfoliating skin…after using the peel, my skin had a healthy glow and was smooth as a toddler’s tuchis.

My only criticism is the smell – it isn’t pleasant, but it’s tolerable…and you get used to it after a while. In Spoiled Pretty’s opinion, it’s a small price to pay for smoother, clearer skin.

Available at Drugstore.com, Amazon.com, Walgreen’s, Eckerd, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart and Kmart.



pixel This Peel Makes Its Mark By Fading Yours

Page 2 of 212