July 28, 2017

No shower, no problem when you have Mirai, Ardell's app guides you to the perfect false lashes, I tried Hanacure (and here's what happened) and sole-smoothing socks for people who hate socks.

These products help you beat the heat

When it’s this hot, I feel like there’s not enough deodorant in the world to prevent me from sweating like an animal, and I find myself showering up to three times a day. For the record, I never smell (at least I don’t think I do), but I feel like extra protection is in order when my weather app says it feels like 100+ degrees outside. So when I received information about a body-care line called Mirai Clinical, I was anxious to learn more.

This four-product collection is formulated with Japanese persimmon extract, which is known to eliminate “old person smell” (seriously). This is a real thing, as this scent associated with those 65 and over is actually caused by a compound called 2-nonenal, which increases within our bodies over time. Although we may not be worried about rising 2-nonenal levels just yet, these products can help keep you smelling fresh no matter the weather (or if you don’t have time to shower after your morning workout).

The line includes a Deodorizing Body Bar, Purifying & Deodorizing Body Wash, Purifying Body Serum and Purifying & Deodorizing Body Spritz—and you’ll find a lot of other interesting products on their site. (Private Face Training Classes, anyone?) These products also contain antioxidants like green tea and astaxanthin, so in addition to smelling better, your skin just might look better, too. It isn’t that hard to take a quick rinse after a day or running around town, but better safe than sorry, right?

It's never been easier to find the perfect false lashes

False eyelashes can be stressful, and I’m just talking about the application. Yes, practice makes perfect, but the first step is selecting the style that works best for you. Are you going for natural, glam or somewhere in between—and wouldn’t it be nice if you could “virtually” try on a few before making your final pick?

Now you can thanks to a partnership between the Perfect365 app and Ardell! This super-fun (and useful) app gives you two ways to “play”—and you can use existing photos or the “Live Mirror” to see what different Ardell lash styles would look like in real time. No, the app can’t send someone over to apply them for you, but this is major help for getting fabulously full, fluttery lashes!

Want a chance to win free Ardell lashes? From July 24 through July 28, Perfect365 will be providing the opportunity to win 10 pairs of Ardell lashes. To enter, download the Perfect365 app, try Ardell lashes and share the image on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to tag Perfect365, Ardell and #perfect365xArdell, and the winners will be announced on Instagram later in July!

I tried the Drew Barrymore mask that freaked everyone out

A few months ago the internet was abuzz when Drew Barrymore posted a photo of herself looking waaaaaay older than she really is. No, it wasn’t makeup for a movie role, it was the Hanacure Multi-Action Treatment Mask, so I obviously had to try it. I placed my order only to discover it was backordered for a few months, but no biggie, my wrinkles aren’t going anywhere.

When it finally arrived I was quite excited—and quite disappointed that the $29 I shelled out was for only ONE application. But, I couldn’t do anything about that so off I went. Per the easy-to-follow instructions, I mixed the serum with the solution, shook it for 20 seconds and then painted it on my face, neck and the backs of my hands with the cute brush that came with the kit. Then I set the timer on my phone for 30 minutes.

Less than 5 minutes in, the intense tightening began. Like couldn’t move my face tight. Like the ponytail my mom made for me when I was 6 tight. I had to avoid my husband because the pulling was so intense I couldn’t move my mouth to talk. (He liked that part.)

After a half-hour I rinsed it off and didn’t see anything major. But the next morning I felt like my skin looked pretty good, especially since I had been getting a lot of sun over the previous few weeks. Truth be told, the jury’s out on this one. It was a fun DIY facial experience, but I can’t really say it was worth the money—or the wait.                

This foot-smoothing hack changes everything

How many times have you read that the easiest way to get smooth soles is to slather on foot cream and slip into cotton socks at bedtime? More than you can count, right? Well, as someone who absolutely, positively cannot sleep with socks on (unless it’s below 50 degrees—which it never is in Florida), this has been a minor problem—until now.

I found the perfect toe-less socks on Amazon, so I can apply my foot cream with abandon, give it the night to work its magic, and even get up to go to the bathroom without leaving a trail of greasy footprints. They offer the perfect amount of coverage from the calluses on the balls on my feet to my heels, while giving the little piggies the wiggle room they need (and I need) to sleep. BTW, they’ll come in handy for winter pedicures, too!