July/August 2016 Empties: Hits & Misses

Purchased by Me | Press Sample | Affiliate Links

Free Schick Hydro Silk Razor (no purchase necessary)

If you're interested in this one, jump on it now before it's gone (I just did it myself and it worked as of the time of this post):

Text SCHICK to 24444. You will receive a text message with a link. When you click the link, you'll be taken to a form where you'll be prompted to fill out your name, email address and mailing address and commit to the terms (you'll receive future emails from Schick Hydro, so be sure to use an email address that you're OK with, in terms of getting promotional emails in the future). Once you do this, you'll receive a message that your free Schick Hydro Silk Razor will arrive in the mail in 6-8 weeks.

For more information, check the Schick Hydro Silk Razor Facebook page here. I have no way of knowing if you'll receive spam texts in the future by choosing to sign up, but I personally have not heard from readers who have received spam texts after signing up for this offer in the past. If you have taken advantage of this offer in the past and have not received your razor, please take that up with Schick on their Facebook page and not here. I have heard from several people who have received their free razor from Schick during this promotion, so the choice is yours if you're willing to give it a shot.

New products from Aubrey Organics

I just received this press release about some new products from Aubrey Organics so I thought I'd share. For those of you who aren't familiar with this brand, you can read the interesting history of its founder here. All Aubrey Organics products are cruelty-free.

Launching this summer, Aubrey introduces an amazing line of bio-degradable, UVA/UVB protection sunscreens. Using minerals for protection, they have organic ingredients and offer non-comedogenic options for face. The After Sun Lotion is also a powerful anti-aging moisturizer into winter with CoQ10 and pomegranate.

Launched this spring, the Crème de la Shaves in Pomegranate and White Tea and Citrus have proved the most fragrant and luxurious additions to the shaving family yet!

 For lush, healthy and organic strands Aubrey’s USDA certified organic NuStyle line gives hold, anti-frizz, and shine without chemicals. Also, their best selling GPB hair care now comes in fragrant Rosemary and Lavender!

 I've spotted Aubrey Organics at my local CVS, and also at Whole Foods (I think Target might carry some of their products as well?). If you're interested in any of these products, you can also check their store locator here.

Do you use any products from Aubrey Organics? Do you have any favorites?

Last minute Father's Day Gifts: Part One

It's getting down to the wire now, lovelies! You've only got a few more days to get the perfect gifts for the dads in your life, and I wanted to share a few ideas with you.

For Part One of this series, I'd like to show you some splurge-worthy men's grooming products that I've recently had my "official male testers" (aka my dad and boyfriend) try out. As you all know, I don't normally review higher-end products on this blog, but if there's one holiday when splurging is totally justified, it's Father's Day!

Disclosure: I received these products from the brand for review, HOWEVER, for many years now I have purchased L'Occitane's men's products as gifts for the men in my life. I can tell you first-hand that the men in my life love L'Occitane men's grooming products, so I'm hoping the men in your life will love them too.

L'Occitane Verdon Collection

Instant Energy Eye Gel Roll-On (retail: $26, .33 oz)

Outdoor Moisturizer SPF30 (retail: $32, 1.7 oz)

Energy Moisturizer (retail: $28, 1.7 oz)

If the men in your life are anything like the men in mine, they do not splurge on grooming products. But if they're given nice products, they always seem to love them (they're so funny like that, aren't they?).

The new Verdon Collection from L'Occitane (named for the Verdon valley in Provence) contains lots of great skincare and shaving products that are packed full of nourishing ingredients and have a wonderful, light, minty, aquatic scent to them. My boyfriend, Mr. G, loves the fragrance of these products, and his favorites are the Verdon Outdoor Moisturizer SPF30 (pictured above) and the Verdon Pure Face Wash (pictured below). He found both products extremely easy to use, and he loved the fact that the moisturizer had a built-in SPF30. He said it felt great on his skin, as well (not too heavy, not too thin). He also liked the way the face wash cleansed his skin without drying or stripping it.

I had my dad try out the Verdon Instant Energy Eye Gel Roll-On (pictured above) and he loved it. He said it has a great cooling effect and it helped to de-puff his eyes in the morning. This is totally one of those products that lots of guys wouldn't purchase for themselves, but they'd sure appreciate having!

L'Occitane Verdon Collection

Pure Face Wash - travel size (retail: $7, 1.7 oz)

Invigorating Shave Gel (retail: $15, 3.4 oz)

To see all of the products in the Verdon Collection, click here.

And one final note: I wanted to point out, for those of you who may be unaware, that L'Occitane is one of the few beauty brands to feature braille on their packaging. I think this is a wonderful thing, so I wanted to call it to your attention:

To purchase L'Occitane products, visit your local L'Occitane boutique (click here for a list of locations) or order online.

I hope this post helps those of you who may still be in search of the "perfect" gift for the dad in your life!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave (new packaging and now paraben-free!)

Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote this review for my beloved Kiss My Face Moisture Shave. For me (and apparently several of you) it's just THE BEST. Period. It moisturizes my skin without being heavy and clogging up my razor, it's got the perfect amount of slip and it never, ever causes razor burn, ingrown hairs, nicks or cuts. It's just the perfect shaving cream for me, and I love love love every fragrance (I was hooked on Key Lime for most of last year, but now I've moved back to Cool Mint).

I have been using Moisture Shave for probably over a decade now and I never, ever waiver from it (try searching "shaving cream" on this blog and you won't find many reviews because I simply never want to use another product). And by now, I know all of the places in my town where I can purchase this product. CVS is my go-to store for Moisture Shave, but I also know that a local natural foods store also carries it, so the other day when I was at this particular store, I decided to pick up a bottle.

When I went to the beauty aisle to grab a bottle, I was shocked to find this:

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave

(retail: around $7, 11 oz)

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave got a dramatic makeover! Well, the bottle shape and size are exactly the same--only the label has changed--so I guess it's not dramatic, but it's a lot different! You can click here to see the old label.

And most importantly, Moisture Shave is now paraben-free. I am embarrassed to admit I didn't even realize the original formula contained parabens, but when I looked at an older bottle that was still on the shelf at the grocery store next to the new bottles, I noticed that the old formula actually contains two different types of parabens.

So here's the big question: has the performance of this product changed? Well I must admit, I was scared when I first tried this new formula because, Kiss My Face, if you mess with my Moisture Shave you'll never hear the end of it from me!

After using the new formula in Cool Mint for over a week now, I can say with a huge sigh of relief that I literally cannot detect any difference between the old formula and the new formula. WHEW!

I don't feel any decline whatsoever in performance, texture or fragrance. In my opinion, the change in formula has not changed the way Moisture Shave works for me one bit, and I cannot express to you how happy I am to report that.

My fellow Moisture Shave fans, be on the lookout for the new packaging and paraben-free formula. I'm sure they'll be hitting your area soon, and you can rest assured that the performance is just as wonderful as it's always been.

PS: I should also mention that this product is vegan and cruelty-free as well!

Are you a fan of Kiss My Face Moisture Shave? Are you excited to see that they've removed the parabens and updated the packaging? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Review: New Gillette Venus Bikini

Admittedly, I felt a little odd when I sat down to write this post about the new Gillette Venus Bikini kit that I recently received for review. So to avoid any potential awkwardness, I'm going to tell you that I'll be writing this as if we were just two girlfriends having a semi-candid chat.  If discussions of grooming techniques for the bikini area make you feel uncomfortable, then feel free to skip this review. But please note that I will try my very best to keep this tasteful and dignified, yet as always, I'll speak in detail about my thoughts regarding this product. So let's begin!

(click to enlarge, again to magnify)

Gillette Venus Bikini (retail: around $9)

As you can see, this kit comes with three components: the Venus Embrace Razor, the Venus Bikini Trimmer and the tube of Moisturizing Lotion.  I think this is a great value considering it's under $10 at most drugstores.

Let's first talk about who might benefit from a kit like this.  In my opinion, I think it would be ideal for a woman who, for whatever reason, has not groomed the bikini area in a while--but would like to.  Here's an analogy: let's say you have an overgrown yard with lots of weeds. Now, before you use your lawnmower, you would probably have a much easier time if you used a weed-wacker first, just to get things down to a more manageable level.  Do you get what I'm trying to say here? Good.

So let's start with the Venus Bikini Trimmer. In a word? It's awesome. I love that it doesn't tug or pull and it is quite effective its purpose. It's easy to use and maneuver and it rinses clean pretty easily as well.  This trimmer cuts hair down to about 1/4 of an inch. Clearly you have the option of just stopping at that point, or using the accompanying razor for further grooming, depending on your needs.  Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with this handy little tool.

So let's move on to the Venus Embrace Razor. This razor is designed for delicate skin. There are five very fine blades "surrounded by a protective ribbon of moisture".  So how does this translate into the actual experience of shaving? My GOODNESS! Using this razor is like running a piece of silk across the skin. I actually had to keep double-checking to see if the razor was actually shaving my hair because I just couldn't believe that something so smooth could actually do the trick.  But sure enough, I was left with incredibly soft, smooth skin after using this razor.

I do have a few small issues with this razor though. First of all, the head of the razor measures almost an inch from top to bottom, making it a bit of a challenge to perform more precise grooming. Also, since the blades are so fine, I have noticed that it doesn't give me as close of a shave when I use it on my legs (compared to other razors I own).  But you know what? These two issues don't really bother me and here's why: first, I wouldn't purchase this kit for extremely precise grooming. As stated above, I think it's wonderful for those of us who are starting from ground zero, so to speak, and would like to perform general maintenance.  Second, I wouldn't purchase this kit to shave my legs, and chances are, if you're buying it, that's not your main goal either. We've all got our favorite razors for our legs, so I like to think of this kit as exclusive to the bikini area (although I have used it under my arms and it's FANTASTIC for that as well).

Some other things I like about this kit? Well the handles on the razors are great. They're coated in a sort of rubberized plastic that makes the grip amazing. I think there's very little chance that either the razor or trimmer will slip out of your hands during use.  Also, I enjoyed using the accompanying lotion, which, if you look closely, is actually Olay Advanced Healing Lotion repackaged in another tube.  I had actually never tried Olay Advanced Healing Lotion until I used this kit and it's quite nice. It's fragrance-free, it's silky and it applies easily. It's a pretty soothing lotion so it's a nice addition to the kit.

All in all, I highly recommend the new Gillette Venus Bikini for those of us who need a jump-start into the world of bikini grooming. This kit provides all the essentials I needed in order to get the job done quickly, efficiently and, most importantly, painlessly.  For the price, it's a quite pleasant experience and I would definitely repurchase.

Have you tried the new Gillette Venus Bikini? Does it sound like something you'd consider in the future? I'd love to hear from you!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: EOS Shave Cream (Free at Walgreens this week)

UPDATE: Sorry about this, everyone! Today updated this post from 2010 (I didn't change my review, I just made the photos larger) and when I clicked "update" it reset the post to publish TODAY (with today's date). So sorry for the false alarm: this post is from 2010 and this is NOT on sale this week at Walgreens! I'm sending it back to 2010 now...again, sorry for the false alarm!

If you're a regular Walgreens shopper, you probably already know that EOS Shave Cream is on sale this week for $2.99 with $2.99 Register Rewards (which makes it free after sales tax). If you're not a regular Walgreens shopper but you're interested in this deal, let me explain. Walgreens Register Rewards are very much like CVS Extra Bucks. When you make a qualifying purchase, you will get a receipt at the end of your transaction that shows you've got Register Rewards, which can be used toward your next purchase. So for example, I purchased a bottle of EOS Shave Cream yesterday morning, paid $2.99 and got $2.99 in Register Rewards. I went back to Walgreens again this morning to buy some other items, handed the cashier my Register Rewards receipt, and got $2.99 deducted from my total. Super easy!

I figured since so many of us love EOS Lip Balms, you might be curious about their shave cream, especially when you can get it for free this week. So in the name of free stuff, I took two showers yesterday and one this morning to speed up my testing process and give this product three tries before I wrote my review (and if you're thinking, "Wow, how quickly does her hair grow??" I shaved one leg yesterday morning, the other leg last night, and both legs again this morning!).

EOS Utra Moisturizing Shave Cream in Pomegranate Raspberry (retail: $2.99 this week at Walgreens, 7 oz)

Note: EOS Shave Cream is also available in many other fragrances (click here for the full list) but my Walgreens only carries Pomegranate Raspberry, Vanilla Bliss and Lavender Jasmine.



I love that this product contains some nourishing ingredients and no parabens. Click this image to enlarge and read the full ingredients list:


Here's a shot of the pump:

And here's what the actual product looks like:

It's hard to tell in this pic, but there's a very soft pink tint to this shave cream, to go with the bright, almost neon-pink bottle. And ooooh, let's talk about the fragrance. It is YUMMY! To me, it's a great balance of both pomegranate and raspberry. Sweet and tart. I love it.

But it is with much sadness that I tell you that this is where my love affair with EOS Shave Cream ends. While I really, REALLY hope that this product works for some of you (a lot of you, actually!) I just cannot in all honesty say that it worked for me. Let me tell you why.

First of all, "two or three pumps" of product wasn't enough to cover one of my legs (even from just the knee down). Unless I was to apply this outside of the shower on dry skin (which you can do, according to the label), the water that's on my leg instantly mixes with this cream and thins it out considerably. In fact, for me, it almost washes the cream away completely. So I found that I had to use more product than I'm used to in order to get a good coating.

When actually shaving my legs, I knew I was in for trouble because instantly, I could feel my razor drag against my skin. The biggest issue I have with this shave cream is that there is no slip. When I shave with this product, it feels about as dry as if I were shaving with just water and nothing else. It's hard for me to describe this, but I hope that makes sense.

Also, here's the deal-breaker for me: I don't think I'm getting a close shave with this product. I noticed that I was stubbly long before I'm used to feeling stubble on my legs (it usually takes me a full 24 hours to feel slight stubble on my legs after shaving). I shaved one of my legs at about 10AM yesterday, and I could feel stubble on that leg by 5PM, which is very rare for me. The only thing I can think of is that this product created some sort of barrier that made it difficult for my razor to get as close as it should. I could be wrong of course, but that's my guess.

So how did the skin on my legs feel after the shower? I'm sorry to say they felt dry and itchy. I was extremely sad about this, considering how many skin-nourishing ingredients are in this formula. I really was hoping that I wouldn't have a need for lotion after shaving, but my legs were pretty much calling out for lotion when I got out of the shower.

Perhaps I am just completely spoiled by my holy grail shave cream, and nothing else will ever hold a candle to it. If you haven't found your holy grail can't-shave-without-it shaving product yet, maybe this will work for you. Everyone's skin is different, and everyone's hair is different. So please do not let this review convince you of anything--I'm just sharing my OWN experience with this product. I'd say, see for yourself and grab a bottle while it's free this week. Then come back and tell me how it went. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some of you end up loving this one.

Follow-up Friday

Since I'm feeling under the weather and not really up to writing a new review today, I wanted to follow up on some past products I've reviewed and let you know if I still hold my original opinion of them. If this is a feature that you would like me to continue in the future, please leave a comment here and let me know!

First up:

TREsemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (click here for my original review)

As I mentioned in my review, I wasn't completely wowed by this one. I'm a loyal user of Batiste Dry Shampoo from Sally (click here for that review) and in comparison, I didn't like the strong, chemical fragrance of TREsemme, and I didn't like the feeling of my hair after I used it (sort of a sticky/tacky film).

Well, I'm sad to say that my opinion of this product has actually declined since my initial review. Since I'm currently under the weather, I skipped my daily shower yesterday and this morning my hair was REALLY greasy, especially my bangs. I thought it would be a perfect time to revisit TREsemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo and I could really put it to the test on hair that's dirtier than I would normally have on any given day. Well, I shook the can as instructed, applied as instructed, and guess what? It didn't take away my greasy hair even remotely as well as it did the first time I used it. This leads me to believe that it really only works for me when my hair's not that greasy to begin with. I was actually quite surprised at how little my hair had changed after I used this product today. So I added a bit more, and that was a huge mistake as it gave me quite a gray cast that I couldn't remove even after repeatedly running a fine-tooth comb through my hair (this usually does the trick with other dry shampoos). So all in all, I'd say that, for me, my instincts were right on the mark. Not the best dry shampoo out there, and I'm definitely sticking to Batiste in the future. I am very happy for those of you who have found success in TREsemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo, because it's almost half the price of Batiste and more easily accessible. I wish I had the same results that you did.

Next up:

Black Radiance Perfection Complexion Shine Control Primer (click here for my original review)

In my original review, I said that I was having great luck with this face primer because, unlike other silicone-based primers, it contains kaolin (white clay) which works quite well to combat my oily skin. Well I've been using this primer every day since I wrote my review, and I have to tell you that I love it more now than I did when I wrote my review! We've been having unseasonably hot weather here in San Diego these last few days, and I am constantly impressed by how this product keeps my powder foundation in tact and looking fresh for HOURS longer than if I had skipped it. This baby keeps not only my foundation in place but my concealer as well. It may be a challenge to find Black Radiance products in your area, but I'm telling you, if you are an oily-skinned gal like me, it's worth the hunt. For around six bucks, it's a true wonder-product for me, and the best part is that it can double as a great eyeshadow primer as well. Oh, and I want to add that it has never once broken me out. LOVE.

And finally, I'm travelling back to a review I wrote over a year ago:

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave (click here for my original review)

In my original review, I said that I had been using this for over a decade. Well, I am pleased to say that that has not changed! I still use Kiss My Face Moisture Shave every single day, and as you can tell if you do a search for shave creams, gels or lotions on this blog, I have not reviewed another product that has ever taken its place. Why? For me, it simply works better than any other shaving product I've ever used. For me, foams and creams don't allow for the closeness I prefer (and sometimes they make my razor drag against my skin). Other shave lotions don't seem to have enough slip to enable a nice, smooth, razor-burn-free shave. With Kiss My Face Moisture Shave, I get the best of all worlds every single time: a close shave, a smooth shave, and a shave that leaves my legs soft and hydrated. I never get razor burn on my legs, and very rarely do I see bumps or ingrown hairs. Plus, the scents are fabulous! I think in my original review I said that my favorite was Peaches & Cream. Well that has since changed and I really prefer Key Lime these days. But I have to tell ya, that is the only thing that has changed since my initial review. This one is a true, honest Holy Grail product for me and I don't see myself ever switching brands. If you haven't tried Kiss My Face Moisture Shave before, you can find it at most drugstores (CVS, Rite Aid, etc.) in the natural beauty aisle and it retails for around $8. I know that's pricey, but for me, it's worth every single penny. Oh, and Mr. Recessionista has become a loyal user as well after trying my bottle (and shhhh! Don't tell him this, but I've gotten a few ex-boyfriends hooked on this stuff too!).

That's it for my follow-ups...I'm going back to bed! Oh, but before I go, I thought I'd share some random thoughts with ya:

1) Did you see Jessica Simpson's The Price of Beauty? I was kind of looking forward to it (as I do with any type of beauty-related show on TV) but I thought this was just kind meh. Did you like it? Speaking of beauty-related TV shows, does anyone remember that makeup artist reality show from a few years ago called Blush? I wonder if they're ever going to bring that back! It was cheesy but fun!

2) I changed my Firefox persona again (last week it was a cupcake theme) and this one is soooo pretty I just have to share: click here to try on vector flowers.

3) For my fellow My So Called Life fans out there, did ya see this?

I need your help with this shaving issue...

OK ladies, I need your help before I start to panic. If you're a fan of shaving your legs (as opposed to other forms of hair removal), what razor blade do you use? I have been a fan of the extremely old-school Gillette Trac II Plus for...well..forever. I like these because the hair on my legs is coarse (so weird since the hair on my head is fine) and even though this is a men's razor, and it's got two measly blades, it consistently gives me the closest shave I've even gotten (and I've tried many of the 3-blade and 4-blade razors).

But I've noticed that it's getting harder to find Gillette Trac II Plus blades lately and I'm so afraid they'll be phased out completely in the years to come. So tell me, what do you use, and why do you like it?

Big HUGE thanks in advance!

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

Everyone's familiar with Kiss My Face and their wonderful products, but how many of you have tried their Moisture Shave? I've been using it for over a decade and I can tell you that after the first time I used it, I never went back to shaving creams, foams, or gels again.

The reason why I'm putting this in the BOTD is because, even though it's about $8 for an 11 oz bottle, it will last you FOREVER (you don't need a lot) and it will provide you with the closest shave possible while simultaneously preventing annoying bumps, cuts, and ingrown hairs.

Ladies, we've all been there when it comes to shaving disasters. Some products make you feel like the razor is literally dragging along your leg (ouch!) while others are so thick that it's hard to get a nice close shave. With Moisture Shave, you've got the perfect balance of "slip" and closeness. Use it just once and you will know what I'm talking about.

You can purchase Moisture Shave in a fragrance free formula as well as in the following scents:

Key Lime
Lavender & Shea
Cool Mint
Peaceful Patchouli
Peaches and Creme
Vanilla Earth

I've tried them all and I have to say I like Peaches and Creme best (with Key Lime coming in a close second).

You can find these at most CVS and Long's Drugs (don't look in the shaving cream aisle though--Moisture Shave is located next to the lotions and soaps in the natural beauty care section). Sometimes, if you're lucky, you may also find a bottle or two at Trader Joe's.