Review and Giveaway: Mirra Beauty CLOSED

I don't have a lot of time to spend on my beauty routine. On the average day, I'd say I only have about 10 minutes to spare. After showering and blow drying my hair, I wash and tone my face with Proactiv, and maybe - just maybe - I'll use some foundation and mascara. If I want to feel especially pretty, I'll break out the blush and eyeshadow. But that's about as (un)complicated as it gets.

Apparently, I'm not alone. In a recent online survey conducted by the grocery store chain Kroger, 71% of women said they have 10 minutes or less to spend on their beauty style. They also noted that they want products to enhance their natural beauty instead of disguising their true selves.

You asked and now you shall receive thanks to Kroger's new beauty line, Mirra. Mirra blends the best of natural ingredients such as olive oil, aloe leaf juice, bamboo honey and chicory root with proven scientific technologies such as oleosome emulsion for moisturzing skincare so us family-focused ladies can achieve effortless beauty. The Mirra line features shampoos, conditioners, lotions, body washes and mists, cosmetic brushes, eye and face creams and exfoliating cleansers. Mirra products are paraben and formaldehyde donor-free and can multitask almost as well as we can with three unique formulas: Daily (for routine personal care), Renew (for a much-needed mommy time-out) and Inspire (for quick transformations for a night out).



I received a package with a variety of Mirra products to review, including:

• Daily Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner - with aloe extract and wheat and soy proteins to moisturize and tame flyaways
  
• Daily Sculpting Gel - with chitosan, aloe and red tea leaf extract for a strong yet flexible hold
  
• Renew Protective Body Wash in Lemongrass & Ginger scent - with ginger, brazil nut and aloe extracts and glyceryl oleate to invigorate and deeply moisturize skin
  
• Renew Replenishing Body Wash in Bamboo & Honey scent - with bamboo and honey extracts and glyceryl oleate to nourish and maintain youthful appearance of skin
  
• Renew Protective Lotion in Lemongrass & Ginger scent - with ginger extract, copaiba and olive oils and oleosomes to stimulate the skin and provide immediate moisturization
  

The first thing I noticed was the generous sizing of the products. With many "natural" brands, they give you less product for more money, claiming it's a bargain because you don't need as much. Not the case with Mirra. You get salon-quality items at an affordable price.

I've been using my Mirra products daily for about two weeks now and I've been pleased with just about all of them. The shampoo lathered well and removed excess oil without drying out my hair. The conditioner left my hair soft and manageable, with no frizz or flyaways. The scents were light and fresh. Even with our hard water situation, the haircare products seemed to really cleanse and rejuvenate my hair. If I went a day without showering (a normal occurence around here!), my hair wasn't as oily as it normally can be. I would definitely buy both of these products again. As for hair gel, I don't normally wear it, as it tends to weigh down my fine, straight hair, but I decided to let my hair air dry until damp and scrunch to see the effect. Although it smelled good and didn't make my hair as sticky or stiff as other brands, I didn't prefer the outcome to my usual hairspray. If you normally use gel, I think you'd like the flexible hold but I plan to stick with what works for me.

Both body washes smelled great and left my skin feeling smooth and pampered. My favorite was the delectably sweet Bamboo & Honey scent. Yum! I think it's my new favorite! The lotion was moisturizing without leaving a layer of grease behind. I used it on my legs after shaving and it would transform my dry, ashy skin to silky and satiny in no time. The lemongrass and ginger scent was a nice pick-me-up on dull, rainy mornings.

Bottom line: I would highly recommend the Mirra line of beauty products. I like that they contain natural ingredients, and not only smell fantastic but are effective too! The only thing I would like to see is wider availability. I am hoping the products will soon be available online, as we don't have any Kroger stores nearby.

BUY IT: You can purchase Mirra exclusively at select Kroger stores and retailers that fall under the Kroger umbrella. Use their handy dandy store locator to find the one closest to you!

DELICIOUS DISCOUNT: Visit the Mirra microsite to find a digital coupon for $5.00 off the purchase of two Mirra products!

WIN IT: One lucky winner is going to win a box of Mirra beauty products similar to the one I received!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Tell me what product from Mirra you'd most like to try. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile to prevent disqualification!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count! Remember to leave one comment per entry.

1.) Follow my blog and/or subscribe via reader or email. If you already follow and/or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry each)

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You can do this daily! You may use the tweet below or come up with one of your own:

Let your natural beauty shine through with Mirra! Win a prize pack @kris10chumley Ends 3/26 http://bit.ly/9alvob

Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry max per day)

3.) Add my blog button and leave a comment with the link to where I can find it. (1 entry)

Giveaway will end on March 26, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. only. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: This opportunity was made possible by Global Influence. I received the above products from Shannan at Global Influence on behalf of Mirra/Kroger Co. to facilitate my candid review. I was in no other way compensated for this post. The thoughts and feelings expressed in this review are solely mine. Your experience may differ.