Author: Lindsay

NEST Fragrances Body & Soul Eau de Toilette Spray

I’ve said many many times to my beloved Moroccan Amber candles: “I wish I could douse myself in your scent.” And I can and have been since last summer with their launch of personal care products. But now, NEST Fragrances has gone a step further and released Body & Soul Eau de Toilette Spray, embodying six all-star scents.

I’ve found the Body & Soul sprays to be exact replicas of the home fragrance. They layer remarkably well. It sounds odd, but I’ve been wearing Grapefruit and Moroccan Amber together for a sweet, spicy woodiness. I can’t wait to pick up Orange Blossom for summer. And as usual, NEST packages these guys beautifully in a masculine and classic ombre glass bottle. The spray wears with staying power throughout the day, packed with a pretty strong dose of fragrance.

Moss & Mint: Garden mint, apple blossom and muguet are infused with a touch of oakmoss and vetiver.
Wasabi Pear: Anjou pear and fresh, ozonic watery notes are infused with the essence of wasabi.
Bamboo: Flowering bamboo is mingled with a variety of white florals, sparkling citrus and fresh green accords.
Moroccan Amber: Moroccan amber, sweet patchouli, heliotrope and bergamot are accented with a hint of eucalyptus.
Orange Blossom: Orange blossom, orchid, tiare flower and freesia are combined with tangerine, lemon and musk.
Grapefruit: Pink pomelo grapefruit and watery green nuances are blended with lily of the valley and coriander blossom.

NEST Fragrance Body & Soul Eau de Toilette Sprays are available at Neiman Marcus. Shop the fragrances here:

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Nutrisystem Week 17

This week, I lost 0.2 pounds for a total weight loss of 27.0 pounds. But I am not going to beat myself up about the smaller number this week. I came down with Strep Throat on Monday – I had forgotten how much that bugger hurts! I laid pretty low this week, lightening up on workouts. The Nutrisystem Chicken Soup came in especially handy. With all that rest, I was back, healthy enough for a pretty amazing Maroon 5 concert on Friday. After a week with just a small amount of weight loss, I am ready to get after it. I even find myself excited to return to my amped up workouts. Looking forward to reporting what I hope is a great week next weekend!

Check out last week’s Nutrisystem post here.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog.

Disclosure: As part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program, Nutrisystem has provided me with complementary meals in exchange for my honest thoughts on the Nutrisystem plan. The opinions expressed in my posts are strictly my own. No other compensation is being given.

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Three Mario Badescu Masks for Sensitivity

You probably know I fell hard for Mario Badescu from this post. Lately, my vanity MVPs have been clay-based masks that manage to deep clean and soothe all at the same time. These three masks are a great fit for those with drier, more sensitive skin. But I also think they would work for oily and acne-prone complexions – clay is a classic, proven ingredient for cleaning out pores that everyone could benefit from at least occasionally.

Azulene Calming Mask is loaded with anti-inflammatory Azulene to comfort red or irritated skin. After a little over eager exfoliation or glycolic treatment, this can snap my skin back into calmness. Also great for razor burn or post-waxing. The consistency is a thicker paste, but the clay formula does not harden. The clay and wheat starch work to clear skin of impurities. Best if you are feeling very sensitive.

Flower & Tonic Mask is more active, perfect when you really want to go after congested skin. Last weekend, I was really bad about washing my face. And when I returned home, I atoned for my sins with this pore-clearing treatment. While the Kaolin (clay) absorbs dirt and oil, Balsam Peru soothes redness and irritation. I feel a tad bit tight after using this mask, but it is perfect for a deep cleaning treatment.

Cucumber Tonic Mask is going to be clutch during the summer months when I am so prone to redness and blackheads – hello, sweaty heat! The cooling clay is made with Cucumber Extract to smooth and revive skin while it deep cleans. This mask is a great balance of the two above, when you want cleansing action but still are experiencing some sensitivity.

How to Use: Apply a thin layer of mask on clean skin avoiding eye area. Wait 15-20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with tepid water.

Mario Badescu products are also available at Nordstrom where it is triple points time now through March 24th!

Illume Eternal Nomad Bath & Body Collection

This spring, Illume and Sephora are expanding their Eternal Nomad collection – I hadn’t come across Illume goodies at Sephora so I was anxious to try out the product lineup. Not only does the name “Eternal Nomad” speak to my heart – I have a traveller’s soul – but the fresh, tropical scents are perfect for this time of year.

First, a little about Illume: the company is infused with the culture of travelers and seekers, reflecting on culture and color. I’ve known Illume mostly for their home fragrance. Made in the USA, Illume candles are made with either food-grade paraffin or an all-natural blend of coconut wax, beeswax and essential oils. I’m hooked on Gardenia, Tahitian and Amber Dunes (although I can’t say there isn’t a fragrance of theirs I don’t like).

The Eternal Nomad collection comes in three signature fragrances:

Cactus Verde: A bright blend of cassis, pink sea salt, aloe vera and wild geranium with a hint of avocado.
Thai Lily: A sensory ritual of Bali mango, blood orange and white nectarine – with Brazilian teak, Asiatic lily and a hint of musk.
Coconut Mango: A tropical fusion of mango and coconut milk, infused with orange and eucalyptus oils.

The Coconut Mango collection has been warming me up for spring. I’ve been layering the products for a gentle, but long-lasting fragrance. The whole product lineup includes:

Intensive Moisture Body Wash: this jumbo-sized body wash has a special formula that leaves skin hydrated. The water-soluble oils allow for lather but also strengthens skin’s natural protection barrier.
Cocoa-Illipe Body Butter: this rich and thick butter is a champ against my dry skin, absorbing quickly but also adding a wallop of moisture.
Lathering Body Scrub: Not much I love more than a foaming scrub – the tiny beads work to leave skin ultra ultra soft.
Gold Lustre Shimmer Mist: This light-weight mist is going to be perfect once I get a little color going, having just a touch of glimmer and luxury.
Sunlit Bronzing Lotion: Speaking of color, I am loving this bronzer for arms, legs and decolletage – it adds a luminous glow with moisture, adding just a touch of micro-fine gold mica pigments for sun-kissed look.
A Nomad Journey Gift Set with 2-ounce tubes of Intensive Moisture Body Wash and Cocoa-Illipe Body Butter are stocked away for my upcoming beach vacation – could there be a more perfect scent for time by the sea?

The capsule collection is available online and launched in 63 stores (including Times Square, Union Square, Soho, Short Hills, Santa Monica, Topanga and South Beach) yesterday. I love everything I tried, but please please don’t miss out of the Sunlit Bronzing Lotion – it is too good!

Drybar Lauches Hair Care Line

Have you heard of Drybar? If not, where in the world have you been? Drybar was started by Alli Webb, after being frustrated with the high price of blowouts at traditional salons. Drybar locations offer only blowouts – no cuts, no color and prices start at $35. Right now, Drybar has 24 locations in New York, LA, San Francisco, Dallas, Scottsdale, San Diego, Atlanta and DC. I confess to having visited more than a handful of them. It is probably a good thing I don’t have a store in my home town because I would literally be there every single week (not kidding one single bit).

But now I can have a little bit of Drybar at home. During my visit to Drybar Dallas last week, I got to experience their brand new product line, exclusively sold at Sephora and Drybar locations. Just like the crafted experience at Drybar (think champagne and chick flicks in girly decor), Alli’s product line was thoughtfully developed and named.

The line was developed in collaboration with Drybar board member and investor Janet Gurwitch, who is also the founder and former CEO of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. “Alli’s clear vision and passion to create a line of products and tools for the perfect blowout has been impressive to watch,” says Gurwitch. “She has identified a real niche in the market and the performance of these products is truly like nothing I’ve ever experienced in hairstyling products.”

The initial product lineup:

Happy Hour Shampoo – Blowout Shampoo: leaves hair free of product buildup, prepped and lightweight for styling
Happy Hour Conditioner – Weightless Conditioner: ultra-light but still smooths and softens
Hot Toddy – Heat Protector & Frizz Fighter: conditions hair while leaving in shiny and bouncy, not flat
Southern Belle – Volumizing Mousse: adds volume without being stiff
Cream Soda – Smoothing Cream: no stiffness associated with this cream, great for thicker hair
The Chaser – Shine Pomade: increases texture for those illustrious beach waves
100 Proof – Smoothing Oil: adds shine but is weightless, even on my fine hair
Money Maker – Flexible Hold Hairspray: brushable and controls frizz, just like my beloved Elnett
Detox – Dry Shampoo: I wasn’t able to try this one, but I hear rave reviews (currently sold out at Sephora.com)

The initial tool lineup:

Buttercup – Blow Dryer: How cute is this pop of yellow?
The 3-Day Bender – Curling Iron: This iron with a rotating barrel gets the wave right every time – this one is high on my wish list.
Smooth Operator – Flatiron: made with silicon and heats to 450 degrees
Lemon Drop – Wet Brush: see Wet Brush review here, I need not say more
Full and Half Pint – Round Brushes: ceramic barrel heats up from the blow dryer, for big, loose curls and shorter drying time
Hold Me – Hair Clips: these guys make portioning hair during a blowout a sinch without damaging hair
The Morning After – Shower Cap: Kinda kicking myself for not picking up one of these while I was there, because my blowout lasted four days!

Drybar products are cruelty-free.Shop the Drybar products here:

Five Favorite Scrubs for Spring

I can rattle all sorts of reasons for scrubbing it up this time of year: self-tanning, time of renewal, glow-y skin, silky legs, and on and on. Yesterday was the first day of spring after all. Down with strep throat this week, I’ve being playing spa at home while I recover. All in the name of research, right? Before you run out and stock up your shower for a new exfoliator or body polish, I wanted to share my five favorite scrubs I am reaching for right now.

Elemis Spa Home Tranquil Body Polish takes me back to an amazing spa (now long gone – RIP) I used to visit that featured Elemis products. The line is elegant and exotic all at the same time. This polish has fine granuals made of natural rice that actually have a pretty active exfoliating effect. There is no greasy residue but the formula does contain Cupuacu butter to smooth and condition. Essential oils of patchouli, mandarin and ginger add to the spa-like effect – absolutely love this fragrance. This scrub is great for prepping legs for a self-tan. Available at here.

AHAVA Smoothing Body Exfoliator also has a to die for fragrance but the formula is slightly different with a gommage texture. I actually like how this prevents the scrub from sliding around while you work it into the skin. The Dead Sea plant extracts and granules, actually quite large, but very gentle, clear skin and improve circulation. I particularly like this for those stubborn bumps on the back of my arms. Available at AHAVAUS.com and Nordstrom.com.

Avalon Organics Lavender Luminosity Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub is what I’m turning to for my mug these days. This enzyme scrub is super gentle but still sloughs away flakey and dull skin. Both fruit enzymes and walnut shells work as exfoliants while botanical extracts calms skin. The formula is made with at least 70% organic ingredients. Available at natural food stores, Whole Foods Market and www.avalonorganics.com.

Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Exfoliating Body Wash will send you straight to the South Pacific. We are having a little seasonal cool down this week, so I am counting on this body wash to keep me in the spring mood. As an exfoliating body wash, this is slightly more gentle while still using Pacific seas salts to detoxify and exfoliate. The citrus scent is great for a little boost in the AM. My skin is super soft post-sudsing up thanks to Jojoba, Macadamia, Avocado and Sweet Almond Oils. Available at natural food stores, Whole Foods Market and www.albabotanica.com.

bliss fatgirlscrub provides a little slim down – who wouldn’t want that? While the Himalayan pink salt exfoliates, the peppermint-scented formula tightens skin. The action promotes circulation, reducing fluids that cause lumps and bumps under the skin. And the removal of dead skin preps skin for any other slimming products that you use post-shower. Available here.