Author: Lindsay

Current Sniffs: Favorite Fragrances Right Now

Just in time for that little holiday on Thursday, I thought I’d round up some favorite fragrances that have crossed my desk lately.

Tom Ford Black Orchid: One of Tom Ford’s classic scents, this dark and sensual fragrance is just spicy enough. There is a layer of deliciousness with Black Currant, Black Truffle and fruit. Lotus Wood, Patchouli, Incense and Vetiver play prominently. And I love the creamy vanilla as it dries down.

Ivanka Trump Eau de Parfum: I was surprised to fall for this one. But lately, celebrity-created fragrances have been capturing my heart more than I expected. Inspired by grace and beauty, Ivanka developed a very wearable scent that features both sophisticated and playful notes. Italian Bergamot, Apple, Pineapple and Pink Peppercorn set up a playful top note experience. But Rose, Amber, Vanilla and Patchouli round out with a seductive, warm and sophisticated end.

Valentino Valentina Assoluto Eau de Parfum: Already hooked on the original Valentina, no surprise I love the newer, more intense iteration. Absoluto has the freshness with bergamot and peach, but with the fervor of Italian floral Chypre. Jasmine and tuberose are calmed with vanilla. This is such a great spring-time scent with the giddiness of fruit but sweetness of white florals and vanilla.

Kate Somerville RetAsphere 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream

I recognize that I sound like a broken record, always always singing the praises of Retinol. But just face the fact: Retinol is one of the few ingredients out there that is proven to prevent premature aging. And for those with acne, Retinol can help with exfoliation, removing pore-clogging dead skin cells. But more than that – it can actually improve the texture of your skin. So even if you don’t have those dreaded fine wrinkles yet or suffer from acne, it can help with hyper-pigmentation and pore size.

The one complaint I hear readers voice about Retinols is they can often irritate sensitive skin. Enter Kate Somerville’s RetAsphere 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream. Formulated with a patented Carrier System, the Retinol is packaged in a lip shell. The rich cream melts the pure Retinol evenly into the epidermis. Then a bio-derived hyaluronic acid (another ingredient I won’t shut up about) locks in hydration, preventing that annoying Retinol side effect – dried out skin.

After a couple weeks of use, I have no hesitation in recommending this to those who have had irritation with Retinol or haven’t yet added it to their routine. The rich consistency and hydration factor immediately makes my skin look supple and brighter. And on its own, the RetAsphere provides enough moisture for my drier skin. Gone are the days of flaking, red skin when introducing a Retinol product.

Make sure to use this only at night – sun doesn’t play nice with Retinol. And make sure you have a SPF on during the day – Retinol use makes skin more sensitive to the UV rays. I didn’t have any sensitivity, but you can use every other day if you find you have irritation.

Kate Somerville is available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Sephora, and KateSomerville.com.

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.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliners

I’m going to keep this one short and sweet. My requirements for eyeliners are as follows:

Waterproof
Built in sharpener
Velvety, creamy texture
Precise
Varied shades
Smudge-proof

This newest eyeliner from Anastasia ticks all the boxes. They developed an unusually rich, pigmented liner with great shades. Pixiwoo is also a fan of these liners and I love their technique for using them: apply a thin line and then use a MAC 266 brush to wing out and perfect the line. Or wiggle the pencil into the lashes for a tight-lined look. Admittedly, it doesn’t work great on the waterline (for this try this one), but for a great cat eye that is not going anywhere for the day or evening, this is a winner.

note: Pixiwoo is a beauty blogger with stunning video tutorials – check out their you tube channel here.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliner is available at Ulta, Nordstrom and www.Anastasia.net, $19

Shiseido’s Pucker Up Valentine’s Day Quiz

How cute is this little quiz from Shiseido? Check it out for your perfect Valentine’s Day lip look. No surprise my score said I was “romantic”. My current love affair with a nude lip is hot and heavy. The Shimmering Rouge in Temptress is now certainly on my shopping list. xoxo

Nutrisystem Week 11

This week, I lost 1.6 pounds for a total weight loss of 21.0 pounds. Each week, I post these updates with amazement. Part of me wants to say “how did this happen?” Making changes is never ridiculously easy, but for me, Nutrisystem has been just that. Wake up, drink water, exercise and eat the food. I don’t mean to be blase about the commitment it requires, but it just isn’t much of a sacrifice. Especially when each week I get to look at a smaller number on the scale. Everything is portioned for you and easily prepared. Not to mention, tastes pretty darn good.

One thing I’d like to add is my update on dining out. I have had many meals out since I’ve been on Nutrisystem. Mostly dinners since that is how my friends and I usually celebrate the weekends. When ordering, I focus on fish, lean meats and veggies. I skip bread, cheese and desserts. I also try to split entrees or order appetizers as often as I can. Favorites are sashimi, shrimp cocktail, chopped salad (dressing on the side), carpaccio, caprese salad (well, this has a little cheese) and scallops. And for a cocktail, I lean towards low calorie martinis and champagne (80 and 90 calories a serving, respectively!).

Perhaps my best takeaway so far is that Nutrisystem has taught me a new attitude and way of life. I like this way of doing things. It is a heck of a lot more fun. So that makes it a cake walk!

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.

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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.

Hourglass Cosmetics at La Perla

On Thursday, I was blown away by the Instagrams from La Perla’s presentation at The Gallery at Dream Downtown. Often so difficult with lingerie, the collection was sexy, sophisticated, feminine and so luxe. And the makeup – swoon. Here are some of the details from Hourglass artist Moani Lee who created two distinct and beautiful looks.

For La Perla’s Black Label collection, Lee focused on the eyes. The look is a “fresh take on the classic smoky eye, featuring a blend of black and brown kohl liner,” she says. “There are no harsh lines, it’s a softer interpretation that showcases beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.” The nude color on lips is a preview of Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo, a collection of neutral lipsticks to be released in the fall (cannot wait!).

For the La Perla collection, focus was on the lips. Lee blended two shades of Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick. “It was one part Icon and three parts Raven,” she says.

For both looks:

Prep with Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum to create a seamless canvas for makeup.
Follow with Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup in three shades: Porcelain, Ivory and Honey. “I use the deepest shade to contour, the lightest shade to highlight and the matching shade for the rest of the skin,” says Lee.
Repeat the process with Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer in three shades: Hidden, Fair and Tan.
Finish up with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (reviewed here) in three shades: Radiant (golden beige), Dim (neutral beige) and Luminous (champagne pearl). “Blending the three powders creates an exceptional glow. You can literally become your own lighting technician.”
Augment brows with Hourglass Arch Sculpting Brow Pencil in Soft Brunette (reviewed here).
Prep lips with Hourglass No. 28 Lip Oil, launching this summer

For the soft eyes and bold lip at the La Perla Collection:

Line the eyes with Hourglass Film Noir Kohl Eye Pencil in Espresso
Apply the mauve shimmer shade from Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in Exhibition to the lids.
Finish with a few coats of Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara (reviewed here).
Apply Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick in Raven and Icon.

For the nude lip and bold eyes at La Perla Black Label:

Line the eyes with Hourglass Film Noir Kohl Eye Pencil in Eclipse and smudge (reviewed here).
Follow with Hourglass Film Noir Kohl Eye Pencil in Espresso and smudge. “Layering the two shades gives the eyes more depth and intrigue,” says Lee.
Follow with the eggplant shimmer shade from Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in Exhibition on the lids.
Finish with a few coats of Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara.
Apply Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo, coming this fall. “There are six shades and you pick the one that best suits your skin tone,” says Lee.