Category: skin-care

Self Care Step Three: Morning Skin Care Routine

So far, I have shared my Evening Skin Care Routine and my Morning Makeup Routine as part of the long weekend “Self Care” series. I think I am already tired of the term so apologies for the cheesiness. But I am certainly glad it inspired me to share these round ups with you. So as a finale, here is how I care for my skin in the mornings:

1. Drunk Elephant JuJu Bar – I am on a huge Drunk Elephant kick lately, and their bar soaps are blowing me away. This one is slightly more exfoliating. The formula contains thermal mud, 20% glycerin and bamboo powder. Also, soap-free and fragrance-free so my sensitive skin is soothed and not too tight.

2. Clarisonic Sonic Radiance Brightening Solution – I have tried every Clarisonic model and this one is still my favorite. While some might question my using an exfoliating cleanser with a Clarisonic, I’ve found this version is gentle and the brush is much softer. It works beautifully for me so I am going to stick with it.

3. Thayer Witch Hazel – I know I keep mentioning it but this stuff is affordable, gentle and gets my skin super clean and balanced. Just buy it, kay?

4. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum – Vitamin C as a daytime treatment is a longtime favorite of mine. This light serum is packed with antioxidants and works especially well on UV damage. Speaking of….

5. Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Defense SPF 30 – I admit that I have gotten a little lazy with SPF this winter. After a balmy afternoon at the beach in Florida last weekend, I ended up a little more bronze than intended. So now I slather this baby on every single morning. Love that there is very little scent and it absorbs quickly.

I realize I am super heavy on the Drunk Elephant lately (especially this post). Clearly, I am smitten. I will follow up with an depth post on the brand later this week. It is a pretty spectacular line especially for those looking for toxin, soap and fragrance-free products.

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AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN 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.

Self Care Step One: Evening Skin Care Routine

Seems like skin care just moves more to the forefront every day. Not just for beauty buffs and bloggers, but for my gal pals and family too. I love that great skin is now valued as much as a great foundation! So I thought I would start out this little weekend series (aka Happy Valentine’s Day to Me) with my evening skin care routine. I don’t dive into formulas too much here – just discussing why I love the products.

1. Drunk Elephant Pekee Bar – I just started reviewing this line, but I am already obsessed with their bar soaps. Don’t let the bar form scare you – this formula is still toxin and soap-free. My skin is left balanced, moisturized, calmed and clean.

2. Foreo Luna – I use the Drunk Elephant to create a foam and then use this strange looking device to amp up the cleansing action. I use the Ultra Sensitive version and am still really pleased with the improvement in my cleansing action. While I will never relinquish my Clarisonic, I prefer this in the evenings. The low-frequency pulsation smooths skin, the device is waterproof and you never have to buy replacement brushes – bonus!

3. Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask – I don’t use this every night, but it is part of my routine a couple times a week. The black tea works against free radicals (which causes wrinkles – yuckie). The whipped texture is just too fun to use. And my revealed skin is clearer and softer. Plus, you guys… this stuff smells so darn good – like a warm, beach-front spa.

4. blisslabs active 99.0 anti-aging series multi-action eye cream – I know I have mentioned this eye cream before but it is just so darn good. I am also obsessed with a Kate Somerville version, but more on that later this weekend. I slather this on when my under-eye is looking rather crape-y and tired. And I’ll be darned – I look perked up instantly.

5. Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm – This last one is also a repeat, but I literally missed this moisturizer while I was out of town. The gel-like texture dives deep to nourish skin and I wake up with the glow that I usually only find in the summer months.

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Foreo and Fresh samples generously provided by Neiman Marcus as part of the Beauty Ambassador Program. I consult for Neiman Marcus which is affiliated with the Neiman Marcus Group. Other products may have been provided by the company. As always, all opinions are my own. See Disclosure Page for more information regarding our use of editorial samples.

Omorovicza Moor Mud – Free Samples & A Discount!

Omorovicza Moor Mud on Belle Belle Beauty

Such a special treat for you today – one of my all time favorite brands is offering something special to you guys, my dear readers. This is an amazing opportunity to try out the exclusive and luxury Omorovicza.

I’ve posted lots about this brand but for a refresher: Omorovicza a brand I discovered at Neiman Marcus years ago and it embodies true luxury. Omorovicza was founded in 2005 by Stephen and Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza. Founded upon the benefits of the thermal waters of Budapest, their formulas have transformative effects. The couple worked with the Hungarian Nobel winner laboratory to harness those benefits into a skincare line.

I have been testing out the Moor Mud range – many members are already part of my all-time favorites. The products I’ve been using are Thermal Cleansing Balm, The Deep Cleansing Mask and the Refining Facial Polisher. I mentioned the Thermal Cleansing Balm last week but as a recap: absolutely love the gel-like cleansing combined with the nourishing effects. The Deep Cleansing Mask (like other mud masks) is what I rely on to unclog my pores. And the Refining Facial Polisher (new to me) was gentle enough on my redness-prone skin, but effective at ridding my face of dead skin cells and returning a radiance.

So now here is the real cake: you, dear readers, get to take advantage of a sampling campaign – you will receive the 3 moor mud samples just by submitting your name and shipping address on this site:

http://www.omorovicza.com/sampling-campaign-bellebellebeauty

(I was having some trouble with the site redirecting so please cut and paste the URL above). Bonus, you also get 20% off their first purchase on Omorovicza.com.

Samples generously provided by Omorovicza. As always, opinions are my own.

January Favorites and The End of My Favorite TV Show

Anyone else celebrating (crying) with me tonight as the TV show Parenthood ends? I honestly think it is the smartest show on television – lovely actors, usually amazing story lines and “that hit home” moments. I will always love the Bravermans.

In honor of that milestone, I thought I would share my skin care routine along with my January favorites today. I am leaving town for a long stretch in a short bit and am a bit distraught about being away from my skin care goodies. I thought maybe sharing my current favorites would help me narrow down the lineup for the trip.

I have no idea how 10 years ago (in my twenties) I could muster a carry on for six weeks in Europe in seven different climates. These days, 7 days in two American cities just undoes me.

And my January favorites:

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New Year’s Skin: Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe and Glow Pen Highlighter

Let me say this off the bat: this is a true luxury duo with a price to match. But when I showed up to lunch sans makeup except for these two yesterday, I was met with “Your skin looks so good! So dewy!” For me, that says quite a bit when I am going relatively bare.

I am both pleasantly surprised but then again not much at all. After all, Le Metier de Beaute was one of the first lines I fell hard for as a new blogger five years ago. But slowly they fell off my radar – still adored but not quite as prevalent on my vanity. All that changed with what I sense is a bit of a revamp from the brand.

As always, they are front and center at Neiman Marcus stores. And it is a beautiful marriage – gorgeous packaging, state-of-the-art skin care and beautiful and timeless shades are all qualities of the brand. Their marquis products are from their Peau Vierge line. Peau Vierge translates to “virgin skin” – I am totally on board.

Previously packaged in a metal container with a pump, Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe is now in a friendly tube – a little less glamorous given the price tag but so much easier to use, especially for travel. This tinted moisturizer is sheer but correcting. But the bright spot is how the formula works to improve skin over the long term. It restores and tightens while providing protection with SPF 18.

For those looking for a gentle retinol, search no further. In all my testing, this formula has been the easiest to use – I avoid all that irritation and redness but still see a clarity after about a week of using. I always had an affinity for Shade Two – a neutral beige. But after using both Two and Three over the last couple of weeks, I like the golden base of Three for much needed warmth on my winter skin. Unfortunately, these shades will only work for those with fair-to-medium skin tones.

I follow up with a “new to me” product by Le Metier: the Lueur Stylo PV Glow Pen Highlighter. While highlighting pens are ubiquitous these days, I really do find this version great for brightening the under eye. It is definitely not a concealer, but the radiant finish corrects without being heavy. I prefer Shade Two while Shade One will be perfect for those with fair skin.

Talk about a New Year’s win-win: I get natural, glowy and dewy skin. Plus I am working in retinol and SPF daily while also improving my skin tone and fine lines. While the duo is a splurge and a little under the radar, my rediscovery of Le Metier proves it still has products for great skin and true pay-off.

Samples generously provided by Neiman Marcus as part of the Beauty Ambassador Program. I consult for Neiman Marcus which is affiliated with the Neiman Marcus Group, but as always, opinions are my own.

Glossier

I am fairly sure nothing could drag me away from my happy life here in Oklahoma. But if there is one thing I occasionally miss, it is the pleasures of a big city. The latest and greatest, trendy food and fashion inspiration come to mind. So when iconic beauty blogger, Emily Weiss, launched a beauty line up in New York City, I immediately hit purchase and a set of her complexion essentials arrived at my doorstep. A little Manhattan in Tulsa.

While Glossier does offer a la carte, I think their Phase One Set is the best value and really what you need to experience the fun and sophisticated brand. And once you do, you’ll appreciate the simplicity and natural look. Phase One comes with a mist, moisturizer, balm and tint, all for $80 which I think is a remarkable price for four luxe products.

The packaging was solid. Not porcelain or anything (but after breaking my Tata Harper mask in the shower, I’ve come to appreciate plastic). I loved the box it arrived in – so much so that I saved it for a month until I realized I was crazy. I did hold onto the adorable bubble zip bags – those are cherished for travel.

Because I ordered right after Thanksgiving, I received a free tote and extra mist. I use both at work – the tote for my lunch and the mist to refresh my makeup. Beware: keep away from the eye area (even with eyes closed) – it can be irritating. That being said, the rosewater spray is a welcome addition to the moisture factor and I use it to prep skin before the moisturizer.

Rather than stand alone hydration, I think the priming moisturizer plays better as a primer for my dry skin this time of year. In the summer, I expect it to be perfect just on its own but for now I need an extra facial oil or cream. The oil-free formula might be perfect for those with oiler or combo skin. The gel texture absorbs quickly and makes the perfect canvas for makeup.

The BalmDotCom is probably the line’s most iconic product. The beeswax based formula is soothing, healing and locks in moisture like a champ. It is my little winter MVP. I have used it on cuticles, elbows, dry spots and lips. And I actually appreciate that it is basically scent-free – perfect for sleep, work or layered. The thick texture takes a while to come out of the tube’s dispenser, but that keeps me from wasting this precious goodness – as my ex would say, haste makes waste.

The final products is Perfecting Skin Tint which, unlike the moisturizer, packs a punch of delicious hydration thanks to glycerin. And ever since the arrival of these serum-like foundations, I adore the way they add slight coverage, improve skin but still look so natural. Make sure to shake. And I need extra concealer for blemishes and under-eye but overall this might be my favorite out of the bunch. I think it will also be ideal in the summer when I am doing the “undone” look more often than not. I ordered a medium and it is perfect. If you need help, there is a graphic to help you decide on the site. Available in Light, Medium and Dark. Keep in mind that coverage is very sheer so you don’t need to fear a huge mismatch unless you are on the edges of the complexion spectrum.

Available at glossier.com.