Category: skin-care

Winter Drugstore Hits

Happy New Year’s Eve! I’ve been trolling the drugstore aisles this holiday season have some finds to report. This round-up has goodies that will hydrate and cleanse gentle, dry winter skin without leaving it irritated or stripped.

1. Baudelaire Large Wool Sponge: I am a foam fanatic and this natural sponge gets my shower gel all in a lather. Showering just became a lot more fun.

2. Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar Soap (also comes in fragrance-free): If Jen Aniston loves it, I had to give it a whirl. You know? She was right. The smell is irrisistable and it removes makeup and cleans skin throughly. The bar is actually perfect for my Clarisonic habit – I just rub the brush head on the bar and suds away.

3. Yes to Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes: These gentle towlettes are must-haves to remove the celebratory makeup from the season. Also helpful if you are just too darn ~~tired~~ tipsy to wash your face.

4. CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM & PM: This duo is a straight-forward, no-frills way to clear, even skin. You don’t even have to think: just use AM in the morning for sun protection and moisture and PM in the evening for improved skin tone and hydrated skin.

5. J.R. Watkins Foaming Hand Soap: This natural, dye-free hand soap comes in four scents and is delightfully foamy. Not to mention, I love the vintage packaging. The formula is free of all that yucky stuff and still gets your hands clean from those pesky germs.

Dr. Jart Black Label Detox Pore Penetrator and Renewalist Melting Cream

One of my most popular posts ever was Dr. Jart’s Beauty Sleep Masks. So, I know you guys have love for Dr. Jart. Today, I want to highlight two other products that I’ve fallen for from the famed dermatologist.

The first product… I’m a bit reluctant to admit I need. I’ve always had good pores. Hyper-pigmentation and a couple fine lines – sure. But always clean and small pores. Lately, I’ve had “moments” with myself and a magnetized makeup mirror. And those pores weren’t what they used to be. I’m not sure if it is because I live in busy, construction zone downtown or it is the rich moisturizers my dry skin craves. Either way, Dr. Jart to the rescue.

Black Label Detox Pore Penetrator is a treatment mask that can lossen black heads and debris in one 10 minute process. For those of you who love fun textures – you won’t be disappointed This thick, gel-like mask is applied wherever you are prone to blackheads (for me, on the nose). Botanicals soothe while dead skin cells is removed and Pore Care Solution refines and tightens enlarged pores. My dry and sensitive skin had zero problems with the formula. Massage and then rinse off – squeaky clean skin is revealed. Voila!

Next up, Renewalist Melting Cream – this cream is like a little bit of dessert on your vanity. The “sorbet-like” texture brightens and soothes. Key word here is melting. This cream’s ability to absorb is what makes it special. Using the included spatula, I scoop a small amount and warm it in my hands (required since this is a stiff formula). Applying to the face, you get a infusion of moisture to what feels like an unually deep level. Dr. Jart’s patented platol white-c complex brightens dull skin. Nutrients, oils and antioxidnets improve the look of skin. With just a little leg work using your body heat, you get quickly absorbing, heavy duty moisturizer with a silky, clean finish. There no greasy residue, making this perfect for under makeup.

Both available at Sephora.

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.

A $530 LIFTLAB Giveaway!

Oh boy, oh boy do I have a holiday treat for you. I’ve teamed up with LIFTLAB to giveaway a five-product set valued at $530 – that is some serious luxury skin care. I’ve already fallen hard for the foamy, rich Purify & Clarify Daily Cleanser and Detox Mask. The skincare regimen includes:

Lift & Firm Eye Cream ($95)
Lift & Fix High Potency Solution ($95)
Lift & Moisturize Daily Cream ($130)
Lift & Repair Treatment Serum ($145)
Purify & Clarify Daily Cleanser and Detox Mask ($65)

Particularly handy this time of year, this LIFTLAB collection will revive holiday-weary and dry skin. The line features the patented Cell Protection Proteins® (CPP™). This protein helps Arctic plants and marine life survive their brutal climate. This skin care ingredient helps protect and regenerate skin for a healthy, youthful glow!

Use the widget below to enter. Please provide an address within the United States due to shipping regulations. Good luck!

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Blue Mercury Facial Peel

radiant skin on belle belle beauty

Who doesn’t want glowing skin for the holidays? With all the revelry and cheer, it helps to put your best face forward. With that in mind, I’ve just executed project “radiance” over the past 10 days by using the M-61 Power Peel. While I’m no peel novice (see this post), I’ve never done one over the course of days. But because this package has both a peel AND post-peel with vitamin A & C treatment, I never had any irritation but still had great results.

This peel is an at home version of Blue Mercury’s Power Facial (more on that to come). The dual pack (one per day) has step 1 on one side and step 2 on the other. The first is a deep exfoliating glycolic peel with colloidal oatmeal to soothe and bilberry extract to even skin tone. After leaving this step on for two minutes (no rinsing required), apply step 2. This deactivates the peel while infusing skin with liquid vitamins A, C and E. This firms skin and locks in moisture while lavender and chamomile calm any irritation.

I felt 10 days was enough for significant results. But they also offer a 30-day peel, perhaps for those of you who have a big event or want to be a little more aggressive. The 10-day pack is $28 and the 30-day pack is $74.

Now, for you lucky ducks near a Blue Mercury location, you can pop in for the “You Glow Girl” facial. You can find locations here. This Bluemercury exclusive facial begins with cleansing, followed by the M-61 Fast Blast mask and M-61 Power Pro-Peel for complete exfoliation. The treatment includes serums with loads of vitamins for glowing skin. And the oxygen treatment (one of my favorite parts of a facial) helps with the glow factor as well. These facials are available until December 31st for $85.

Image: Kate Bosworth: In Style, November 2011 found here via here

Omorovicza Gold Rescue Cream

Attention fans of La Mer and SK-II – I have a cream for you and you’re going to love it. Omorovicza Gold Rescue Cream uses a similar technique to La Mer, but is all natural. Like La Mer, it is a water-in-oil creme: the Gold Rescue Cream traps thermal water molecules for greater hydration. The formula is super rich, while the consistancy is almost gel like. It nourishes skin but still quickly absorbs, making it a pleasure to use.

My dry, sensitive skin drank this stuff up. I would compare it to the SK-II Signature Cream in that it is ultra-soothing with no unnecessary fragrance or active ingredients. I’ve been using in morning and night on my face and my neck. I’ve noticed a little bit more glow as I have incorporated loads of Omorovicza products. Note, I am “all in” using much of the line daily right now. See this Instagram of my vanity:

I’m inspired by the unique ingredients this company incorporates into their skin care. Things like gold and ruby just scream luxe. While those who love natural products will be thrilled with their approach to ingredient sourcing. Key elements to the formula:

Gold: A powerful anti-inflammatory, repairs accumulated micro-damage to repair and strengthen the skin.
Omega 6 Ceramide: Retextures the lipid matrix for a stronger barrier function.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide and Caprooyl Tetrapeptide: Polypeptides strengthen dermo-proteins such as elastin and collagen for renewed elasticity and vitality.
Ruby Crystal: Lends the skin instant radiance, helping to blur fine lines and minimize the appearance of imperfections.

A little more about Omorovicza: In 2006, Margaret and Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza began using an ancient healing resource in their skin care system. Their products harness the curitive properties that have been found in Hungary’s thermal baths for 2,000 years. And their packaging is elegant and harkens a glamourous age. Check out other Omorovicza product reviews here.

Video: Watch the Omorovicza Founder Talk About Gold Rescue Cream

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Winter Skin Care Tips from Kate Somerville

If I had to pick one person to be my skin guru, hands down it would be Kate Somerville. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Kate – couldn’t be nicer or more approachable. I have visited her skin clinic in West Hollywood – um… beauty mecca dare I say! And I have tried (or at least sampled) a huge portion of her products. The clean lines, direct approach and efficacious formulas add up to real, smart skin care.

So, today I am thrilled to share some of Kate’s Winter Skin Care Tips. Her main message: As the winter month approach, it’s important to tweak your skin care regimen to balance the harsh temperatures and your skin’s confusion to the drastic changes in environment. Now is the season to Exfoliate, Hydrate and Moisturize for glowing skin!

So excited about the recently launched Ultimate Kate Rewards – the loyalty program for KateSomerville.com. This program allows you to earn points for sharing, purchasing online, reviewing and much more. The points can be redeemed for rewards. And enrollment is free. Find out more here.

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