Belle Belle Beauty

La Lumière illuMask Anti-Acne Light Therapy Mask

I had reviewed this mask way back when, but asked some bestie blog friends to try it out on their slightly more acne-prone skin. Alas, my skin suffers from dryness and hyper-pigmentation. No complaints here, but wanted to give this gadget a real whirl on complexions dealing with breakouts.

A little about the mask: Using specific wavelengths of red and blue light, this mask prevents and treats breakouts. The red light reduces skin’s inflammation (the part I loved on my sensitive skin) and heals break outs. Red light also works to even skin tone. Blue light kills acne-causing bacteria, reducing current acne and future blemishes or breakouts.

I certainly did not expect a resounding love of the “Pink Power Ranger” mask (gotta love my testers’ sense of humor). Lauren‘s first reaction was “This Daft Punk mask really works! I had a zit at the outer edge of my cheek that just WOULD NOT go away for like a month, and now it’s gone after using this for a solid week!“

In Lisa‘s words:

I have combination skin, and if I get lax in my regular routine (which happens a bit more often than I care to admit), my skin starts to revolt in the form of patches of tiny breakouts, primarily on my chin and cheeks, and occasionally my forehead. This was the case when I started using Illumask.

Though Illumask has an opening for your eyes, with the light on it was hard for me to see — but I quickly came to embrace that as it forced me to relax for at least a short bit of time in my day. It feels a bit like sticking your face in a tanning bed, only the light is far more pleasant, and the heat very gentle. I’d put on an audiobook or some music and just lay on my bed for 15 minutes.

I noticed some slight dryness and tightness of my skin after each use, but I followed each treatment with my regular nightly moisturizer and my skin felt normal after that. The mask is good for 30 uses, but I actually stopped at 7 because it had done its job — my skin was clear again. I’ve been a bit lax again lately so I think it’s time to pull it back out again!

Lauren adds “Either way, having that zit go away was as fast as an anti-inflammatory injection from the derm, but cheaper.” I am all for a cheaper solution to a skin nightmare!

Available for $30 at Ulta, Walmart and Target. Thank you so much, Lisa and Lauren!

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.

Wednesday On The Web

Whoa… hello there March. March, you came rushing through the door – February always throws me off with the shorter month. But we shall take you, first month of Spring. Apparently our last hurrah of winter arrives early this AM in the form of snow and ice. Meanwhile, I am dreaming of messy summer hair and a voluminous tunic just like above. To keep you warm and toasty, some finds from around the web:

Don’t miss my favorite sale of the season here.

Amber, my fellow beauty blogger and dear friend, also admits to also hating the chore of blow drying her hair. I have to pick up her favorite staple for speeding things up.

So tempted to overdress and rent this dress for an upcoming event.

I still haven’t quite settled on how I personally feel about having children but this essay was thought provoking. “I love the spare, quiet rooms of my grown-up house.“

My buddy and I totally “ghosted” on Friday with no regrets. What do you think of this practice?

And some favorite finds from Feb below:

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Don’t Miss: Shopbop’s BIG Spring Sale

Unless you completely ducked out of the Internet today, you will have noticed that this AM started the seasonal Spring sale at Shopbop. Through Sunday March 8, 2015 4:00AM ET, Shopbop is offering the following deal:

You save 15% with purchase over $250
You save 20% with purchase over $500
You save 25% with purchase over $1000

Use code BIGEVENT15. Here are some of my picks I plan on loading up on for spring fun:

Wednesday On The Web

Sorry for the brevity of today’s post! Not too much new to report around here except for my continuing need for glowing skin. This look above is so healthy and luxe. I am trying out this new facial oil and so far, each day I am getting a longer-lasting glow and hydrated skin. Stay tuned for the full update! In the meantime, some finds from around the web this week:

This made me seriously LOL – what do you think of February?

Piperlime’s days are numbered… sad… but there are some serious deals to be found here.

Best mid-winter tropical beauty splurge.

This adorable line has me wanting to jump on the romper bandwagon.

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R+Co

I must be on a hair kick especially on the heels of this post. There is something about the feeling of freshly washed and blown out hair that is putting a little spring in my step. Besides these tools, I am also reaching for a new-to-me hair care line, R+Co.

First a little about the line: the brand is a collective of professional artists. Each product is designed to reflect more than one viewpoint. The result is professional products that work to achieve a wide range of looks. While I am dying to try the whole line, I have only played with Gemstone Color Shampoo & Conditioner and Chiffon Styling Mousse.

I recently started having my hair professionally colored. A couple reasons: first, I was going grey. Second, I found someone I finally trust. And third, I wanted a more polished and professional look. But I am still using “training wheels” aka demi-permanent color. And this stuff only lasts 6-8 weeks. So I really treat my hair with kid gloves and that starts with color-safe shampoo and conditioner.

R+Co. Gemstone smells like the tropics. The shampoo has a great lather. And it works no matter what (faux) color your hair is. Just like the shampoo, the conditioner contains yummy ingredients like Hibiscus Extract (softens and protects), Pea Extract (preserves color), Rice Extract (smooths) and Golden Root Extract (protects).

Last but not least… I struggle with volume and hold. Mousse has become my friend. And the Chiffon Styling Mousse is lightweight, provides shine and somehow gives my fine strands some hold. I just apply to the roots of wet hair and style away.

Need an excuse to upgrade your hair care game? Don’t forget about Neiman Marcus Spring 2015 Beauty Week through this weekend. Shop the post here:

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.

Kate Somerville Nourish HydraGel Mask

A lot of people talk about the Sunday blues, but I actually am starting to love these days at the end of the week. I like structure. I love my work. And weekends sometimes throw me off balance. I sound really boring right now, but hey…. I am being real. So today I am prepping for my best self tomorrow so I can hit Monday morning running.

In Oklahoma right now – as far as skin care is concerned – that means treating a big ole dose of dry skin. Leave it to Kate Sommerville to come up with the ultimate cure. The Nourish HydraGel Mask infuses skin with Hyaluronic Acid – the one ingredient that can drive deep hydration into skin. At the same time, skin is cooled and balanced. And antioxidants works against free radicals.

The gel is clear making this mask less messy than alternatives. The scent is marine and transports me to the tropics. After a short five minutes, I rinse the mask off and am left with glowing skin. Perfect to get me right back into Monday morning mode.