Tag: bliss

Scrub Soaps

I recently passed along some samples of scrub soap along to beau beau, my male guinea pig. After trying them out for a couple weeks, he couldn’t help but rave. So much so that I needed to hunt some down for myself. These soaps slough skin with physical exfoliators like oat bran. I was concerned about irritation, but these guys both got my skin extraordinarily clean without injuring delicate areas. It was so helpful in tackling dry elbows, feel and backs of arms.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap may technicallly be a men’s product, but ladies, you will want to borrow this one. It is designed for thicker skin, with natural oat bran, oat kernal and pumice. The soap itself has a refreshing scent and lathers while you work on your tougher skin. I prefer this to the standard pumice as it cleans and is slightly gentler. For those of you with men who have rough skin, this will soften without leaving an overly feminine fragrance.

If you prefer a little more bang for your buck, Bliss Mammoth Minty Scrub Soap is an ENORMOUS bar of soap that is well designed, effective and refreshing. Not only is the bar large, but it is hard-milled making it extra long lasting. Jojoba beads offer a gentler exfoliation. And the mint oil make it superbly refreshing.

Jack Black, of lip balm fame, makes a ‘Turbo Body Bar™’ Scrubbing Soap that offers that deep clean men seem to crave. There is a good amount of lather and hydration (murumuru and shea butters) in this bar, along with exfoliation. The scent is invigorating with natural blue lotus and ginkgo biloba making it a dream for early mornings. Natural lava rock is a hefty but gentle exfoliator.

What is On My Nightstand

I’ve been a little obsessive with my nighttime routine and I wanted to share my favorite products during evening hours:

Lucas PawPaw Ointment – This Australian ointment is like Aquaphor but better. It has Papaya to help exfoliate and my lips have never been so healthy. No wonder it has been around for 100 years.
Jason Vitamin E Oil – I’ve had cracking dry skin on my feet and hands. This nourishing (albeit a little messy) oil contains essential oils of Black Currant, Evening Primrose, Macadamia Nut and Borage. It is a truly intensive treatment if you need to heal skin quickly.
Bliss 24-Heaven Healing Balm – I can’t stop talking about this moisturizing cream. It is thick but absorbs quickly and leaves skin hydrated and supple.
Avene Thermal Spring Water – I picked this up on whim in New York City. It is a refreshing spray that adds moisture and can act as a makeup remover in a pinch. A little on a cotton ball and I don’t feel so guilty for not washing my face on those late nights.
Bio-Oil – Can you tell I have dry skin? For those nights I need a little extra dose of moisture, I use this on my arms and legs. I spot treated on a nasty bruise on my arm and really do think it sped healing.
LoLLIA Relax – I reach for this in the AM too. The main note is lavender, but the bee blossom honey and Indian amber add a sweet spiciness. I am a big believer in aromatherapy and this makes it a little easier to unwind.

Bliss ‘Firm, Baby, Firm’ Dual-Action Lifting & Volumizing Serum

I am a huge fan of Bliss anything and everything, but I mostly have focused on their body care products. I haven’t had much experience with their skin care offerings other than Bliss That’s Incredi-Peel! – a super charged glycolic acid treatment. Over the past couple weeks, I have been using Bliss Firm, Baby, Firm, a dual action serum that feels so darn good to use.

This facial serum helps boots collagen and elasticity for immediate AND long term effects. The dual action helps voluminize hollow areas, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, while also lifting – usually serums do one or the other making this a unique product. Powerful active ingredients like gardenia stem cells, cell-targeting X50 peptides and phyto-retinoids fuel the serum. These stem cells derived from fruit and plants are strong, but seem to play nicer with my sensitive skin.

The best part for me is the instant gratification of pleasant and nourishing lavender scented formula (from Bulgarian lavender oil). The creamy, aloe base adds moisture and instant smoothness. And a patented irritation-reducing technology gives the anti-aging ingredients I need without red flaky skin.

Bliss High Intensity ’24-Heaven™’ Healing Body Balm and GIVEAWAY

Like a momma bear getting ready for hibernation, I am preparing for these winter months when my skin is known to become a dry, itchy mess. And this year, I am stockpiling Bliss High Intensity ’24-Heaven™’ Healing Body Balm.

This insanely rich balm looks like icing or crisco in the tub but has the consistency closer to greek yogurt. And while it is very nourishing, the quickly absorbing balm doesn’t become greasy or sticky. Staying on the food trend, the scent is kind of like cake batter (but not in that teenybopper, nauseous way). It smells clean and maybe even a little vanilla on the skin.

That would probably sell me right there. But then bliss went a step further. They threw in exfoliating lactic acid and soothing, protective colloidal oatmeal. At the end of the day, my skin still feels super hydrated from my AM application.

Just because I love you readers (and in honor of Belle Belle Beauty’s second birthday), I willing to part with a ’24-Heaven’ from my own person stash. Just enter using the widget below. Open to anyone anywhere! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you don’t want to chance it, you can pick up your own at NeimanMarcus.com.

Bliss fabulips treatment kit

A few weeks ago, I was talking about a facial for the hair. So why not a facial for the lips!? A healthy pout is not only prettier, but absolutely mandatory for lip color. There is nothing worse than an uneven, flakey bold lip. Might as well make an at home, mini spa treatment out of priming those lips to look their best.

The kit includes everything you need for the four step treatment:

Lift impurities and lip color with the foaming lip cleanser.
Polish lips and remove dead skin with the sugar lip scrub.
Use the volumizing instant lip plumper
Moisturize with the softening lip balm.

The lip “facial” has amazing results. But these are also great to use solo. I adore the foaming lip cleanser for removing lipstick or stain at the end of the evening. It gently cleans with Cocoa butter, shea butter and rice bran extract. Let it set for 20-30 seconds to activate and foam.

I keep the sugar lip scrub in the shower for daily exfoliation. It contains almond and walnut shell to exfoliate and nourishes with jojoba seed. It is packed with vitamins and, on its own, leaves my lips hydrated.

The lip plumper comes in handy before big events (it doesn’t tingle or irritate – just minty). Cork tree extract and peptides volumize and contour. Sodium hyaluronate keeps hydration in, boosting volume even more.

And the balm is so silky and soft. This is probably my favorite of all. It is perfect for right before bed. Waxes and oils condition delicately. Shea butter, jojoba and grape seed oils seal moisture in with a dose of Vitamin E.

Summer Complexion Helpers

We are more than halfway through summer and I am still enjoying the casual days, subtle makeup and festive mood. I’m also seeing the effects of time by the pool – filled with pore clogging sunscreen and dreaded hyper-pigmentation causing sun. I thought I’d share some of my favorite complexion savers that have been especially helpful to me during the summer routine.

1. Kate Somerville Complexion Correction Daily Discoloration Perfector: This stuff goes after melanin (which causes those dark spots). The formula actually controls the creation of pigments, while lightening at the same time. Retinol is also included to fight those fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Bliss No ‘Zit’ Sherlock Rubberizing Mask: Bring a little piece of Bliss Spa home with this “way too fun” rubberizing mask. There is something so satisfying about peeling off the mask after it has dried. Tea tree, seaweed and willow and menthol extracts help complexion look less shiny and improves the appearance of pores.

3. 3LAB Perfect BB SPF40/ PA+++: Armed with high factor SPF, this tinted moisturizer can even skin and fight those dark spots while making skin appear flawless. The formula contains 3LAB’s proprietary bioengineered growth hormone that can reverse the signs of aging.

4. Obagi Professional-C Serum 15% Strength: This serum effectively delivers a high-powered amount of Vitamin C into the skin. Vitamin C is great anti-aging ingredient which also lightens and brightens skin. Unlike other Vitamin C products, I get zero irritation despite the high level of active ingredient.

5. Bliss No ‘Zit’ Sherlock Correcting Serum: Containing 1% Salicylic acid, this serum gently heals blemishes and fades darks spots that those blemishes leave behind. If you have oiler skin, it makes for a great all over serum, reducing pore size and redness.