Regular readers, you already know I am an exfoliation junkie. Particularly with my recent peels, I’ve had a great need to slough off dead skin. And I’ve found that my skin looks more even and radiant with regular exfoliation. While my skin doesn’t love the more aggressive types of at home peels this time of year, I do need some sort of resurfacing. And what could be better than an easy, no-rinse formula?
Do you have a closet product junkie in your life? Or looking to up your guy’s grooming game? I tweeted last night that the three lines that seem to be most “man friendly” are SkinCeuticals, Simple Skincare and Mario Badescu. All three have clean, not-too-feminine packaging and well-developed products that speak to all kinds of skin types. But the one that takes the win for shaving? Mario Badescu. Really wow your guy with the Executive Collection for Men.
I’m newly infatuated with cleansing sponges. While I will never get rid of my Clarisonic, I can’t help but experiment with these gentle, natural cleaning inventions. While I first heard of this one, Dr. Sponge landed on my desk and I must say I am hooked.
Dr. Sponge is all-natural and biodegradable made from plant fibers – yay for being so sustainable. These sponges were originally designed for babies and those with ultra-sensitive skin. They make for a great alternative to the Clarisonic for those who experience redness while using the device. So how do they work? The plant used to make the sponge, Konjac, is native to Asia and packed with vitamins and minerals. So, while it cleanses it delivers nutrients, improving the look of skin. Konjac is also slightly alkaline so it balances acidity in the skin.
I’ve been using mine night and day and I love how it can remove makeup like a champ. My skin feels cleansed but not tight thanks to the toning ability of the sponge. I like using it with my own cleanser that I am testing, but you can also cleanse with it on its own. Massage skin in a circular motion, squeeze out water and use it to dry the skin (the drying step doesn’t work quite as well when you have a bunch of your own cleanser in there).
There are seven different “formulas” of the Dr. Sponge Facial Cleansing Sponge. I’ve been trying Pearl Powder and Green Tea. Both have no scent, but are loaded with ingredients to help with specific skin care concerns. The Pearl Powder can clear and balance skin, leaving it brightened and revitalized. I love the healthy glow I get after using it. Green Tea is packed with anti-oxidants to rid skin of free radicals. It also has great hydrating properties.
The also make body cleansing sponges which I certainly have my eye on to try out next. Available at flight001.com and drsponge.com.
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.
I always love a good try-before-you-buy deal. Especially for skin care when you need to make sure it works with your skin. Darphin launched a pretty genius offer – on the 8th of every month Darphin will be featuring one of their oils and a chance to try it out free of charge! If you go into any Darphin retailer (Blue Mercury, Space NK or any store in listed Darphin store directory on their site) you can get an oil sample without having to purchase anything. If you’d like to go through the online route, receive the “Oil of the Month” with any Darphin purchase, regardless of cost, when you type in the word ELIXIR into the code box.
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A little more about the Essential Oil Elixirs: these oils, designed for evening application, are created from 100% natural ingredients. Available in eight formulas:
I’ve been testing the Organic Rose Aromatic Care for a couple weeks and love the balanced hydration it delivers. Even though it is designed for PM use, I also have used it in the AM and I love the way it looks under makeup for a dewy, glowy appearance. I’m not a fan of rose scent, but this oil didn’t have an overwhelmingly strong fragrance.
And a little treat for you guys today – I’ve partnered up with Darphin to give away one of these oils (your choice of which formula) to one lucky reader! Just enter using the widget below. US Only.
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.
Those dreaded wrinkles around your eyes when you smile. You know those? I hate to report that I am getting to know them all too well. Needless to say, I am stepping up my eye cream game. I turned to skin care powerhouse line, SkinCeuticals. While some of their products are way to active for my sensitive skin, I’ve found that this eye cream plays nicely with my easily irritated skin.
SkinCeuticals Eye Cream targets all concerns for the eye area – puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. And it does it well. I’ve found after a month of use, my skin around my eyes is brighter, more even and not the least bit puffy. All sorts of ingredients work together to make this multi-tasker perform. First up, Centella asiatica, a botanical extract, boosts collagen production. Ectoin protects skin while allowing it to repair itself. And Peptides fight against puffiness and dark circles.
I carefully rub a pea sized amount around my eyes, making sure to skip the eyelid area. This is pretty active stuff, but like I said, not irritating on my sensitive skin. The first couple of days, I got just the slightest tingle but it didn’t last long. Expect to see results fairly quickly. Even though I am a month in, I saw more even skin in as little as a week. This guy is definitely in my permanent skin care rotation.
And a little fashion PSA: ASOS (savings automatically added in your cart) and Piperlime (use code FALL) are both having great sales. Here’s what’s on my wish list:
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.
After a short blog break, excited to bring you some great news about a skin care line designed for women ages 25 to 34 that is just blowing me away with delight. But first, a little on what I have been up to. First, I am working on my column for Oklahoma Magazine. October should be out soon so can’t wait to share that with you next week. I’ve lined up my first “Belle’s Blog School” with some old friends for next month. Excited to try out a new services I will be offering for those who want a one-on-one crash course on how to get up and running on WordPress, Tumbler and social media. Lastly, I’ve been so run down, fighting off a cold for a week. Why is it I always bring back some illness from NYC? Headed out this afternoon to load up on Kleenex and green juice. But now… back to Shiseido’s newest!
Even though I am on the older end of the target age range for this line, I have found its rich, gentle luxury perfect for my skin. I know so many of you readers, fellow bloggers and friends suffer from the blotchy, dry skin thanks to loads of office time and a little play time as well. Cocktails and unhealthy food binges, anyone?
The new IBUKI collection is designed to address uneven skin tone, blemishes, visible pores, and dryness. It uses Shape Memorizing Cell Technology to align and optimize cells. I’ve been using the Purifying Cleanser (which reminds me of my beloved Clé de Peau Beauté Gentle Cleansing Foam – no surprise as they share a parent company). I love how it gently scrubs with very find granules while still foaming. My skin is left clean but not stripped of moisture. The Refining Moisturizer is for those looking for a lotion rather than a thick cream. While it is lightweight, I get all day hydration but I never feel greasy. This thinner moisturizer works great under makeup. Meanwhile, it is correcting pores, breakouts and unevenness. Lastly, I have been test driving Eye Correcting Cream. I’m getting a definite boost in brightness, especially fighting this cold and a couple late nights. The formula is rich but gentle and not too thick.
Other items available from the collection are:
Available at Shiseido.com, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman and Macy’s.
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.
