Tag: travel

LORAC PRO To Go Eye/Cheek Palette

I snagged this little gem in a gift bag at NYFW and never could imagine how much I would come to cherish my LORAC PRO To Go Eye/Cheek Palette! While I had my eye on the LORAC Pro Palette for months, I actually am more thrilled with this travel friendly and nimble version.

Not only does it have everything you need for loads of looks. The LORAC PRO To Go Eye/Cheek does it well. Powders are finely milled, blendable, natural-looking and long-lasting. Plus the packaging is well made. The sturdy exterior solidly closes via magnet. The included brushes, one small eyeshadow and one eyeliner/brow, are high quality albeit a little short.

On the eye side, there are two rows of three shadows – one matte and one shimmer. The base shades are generously sized. A matte black works perfectly as a liner. And the darker brown works well on my brows. On the cheek side, three wearable shades are nicely spaced with large wells of pigment. The coral has a little bit of shimmer. Pink is decidedly cooler and on the matte side. And the bronzer is perfect for contouring with its matte finish and rich pigment.

Specifically designed by Lorac Creator Carol Shaw to keep celebrity clients looking fabulous, I love this for regular folks just like us. It is an amazing value at $38. Available at Sephora.

NEW From Stephanie Johnson for Fall and Holiday

I trust my beauty goodies only to be housed in the gorgeous Stephanie Johnson bags. Not only are the well designed for travel or on-the-go, but they also are so darn beautiful, they often double as a clutch. I’ve been toting my Tinseltown Gold Essentials Large Zip Top (back) for evenings out. This one is currently sold out but good news! They should be back in stock in November and you can contact their customer service department to place a pre-order. This goes for many others that are marked “sold out” on the site. I also love Beverly Hills Gold (middle) and my fellow blogger, Lara, is wild about Dubai (front). Looked amazing as her clutch here.

If you are looking for something more about function, I am wild about their Laguna collection. Inspired by the beach, the textured pattern has little glimmers of gold peeking through. They are lined with an easy to clean fabric. The large trapezoid is generously sized (middle), fitting all my brushes and makeup with no problem. And the mini pouch (front) is ideal for throwing in your purse.

Available at stephaniejohnson.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.

Mai Couture Highlighter and Blush Papiers

Trolling the beauty section of Neiman Marcus not long ago, I came across these little delicate papers. I thought they were oil blotting papers, but in actuality they were that and much much more. Mai Couture has been in the back of my mind ever since. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was when I got a chance to try out some of their latest launches. They have some new shades and sets for the fall beyond their basic foundation and oil-blotting offerings. I’ve been testing them out and am so impressed by their unique approach and travel-friendly packaging.

Crystal Cove Highlighter Papier is a new shade of highlighter and my new favorite way to amp up the glow on the go. You can even use it on the body – perfect for on your shins and collar bones pre-cocktail event. Just lightly press the colored side of the paper to desired areas (I like cheekbones, chins, cupid’s bow, nose and brows). The formula comes off surprisingly evenly and each sheet tears easily and cleanly.

Studio City and Montecito Blush Papier work in a similar way. At first I was concerned about the precision required for blush. But using your hands opposite the colored side of the paper gives the perfect, smudgy (in a good way) rosiness. I love how it layers with the highlighting papers and the formula is paraben and talc free. The Studio City shade is my favorite – radiant without too much drama. Apply using a semi-circular motion on your apples. There is plenty of pigment on each sheet should you want to double up for more depth.

Like A Diamond Trio Pack is a brilliant collection, perfect for a long trip or a girl constantly on the go. Can you imagine bronzer, highlighter and blush all in a little credit card sized package? This pack contains:

Highlighter in “Crystal Cove”
Blush in “Sunset Blvd.”
Blush in “Studio City”

One sheet is enough for a single application so you get 20 days of makeup out of this collection. Start with a mattifying bronzer, follow with a blush around the apples of your cheeks and then highlight as desired. I feel like this just screams honeymoon or European vacation. A similar product, Mai Couture Glow-geous Trio, has been on my wish list at Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom for ages.

Mai Couture’s retailers include Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Beauty.com. Fall launches should be available around October at these retailers but you can find them now at MaiCouture.com.

Nutrisystem Week 5

I survived the holidays on Nutrisystem! Actually, it was pretty easy. I did allow myself some cheats on Christmas Day but otherwise was healthy through and through. My savior has been my love for fresh seafood. Shrimp cocktail, oysters and grilled fish are festive and still incredibly healthy. And with my lack of a sweet tooth, dodging those cookies wasn’t hard. The celebritory glass of champagne wasn’t the same story. But…. amazingly, a glass of the bubbly is only 90 calories so I cheered away with minmal guilt.

But next up is a real challenge. This weekend I will be in San Francisco for the wedding of a close friend. And then it is onto temptation city in Napa to see friends. Wedding cake, wine, and rehearsal dinner indulgences will all be a challenge to navigate. On the bright side, this part of the country is literally the best place for fresh fruits and veggies (even in the winter). So I hope to fill up on the “good stuff” and avoid cheeses and breads. I also have a stash of Nutrisystem bars to help me out. Wish me luck!

I lost 1.4 pounds this week bringing the total to a 11.8 pounds. Not too shabby for smack in the middle of Christmas.

Check out last week’s Nutrisystem post here.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog.

Disclosure: As part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program, Nutrisystem has provided me with complementary meals in exchange for my honest thoughts on the Nutrisystem plan. The opinions expressed in my posts are strictly my own. No other compensation is being given.

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SK-II Skincare

I recently reported to you about SK-II ‘Facial Treatment’ Essence, the centerpiece of SK-II’s luxurious skin care line. Over the past couple of months, I have had a chance to use more of the line. Talk about true performers. This will always be my go-to routine to fade hyper-pigmentation and soothe and heal angry skin.

Upon my arrival in NYC back in September, I took a moment in my hotel room before venturing out and used the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask. Adored by makeup artists and globe-trotting fashionistas, this mask promised to give a “radiant youthful glow”. You know what? It did just that. The cooling sheet soaks your skin in vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids, replacing dehydrated skin. This cotton wonder will be my staple for travel and big events.

I’ve been hooked on Vitamin C products ever since I tried Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line Reducing Concentrate. Having fallen hard and finishing every last drop of the Kiehl’s version, I was excited to try SK-II Facial Treatment Repair C. I love the replenishing and rich texture of this serum. It could almost work as a moisturizer. It contains Pitera, the anti-aging wonder ingredient found in the Essence, along with powerful Vitamin C. It leaves my skin smooth and not the least bit irritated from the active ingredients. While I have been using prescription hydroquinone for years, the addition of Vitamin C has taken my fight against dark spots to the next level. My skin looks more even than it has in years.

Lastly, the gentle, comforting SK-II Skin Signature Melting Rich Cream is a hydrating master. I love the purist approach to this cream. With strong anti-aging ingredients working in my serum and prescriptions, I was craving a nourishing pure moisturizer. This comes in a jar, but the texture is a lotion/cream hybrid making it easy to apply and absorb. Its focus on hydration leaves my skin radiant and soothed.

Get free shipping and free returns from saks.com with code RTNFREE8.

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Stephanie Johnson Traveler

When it comes to makeup bags, there is absolutely a gold standard. And that gold standard is the Stephanie Johnson Traveler. This tidy case always works perfectly to store and access makeup easily while I am on the road. Especially important are the two snap-out mesh pouches that allow me to organize but also spread out in those luxurious hotel bathrooms (okay, they usually aren’t luxurious, but I can dream, right?).

Stephanie Johnson has has a long passion for printed fabrics and her collection is full with unique, travel inspired designs and colors. I chose Cannes with gold and ivory but I also love the palm beach turquoise. She launched her company in 2000 and quickly became a cult favorite with her compartmentalized design and chic details (such as zipper pulls made with Turkish silk knots). This is an investment piece you can build upon to make a collection as your travels pile up.