Blog Archives
Terrific Toner: Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion
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Clarify and disinfect with Mario Badescu’s Special Cucumber Lotion. This refreshing, deep-cleaning astringent is an anti-bacterial solution that will help to disinfect skin and discourage acne flare-ups. Though this description sounds harsh – it is nothing but soothing and gentle.
I hate the word astringent. It reminds me of products like Sea Breeze – that we used to basically burn acne off the skin. The Special Cucumber Lotion is considered an astringent, but I use it as a toner. Though it does contain alcohol and sulfur – it has never been overly drying. Despite the alcohol ingredient – it doesn’t burn or tingle when applied. It feels super soothing and nourishing and makes the skin feel clean … really clean.
I like to use this product when the seasons change. The weather gets a bit warmer and my skin acts confused. Unable to embrace any skin type – combination, oily, dry or acne-prone. I believe this product calms and soothes my skin back to normal.
Ask for sample of the Special Cucumber Lotion to see if it works for you.
Four Favorites: Makeup Wipes
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Makeup removing wipes can be a fast and effective way to clean your face. Great for travel, gym bag or just laziness – these wipes remove dirt, oil and makeup in a few swipes.
We have all been there… Too tired/lazy/champagne-induced to wash our face before bed. The nighttime hours are when your skin does the majority of it’s repair work. If you sleep with your makeup on, your skin can’t breathe and you will be missing out on allowing it to benefit from that crucial beauty sleep.
Makeup wipes cleanse, tone and moisturize in seconds. Just make sure you are using them properly. Instead of quickly rubbing the towelette all over the face – let the wipe soak on the face for a couple seconds. This allows the formula to start breaking-down makeup and impurities. Concentrate particularly on the eye area to avoid too much rubbing later. Gently rub the wipe, back and forth on the face. It will do the job of taking the makeup off for you.
A good facial wipe should have just the right amount of saturation – not too wet or too dry. It should also leave the skin feeling clean, fresh, soft and hydrated.
Here are my current four favorites:
Bioderma ~ Crealine H20 Wipes: around $18.00 (purchased in Paris..sorry)
*** Great for sensitive skin and eye area – these never make the eyes sting and take off everything with ease while toning the skin.
Josie Maran ~ Bear Naked Wipes: $12.00
*** Super hydrating and smell delicious.
MAC ~ Wipes: $20.00
*** These are amazing at taking everything off your face – however, I always wash my face after as the formula is a bit strong.
Aveeno ~ Ultra-Calming Makeup Removing Wipes: $6.99
*** The perfect wipe. Soothing, no stinging, face feels clean and fresh. Cost-Effective.
Moisture Surge: Clark’s Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask
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Fall is here. Along with the crisp mornings and turning leaves, you may have also noticed your skin feeling a little chapped and dry. When the season changes, so does your skin. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the colder weather and ease your skin into the winter months gracefully.
Now is the time to seal in the hydration. Clarks’s Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask is designed to hydrate, nourish and comfort dry, aging, environmentally damaged and dehydrated complexions. Natural ingredients work together to deeply moisturize and replenish the complexion, allowing it to regain radiance and suppleness over time. With regular use, fine lines and wrinkles will be diminished and a youthful glow will take their place.
The mask hydrates and soothes skin quickly, and can be used year-round to nourish the skin and restore the natural glow. The high concentrations of algae extract, coupled with comfrey root, Jasmine Absolute, and Japanese Green Tea, make this mask a potent anti-oxidant treatment. It is thick and rich and instantly quenches the skin. It can be used as a weekly treatment or as a daily moisturizer. If used daily, only the smallest amount is needed. Skin will be noticeably plumper and hydrated.
Make a few tweaks in your seasonal skin care to ensure healthy, glowing skin all-year-round.
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ABOUT CLARK’S BOTANICALS
Some skincare lines come and go. This year’s miracle ingredient is often next year’s outdated science.Then there are those exceptional lines that not only deliver results, but are truly compelling because they are based on real human experience and a brand narrative not created by a corporate marketing team, but by a personal history.
Clark’s Botanicals was born out of tragedy when company founder Francesco Clark, who then worked at Harper’s Bazaar, suffered a crippling spinal cord injury in a swimming pool diving accident on June 1, 2002.
With his central nervous system impaired, Francesco lost the ability not only to walk, but even to sweat. This led to clogged pores and chronic breakouts. When neither over-the-counter nor prescriptive remedies worked, he turned to his father, Dr. Harold Clark, a physician trained in both traditional Western medicine and homeopathy.
Together they developed botanically-based formulas that effectively rebalanced Francesco’s skin, clearing it up entirely. Through word-of-mouth, other people discovered and fell in love with these products, and in 2005, Francesco began selling Clark’s Botanicals on his website: http://www.clarksbotanicals.com
Even as the collection grows into a full-fledged skincare system, rebalancing skin remains its overarching objective. That’s why all Clark’s Botanicals products today feature Jasmine Absolute, a precious essential oil that naturally rebalances skin. Derived from nocturnally-blooming flowers, this extract is also antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immuno-stimulating. It works to calm and heal a broad spectrum of skin types, from young to mature, oily to dry, and normal to sensitive.
With a passionate consumer following, Clark’s Botanicals is pleased to announce its latest move into select, prestige retail distribution with updated packaging and a launch family of thirteen paraben-free treatment products.
“Clark’s Botanicals is an organic part of me and my recovery,” says Francesco. “Everything about this line has a purpose and reason for being, from the ingredients to the packaging. It’s an expression of who I am in its purest form.”
Francesco Clark serves as a National Ambassador for the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.
A percentage of profits from the sale of Clark’s Botanicals go to The Christopher Reeve Foundation.
10 Minute Fix: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask
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First Aid Beauty (F.A.B) Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask is a 10 minute remedy for dry skin. This deeply hydrating and nourishing mask repairs and revives even the most rough, flaky and dehydrated skin.
Perfect for sensitive skin, F.A.B. Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask contains no parabens, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances and dyes. It is formulated with:
- Colloidal Oatmeal (oats that have been ground to powder) – to soothe irritated skin
- Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract – helps to heal the skin and anti-aging as it combats free radicals
- Shea Butter – moisturizes and nourishes the skin
Oatmeal has been known to heal and treat many skin disorders like; eczema, poison ivy rash, insect bites. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin and is excellent for addressing dry skin symptoms, including itchiness, rashes, scales, peeling, etc. There is hardly anything that can match the curative action of oatmeal for combating dry skin problems.
F.A.B Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask harnesses all of these benefits into a quick 10 minute dry skin cure. The consistency of this mask is very thick, as you would expect from a nourishing mask. While wearing the mask, skin feels very comfortable – it does not tingle or irritate the skin. Easy to remove, this mask leaves skin feeling fresh, plumped and super-soft.
This is a wonderful mask to have on hand when skin feels irritated or needs a boost of moisture. It can be used at any time on a regular basis without having to worry about counteracting with your daily skincare. F.A.B Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask is the 10 minute fix for dry skin and staple in my skincare routine.
Holy Grail: Laura Mercier Tone Perfecting Eye Gel Creme
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Do you suffer from dark circles and/or puffy eyes? Welcome to the 80th percentile of planet Earth.
Most people think dark circles are a telltale sign of tiredness, or the unsightly evidence involving one too many margaritas. That is true to a certain extent, as fatigue makes skin dull, and drinking alcohol dehydrates and thins the skin. But the most likely culprit causing chronic dark circles, dermatologists say, is excess pigmentation in the skin and dilated blood vessels that sit close to the thin under-eye skin. Unfortunately, both of these perpetrators are hereditary and are just sitting there bathing in your gene pool.
Aside from surgery there are few options that can really penetrate pigment cells. But there are options to brighten and tighten the eye area, constricting blood vessels to minimize darkness and tissue swelling.
Laura Mercier Tone Perfecting Eye Gel Creme is just the relief you need to brighten and perfect the eye area. The lightweight gel reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, giving the eye area a visibly brighter, more awakened look.
Tone Perfecting Eye Gel Creme is formulated with Oligopeptide-68, a peptide that is said to inhibit tyrosinase activity, melanin synthesis, and decrease the proteins involved in the pigmentation process. It also contains Ash Tree Bark extract, know to help the appearance of puffiness and Sodium Hyaluronate to smooth the skin.
According to Jeffrey Tasker, International Makeup Artist for Laura Mercier, Laura hired a doctor to formulate this eye cream for her own use. It worked so well, she decided to share it to the world by including it in her skin care line.
This is my holy grail daytime eye cream for one simple reason – effects are immediate. When I wake up with puffy, tired eyes I go directly to my refrigerator (where I keep my eye cream) and apply. The cold, soothing gel absorbs quickly into the skin and feels incredibly nourishing. Instantly my sleepy, puffy eyes are brighter and refreshed. Long term, this product promises to improve the tone and texture of the skin. I have not used long enough to notice these results, however, I believe I soon will.
Questions about Laura Mercier?
Contact: Christina D. Torres Business Manager Cosmetics, Laura Mercier T: 949/610-1420 E: christina.d.torres@nordstrom.com
Summer Travel: Beauty Essentials
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Whether it’s a weekend road trip or a long-haul to an exotic locale, there is nothing like a summer vacation. Look your best while traveling with these beauty essentials:
Oxylent Oxygenating Multivitamin Drink: The effervescent multivitamin drink is formulated with the highest quality of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and electrolytes. Perfect for travel, the convenient packets are easily transported, so you can drink it anytime, anywhere – just add water. It is great for keeping the immune system in peak condition; a low calorie choice before or after working out; a true friend to the outdoor enthusiast; an easy-to-use daily multivitamin; or a wonderful late afternoon pick-me-up at work. Oxylent not only offers a unique effervescent delivery system, but unlike most, all of the formulas are both sugar and calorie free. Oxylent’s formulas do not contain any gluten, caffeine, lactose, artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.
Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Neroli Water: This uplifting aromatherapy water instantly refreshes and hydrates the skin. Made from the bitter orange blossom, this facial spray soothes and hydrates the skin. The moment your face feels tight, one spritz will instantly hydrate and refresh the skin. Use as a toner after cleansing the face or as a body spray after showering. Or keep cool in the refrigerator and spray on hot, humid days. Perfect for après beach.
Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum: This light yet powerful serum is both a moisturizer and a broad-spectrum SPF 30. It fights the signs of premature aging – think fine lines and sunspots – and prevents future photo-damage from UV rays. Built for year-round use, this serum is amazingly lightweight and comfortable. Supergoop’s unique Hydrovotin 24 complex works with the skin’s own moisture mechanisms to increase hydration levels, while vitamins E and B5 heal past damage. It absorbs both UVA rays that lead to premature aging and UVB rays that cause sunburn. The top-of-the-line “PA +++” rating means the formula meets the highest standards for sun protection. Also paraben and fragrance-free—just what the doctor ordered for sensitive skin.
Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil: Formulated with an aromatic blend of 11 essential oils, this opulent oil relies on flowers and botanicals for their calming and illuminating properties. A staple of many top pros and makeup artists, this oil can be used to take makeup off, to moisturize and as a massage oil (expensive massage oil?). Add a couple drops to foundation to create a dewy finish or pat on the cheekbones and undereyes for a beautiful, fresh glow. Just a few drops will make your skin look radiant. Use as an alternate or supplement to your moisturizer and apply whenever your face needs a pick-me-up.
Dior Hydra Life BB Cream: READ FULL REVIEW: HERE
Bobbi Brown Bronzer/Blush Duo: Inspired by the look of “skin bathed in afternoon light,” this dynamic duo creates healthy-looking skin. On one side, Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Bahama Brown packs a blend of sheer powder and micro pearls (for a seamlessly glowing finish all over the face). The other side boasts Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush in Pink Peony, the perfect way to add a pop of color to the apples of cheeks. Great for travel, this duo eliminates bulk and the need for too many face products. Tip: Sweep bronzer over eyelids for instant contour.
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot: This multi-purpose paint pot is perfect for travel. Bare Study is a metallic nude/champagne cream eye shadow that can be used as a primer, eye shadow and/or highlighter. Sweep onto the eyelid before applying a powder shade to ensure longevity. For highlighting, pat product on the cheekbones, brow bone, cupid bow and décolletage for subtle illumination. The soft, light-reflecting pearl finish will brighten any area.
Kiehl’s Lip Balm SPF 15 in Hue 30G: Lip balm with SPF is a must while traveling. Lips are often neglected and can suffer the same effects of the sun just as much as any other part of the body. Kiehl’s Lip Balm SPF 15 offers protection, relief and color. Lip products like gloss, stains or lipsticks can attract the sun with their shiny finish. This formula combines a sheer wash of color with UVA and UVB protection. Hue 30G is a beautiful light golden color with peach undertones.
Blinc Mascara: I have a love/hate relationship with waterproof mascara. While most formulas do last all day, they are a pain to remove. Blinc Mascara is a “tubing” mascara. It uses a copolymer-based formula to create little tubes around each one of your lashes preventing flaking, running or smudging. The formula is waterproof, sweat-proof and won’t irritate even the most sensitive of eyes so you can wear it all day without worrying about touch-ups. At the end of the day, use a damp washcloth to gently dislodge the tubes. They’ll slide off with just a little pressure.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray: READ FULL REVIEW: HERE
Adara Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for Body & Face: Organic and biologically pure, Adara Virgin Coconut Oil is a gorgeous multi-tasking body and hair oil. Great for travel, coconut oil solidifies when temperatures are below 76 degrees – this makes it wonderful to pack and not worry about leaking. Adara Virgin Coconut Oil is available in five scented oils and travel-size, Oriental Jasmine, Soothing Lavender, Heavenly Peach, Innocent Rose, and Refreshing Green Tea. (Favorite: Jasmine) READ MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS & USES OF COCONUT OIL: HERE
Flo Refillable Perfume Atomizer: Packing a big glass perfume bottle can be inconvenient and cumbersome. Tote your favorite fragrance wherever you go with the Refillable Perfume Atomizer by FLO. This ingenious gadget allows you to carry your perfume in an easy-to-use, compact atomizer. The modern design enables fast and efficient refilling without a funnel – preventing any danger of spilling a single drop of your expensive perfume. Suitable for all types of perfumes, this atomizer holds up to 77 sprays. Perfect for a purse, clutch, beach bag or travel bag, never leave home without your favorite fragrance again.
Summer Must-Have: Facial Mists
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Stay cool this summer with a tantalizing facial mist. A Summer must-have, these sprays will instantly boost your spirits and skin. Throw one in your handbag, beach-bag and/or travel-bag for a quick pick-me-up. Here are my five favorites:
TIP: Always refrigerate facial mists for extra freshness and stimulation.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir is great for those wanting a quick radiance boost. Part-toner/part-serum, this potion contains a mix of essential oils that will tighten pores and awaken the skin. Mist onto face anytime your skin feels dull and in need of a little hydration. Great for travel.
Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Neroli Water is an uplifting aromatherapy water that refreshes and hydrates the skin. Made from the bitter orange blossom, this facial spray soothes and hydrates the skin. The moment your face feels tight, one spritz will instantly hydrate and refresh the skin. Use as a toner after cleansing the face or as a body spray after showering. Perfect for après beach.
Chantiecaille Pure Rosewater ~ See full review HERE.
Avène Thermal Spring Water is a mineral-rich water, great for softening and soothing sensitive skin. Gentle and effective on irritated, sunburned and post surgery/procedure skin. This calming solution provides antioxidant protection that leaves a soothing barrier on the skin. It creates a dewy, healthy finish on the skin. Essential for sensitive skin.
Suti Peppermint Water is a cooling burst of refreshing hydration. Known as the “wake-up” water, this facial spray stimulates the senses as well as the skin. Made with organic peppermint leaves this facial spray relieves redness, inflammation and is famous for it’s anti-inflammatory properties. It instantly energizes and replenishes the skin creating a healthy glow. A beach-bag must-have.
Festival Beauty Essentials
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Be prepared for hot and sticky situations with Glow-T’s Festival Beauty Essentials:
Tory Burch Double Zip Train Case: A great travel case with cool ikat design.
Supergoop! Sunscreen Swipes SPF 30 (21 count): These sunscreen wipes are individually packed, perfect for throwing in your bag. The pre-moistened towelettes are formulated to calm and soothe the skin while providing complete UV protection. Great for sensitive skin, these wipes can be used all over the body.
Coola SPF 30 Unscented Matte Finish Tint: This lightly tinted moisturizer delivers broad spectrum SPF 30 protection. Infused with antioxidants, shea butter, plankton, borage seed oil and evening primrose extract, this lotion will rejuvinate, hydrate and protect. The water-resistant formula and matte finish is great for long days in the sun.
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25: My favorite lip balm to date, this product is incrediably soothing and moisturizing – provides SPF 25 and lasts. Enriched with superior skin conditioners and antioxidants, this emollient balm relieves dry, chapped and irritated lips.
Donna Karen Cashmere Mist Deodorant: Keep dry and odor-free with Donna Karen’s Cashmere Mist Deodorant. Delicately scented with perfume, this advanced formula controls wetness and perspiration.
CleanWell All Natural Hand Sanitizing Spray: Thousands of people and porta-potties… hand sanitizer is a must. This all-natural formula is made with thyme oil that kills all germs and the portable spray makes it easy to carry everywhere.
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo (Travel Size): Extend time between washes with a dry shampoo. This gentle formula smells nice and absorbs oil and dirt – an instant refresher. Infused with oat milk, it also nourishes the hair while creating volume and texture.
Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes: Remove makeup, dirt and oil quickly with these all-natural wipes. Formulated with aloe vera, cucumber, chamomile and vitamin E, the easy-access wipes cleanse and refresh the face and body. Bonus: When purchased, these biodegradable wipes support to protect the endangered Polar Bear.
RMS Cream Eyeshadow – Solar: Perfect for the desert princess, this cream eyeshadow reflects a sheer wash of gold. A great all-in-one eye product, it doubles as an eye cream to nourish and moisturize the eye area.
NARS Cream Blush – Cactus Flower: The name alone implies desert beauty. This bright coral/spicy pink cream blush can be used on both the cheeks and lips. A very subtle gold shimmer leaves the skin flushed, dewy and healthy.
Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Waterproof Mascara: Waterproof mascara is a must-have. I assure you Givenchy’s will not budge or smudge. The spiked-ball wand takes a little to get used to but defines, separates and lengthens exquisitely. Tip: With your finger, smudge on the lashline for an instant liner effect that will last.
Laura Geller Balance-n-Bronze: A genius design, adding bronzer and foundation, all-in-one. The color-correcting foundation is sheer but never looks powdery. The baked bronzer is infused with layers of color to achieve the perfect sun-kissed shade. Swipe separately or swirl together to get a glowing, sun-goddess look.
Floral Water: Chantecaille Rosewater
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Chantecaille Rosewater
Rosewater is a by-product made when producing rose oil. It is rich in vitamin C and vitamin A and has antioxidants that help transform dull, tired skin to radiant, glowing skin.
Rose is a natural astringent with anti-inflammatory properties. It is excellent for maintaining hydrated skin and combats pre-mature aging. Rose water helps to balance the pH of the skin, controlling both dry and oily skin and can also soothe many types of dermatitis.
Chantecaille Rosewater contains 100% of the Rose de Mai, an antique rose named after the month of May, when it blooms. It is harvested by hand and distilled in the purest artesian well water to produce this healing, moisturizing and uplifting spray.
Continuing my love of French skincare, it is said that Rosewater has been used in the beauty ritual of French women for centuries. It can also be used in many different ways: to enhance skincare, as a make-up setting spray, body fragrance, linen spray, hair-freshener…
Chantecaille Rosewater is a wonderful treat for both the skin and the senses.
Glow-T 