Showing posts with label Beauty Products. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty Products. Show all posts
*Irresistible Me gifted the curling wand, but all opinions are my own.*
Lately I've been trying to curl my hair with less than desirable results. That is, until I received Irresistible Me's Sapphire 8 in 1 complete curling wand. The wand comes in a carrying case with a heat resistant glove and eight interchangeable barrels. The wand is a bit pricey at $199, but if you curl your hair a lot and want different options for sizes this is a great investment.
The site does a great job of describing the barrels so I'll just steal from that: "This curling wand is extremely versatile and every barrel will create a different type of curl: tight perm like curls, ringlet curls, spirals curls, ribbon curls, flick curls, large and bouncy curls, beach or wavy curls and finger wave type curls that will hold for ages."
I only used the 19mm barrel so far, but I imagine the other seven are great as well! I still haven't mastered the art of the curling wand, but I found this pretty easy to use. It's going to take some practice to get the technique down, but once that happens I'll be a curling master!
What I Liked:
- Super easy to change barrels and they lock nicely in place with a twist of the base
- Glove - I am TERRIFIED of burning myself, so the glove gave me peace of mind
- The stand is perfect for resting the wand on while I'm busy getting my next section of hai
- Swivel Cord - I don't have to worry about the cord getting tangled when I'm moving the wand all over the place as I learn to use it properly
- Green LED when wand is heated up and blinking blue when it is off/cooling down. No more wondering!
- Fairly compact carrying case. Still a little bulky if you are going to travel with it, but great for home storage
- Price - although I didn't actually have to pay for it myself I do have to keep that in mind. As someone who isn't the best at doing my hair I wouldn't have spent this much for a product where I will only use a few of the barrels. BUT having said that - if you are someone who loves experimenting with your hair this is definitely worth the buy!
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When I started this blog I hardly ever wore makeup or used skincare products. But throughout my years of blogging I've been gifted samples of all sorts of beauty products and started to experiment with others. Over time my favorite products have changed. Previously I've raved about L'Oreal's Youth Code line and Simple Skincare, but I've moved on to more expensive products recently. Read on to see what I'm loving at the moment. Keep in mind that I'm a super lazy person, so if I can do this, you can!
Morning Routine: In the morning I use 3 products, 4 if it's the weekend. I start off with Lancôme Rénergie Eye Multiple Action around my eyes. Next I use Lumene Vitamin C Day Cream with SPF 15. On top of that I'll use Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel for a nice kick of moisture. On the weekends I'll add in Chanel's Le Weekend de Chanel.
Evening Routine: My night-time routine is similar to the morning, I have a product for my eyes, a serum and a moisturizer. I begin with Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye followed by Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Next I use La Nuit de Chanel moisturizer. If I have any blemishes I'll apply some boscia Clear Complexion Willow Bark Spot Treatment. Once again, on weekends, I will replace the Chanel moisturizer with Le Weekend de Chanel.
P.S. If you are on the fence about the Chanel Resynchronizing Skincare line I recommend buying the mini sample size. I started off with that and it lasted about 6 months and when I ran out I bought the larger sizes. I haven't gotten the full size of Le Jour de Chanel yet because I'm so happy with Neutrogena's Hydro Boost which is a similar product.
Pre- and Post-Shower: Back in February I read a post on Brooklyn Blonde about Dry Brushing and thought I would give it a try. I use the Mio Skincare Natural dry body brush before I shower to help easily remove dead skin cells and get the blood flowing. I shower at night rather than in the morning because I hate drying my hair before I go out so my hair either goes into a bun or I sleep with damp hair (I know, I know, not good!)
After I shower I use body lotion all over to keep my skin silky smooth. I'm currently using lotion I bought in Vermont, but previously I've used Bliss Body Butter and Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion.
Makeup: I learned how to apply makeup at my local Lord & Taylor's Chanel counter so I am a loyal Chanel user. Many people used to ask why I would spend so much on makeup. My answer was simple: I knew if I spent a lot of money on it I would use it. It was a motivation to myself to use makeup. Plus, the packaging is pretty!
My makeup routine is pretty simple. Step 1: Blush. Step 2: Mascara. Step 3: Lipstick. If I'm going out or doing something special I'll add some eyeshadow into the mix. There was a time when I would put on foundation every day even though I hated it and was never sure I was doing it properly. So now I leave it out all together and only use it on rare occasions. I do use Lancôme Dreamtone Ultimate Skin Tone Corrector in the Winter.
See my current favorites below. I have my handful of lipstick shades and a rotation of mascaras. There are a few others waiting for when one of these run out, I don't like to have too many open at once!
Morning Routine: In the morning I use 3 products, 4 if it's the weekend. I start off with Lancôme Rénergie Eye Multiple Action around my eyes. Next I use Lumene Vitamin C Day Cream with SPF 15. On top of that I'll use Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel for a nice kick of moisture. On the weekends I'll add in Chanel's Le Weekend de Chanel.
 |
| Lancôme Rénergie Eye Multiple Action, Lumene Vitamin C Day Cream with SPF 15, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, Le Weekend de Chanel |
P.S. If you are on the fence about the Chanel Resynchronizing Skincare line I recommend buying the mini sample size. I started off with that and it lasted about 6 months and when I ran out I bought the larger sizes. I haven't gotten the full size of Le Jour de Chanel yet because I'm so happy with Neutrogena's Hydro Boost which is a similar product.
 |
| boscia Clear Complexion Willow Bark Spot Treatment, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, La Nuit de Chanel |
After I shower I use body lotion all over to keep my skin silky smooth. I'm currently using lotion I bought in Vermont, but previously I've used Bliss Body Butter and Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion.
 |
| Lotion from The Vermont Country Store, Mio Skincare Natural dry body brush |
My makeup routine is pretty simple. Step 1: Blush. Step 2: Mascara. Step 3: Lipstick. If I'm going out or doing something special I'll add some eyeshadow into the mix. There was a time when I would put on foundation every day even though I hated it and was never sure I was doing it properly. So now I leave it out all together and only use it on rare occasions. I do use Lancôme Dreamtone Ultimate Skin Tone Corrector in the Winter.
See my current favorites below. I have my handful of lipstick shades and a rotation of mascaras. There are a few others waiting for when one of these run out, I don't like to have too many open at once!
 |
| Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush (68 Rose Ecrin), Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine (61 Bonheur, 66 Bel Ami, 67 Deauville, 81 Fiction, 88 Esprit), Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge (Berry Noir) |
 |
| Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow (79 Spices), Physicians Formula Va Va Voom Volume Mascara, Benefit they're real! lengthening mascara, Lancôme GRANDIÔSE - Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara |
As has been the norm the past few times I've actually had somewhere to go (other than my parent's for dinner) the weather did not want to cooperate. This is what I wore to go to New Beauty Magazine's 10th Anniversary party in New York last Thursday. Disregarding the misting/rain the whole time I was walking to and from the event it was fun! I got my "perfect shade" of Paula Dorf lipstick picked out for me ("Attitude") and got my hair braided with help from John Barrett Salon.
The event was three floors of experiential beauty, so everyone was just walking around trying out all the different products! I really liked the Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel, will have to buy some when my shopping ban is over! At the end of the event I got an amazing goodie bag filled with products to try! Going to be fun going through all of them! Already gave some stuff to my mom and sister since I can't possibly use it all on my own.
P.S. This weather was making me think of this part in The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, poor Rabbit! Ha ha.
Jacket: Theyskens' Theory (Nordstrom Rack), Top: Daniel Rainn (Piperlime), Jeans: J Brand 'Maria High Rise Skinny' in Supreme (Gilt), Necklace: House of Harlow c/o South Moon Under, Rings: old, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Lumo 'Violet, Lumo 'Rope', Heels: Jimmy Choo (Roundabout Resale)
The event was three floors of experiential beauty, so everyone was just walking around trying out all the different products! I really liked the Per-fekt Brow Perfection Gel, will have to buy some when my shopping ban is over! At the end of the event I got an amazing goodie bag filled with products to try! Going to be fun going through all of them! Already gave some stuff to my mom and sister since I can't possibly use it all on my own.
P.S. This weather was making me think of this part in The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, poor Rabbit! Ha ha.
Jacket: Theyskens' Theory (Nordstrom Rack), Top: Daniel Rainn (Piperlime), Jeans: J Brand 'Maria High Rise Skinny' in Supreme (Gilt), Necklace: House of Harlow c/o South Moon Under, Rings: old, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Lumo 'Violet, Lumo 'Rope', Heels: Jimmy Choo (Roundabout Resale)
Now that my vacation posts are FINALLY done, it's time for a few fashion week recaps from my day in the city on the 17th. My day started off at the Bene Rialto Lounge. The lounge was open for a week and had so many fun beauty products to try out! Below I will post small reviews about all the products I was able to try out and my various beauty treatments!
First, let's have a quick chat about Bene Rialto. It was created by Caryn Neary who I was lucky enough to chat with at the event. She wanted to create a new kind of marketplace designed to connect people to each other, experiences, and ideas. The space has three functions. It serves as a store, showroom and educational space for emerging designers. The Bene Lounge (where the event was held) was located on the third floor. The first three marketplace floors showcase over 60 brands of fashion, food and art.
The 4th and 5th floors are home to Bene Collective, the fashion trade extension of Bene Rialto’s retail marketplace. Bene Collective offers brands an opportunity to meet, showcase, and sell to the most influential fashion retailers and ambassadors in a warm, beautiful space.
My first stop was the JamBerry DIY nail art bar where I tried out their amazing nail wraps. All you need to apply them is a little heat (plus scissors and a nail file to trim excess.) I used the wrap as an accent nail on both my ring fingers. The wraps will stay on your nails for two weeks and will NOT chip! Application was super easy with the mini heaters they supplied, but you can also use a blow drier. You cut the wrap in half, heat it, apply and then file off the excess.
After that I got a makeup touch-up thanks to Advance Mineral Makeup and Natalia Carrasco. The products do not contain any talc, perfumes, dyes or preservatives making it better for the skin. Natalia didn't do anything crazy with my makeup, she just covered up some blemishes and made sure my skin tone was even. That's really all you need when it comes to makeup, and the mineral based products did a wonderful job. It didn't even look like I had makeup on.
Next it was time to get my eyebrows threaded by the lovely ladies of Wink Brow Bar. While still slightly painful (like a pinch on the skin,) the process was fairly quick and my skin did not redden as waxing sometimes tends to do. What makes Wink unique is the Wink Power Program, started by founder Umbreen. She told me that they help to empower women by learning a skill (threading) so that they can support themselves. According to her, "Every time you shape your brows at Wink, you help shape the future for women and girls all over the world."
Then it was on to hair! The lovely Giles Robinson of Color Wow gave me beautiful waves and used their products to add a bit more shine to my hair. Although, as he said, my hair is already super shiny! My hair is naturally straight and the best I can do to curl my hair is leave it in a bun overnight after showering (which flattens out within a few hours) so it was nice to have REAL WAVES for once, they lasted all day and I got home at 12:30 am. Their products are mainly for women with colored hair, but anyone can use them! Just check out these AMAZING videos where they use root coverup powder to hide gray hairs and fix highlights.
I also quickly learned about Bottega Organica and Key West Aloe. Bottega Organica's products are 100% pure and natural. What makes them even more unique is the fact that all ingredients are harvested and processed naturally in their farms in Italy and upstate NY. Their products are "meticulously crafted to nurture the skin and prolong youthfulness without the use of preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial fragrances, colors or synthetics of any kind."
Key West Aloe uses a similar all natural approach using 100% Lab-Certified Aloe to nourish and moisturize even the most sensitive skin. I got to try out the Key Lime Salt Scrub followed by a moisturizing lotion. After that treatment my hands felt amazing, super moisturized and soft. Did you know that if you have a sugar based scrub and leave it in your shower it will grow bacteria? I certainty didn't! Luckily KWA uses salt in their scrubs, which will NOT grow bacteria.
After all my beauty treatments were completed, the lovely Emily Brickel of Chic Sketch did a quick sketch of me! Chic Sketch is a downloadable app where you send in a photo and get a personalized sketch! All you have to do is upload a photo to receive a custom sketch drawn by a real fashion illustrator.
I was also introduced to Destiny Candles, which are super cool! They're 3 things all in one. A candle, body oil AND you get a special piece of jewelry valued from $10 to $10,000. They are made from 100% natural ingredients like top grade jojoba and soy oils and melt at a low temperature so they never burn hot. I took home a "Wealth" candle and can't wait to use it!
Before I left I got to sample some of the great chocolates from Lululosophy, which are handmade in New York City by Lucia Liu. She was on hand and took me on a chocolate journey to taste some of her delectable products! The chocolates were inspired by her travels and I got to try the following: Matcha Saké Truffle (my favorite!), HK Milk Tea truffle and Coffee Brittle. All delicious!
If you made it through this whole post, congratulations! Now go order some chocolate. YUM!
First, let's have a quick chat about Bene Rialto. It was created by Caryn Neary who I was lucky enough to chat with at the event. She wanted to create a new kind of marketplace designed to connect people to each other, experiences, and ideas. The space has three functions. It serves as a store, showroom and educational space for emerging designers. The Bene Lounge (where the event was held) was located on the third floor. The first three marketplace floors showcase over 60 brands of fashion, food and art.
The 4th and 5th floors are home to Bene Collective, the fashion trade extension of Bene Rialto’s retail marketplace. Bene Collective offers brands an opportunity to meet, showcase, and sell to the most influential fashion retailers and ambassadors in a warm, beautiful space.
My first stop was the JamBerry DIY nail art bar where I tried out their amazing nail wraps. All you need to apply them is a little heat (plus scissors and a nail file to trim excess.) I used the wrap as an accent nail on both my ring fingers. The wraps will stay on your nails for two weeks and will NOT chip! Application was super easy with the mini heaters they supplied, but you can also use a blow drier. You cut the wrap in half, heat it, apply and then file off the excess.
After that I got a makeup touch-up thanks to Advance Mineral Makeup and Natalia Carrasco. The products do not contain any talc, perfumes, dyes or preservatives making it better for the skin. Natalia didn't do anything crazy with my makeup, she just covered up some blemishes and made sure my skin tone was even. That's really all you need when it comes to makeup, and the mineral based products did a wonderful job. It didn't even look like I had makeup on.
Next it was time to get my eyebrows threaded by the lovely ladies of Wink Brow Bar. While still slightly painful (like a pinch on the skin,) the process was fairly quick and my skin did not redden as waxing sometimes tends to do. What makes Wink unique is the Wink Power Program, started by founder Umbreen. She told me that they help to empower women by learning a skill (threading) so that they can support themselves. According to her, "Every time you shape your brows at Wink, you help shape the future for women and girls all over the world."
Then it was on to hair! The lovely Giles Robinson of Color Wow gave me beautiful waves and used their products to add a bit more shine to my hair. Although, as he said, my hair is already super shiny! My hair is naturally straight and the best I can do to curl my hair is leave it in a bun overnight after showering (which flattens out within a few hours) so it was nice to have REAL WAVES for once, they lasted all day and I got home at 12:30 am. Their products are mainly for women with colored hair, but anyone can use them! Just check out these AMAZING videos where they use root coverup powder to hide gray hairs and fix highlights.
I also quickly learned about Bottega Organica and Key West Aloe. Bottega Organica's products are 100% pure and natural. What makes them even more unique is the fact that all ingredients are harvested and processed naturally in their farms in Italy and upstate NY. Their products are "meticulously crafted to nurture the skin and prolong youthfulness without the use of preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial fragrances, colors or synthetics of any kind."
Key West Aloe uses a similar all natural approach using 100% Lab-Certified Aloe to nourish and moisturize even the most sensitive skin. I got to try out the Key Lime Salt Scrub followed by a moisturizing lotion. After that treatment my hands felt amazing, super moisturized and soft. Did you know that if you have a sugar based scrub and leave it in your shower it will grow bacteria? I certainty didn't! Luckily KWA uses salt in their scrubs, which will NOT grow bacteria.
After all my beauty treatments were completed, the lovely Emily Brickel of Chic Sketch did a quick sketch of me! Chic Sketch is a downloadable app where you send in a photo and get a personalized sketch! All you have to do is upload a photo to receive a custom sketch drawn by a real fashion illustrator.
I was also introduced to Destiny Candles, which are super cool! They're 3 things all in one. A candle, body oil AND you get a special piece of jewelry valued from $10 to $10,000. They are made from 100% natural ingredients like top grade jojoba and soy oils and melt at a low temperature so they never burn hot. I took home a "Wealth" candle and can't wait to use it!
Before I left I got to sample some of the great chocolates from Lululosophy, which are handmade in New York City by Lucia Liu. She was on hand and took me on a chocolate journey to taste some of her delectable products! The chocolates were inspired by her travels and I got to try the following: Matcha Saké Truffle (my favorite!), HK Milk Tea truffle and Coffee Brittle. All delicious!
If you made it through this whole post, congratulations! Now go order some chocolate. YUM!
Vogue and Simple Skincare provided the items featured in this post, but opinions are my own.
I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to face care. I don't actually wash my face (apart from using St. Ives Apricot Scrub every other day in the shower.) I know, shocker and probably not very good for my skin. I normally use Caudalie's Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water to remove my makeup each night. But for the past few weeks I've been using the products Simple Skincare sent (except the facial wash.)
Each night I started by removing my eye makeup with their remover pads. That was followed by the facial wipes to remove the remainder of my makeup. I finished up with their rich moisturizer. Each morning I applied the moisturizer again. My skin has been looking, and feeling, great!
How do you get glowing, healthy-looking skin in the morning?
My Thoughts: These worked great at removing my eye makeup. The only problem I had was the texture on one side was a little rough, but I supposed it's worth the slight annoyance to get your mascara off, right?
My Thoughts: The wipes are so soft and not irritating at all for my skin. And I really like the fresh clean scent, it's not overpowering.
My Thoughts: A really great moisturizer that leaves my skin feeling fresh and smooth. It's not super thick which is great becasue I'm not clogging my pores with a ton of product.
And some information on the product I didn't use, which I am sure is just as great as the rest of the collection.
Moisturizing Facial Wash: Cleansing skin twice a day is the key to naturally healthy-looking skin. Try Simple Skincare Moisturizing Facial Wash for a gentle, yet thorough cleanse to give you a fresh & glowing #NoMakeupWakeup.
Make sure to enter Simple's #NoMakeupWakeup selfie contest for the chance to win free products! (see the rules here) How To Enter The Simple Skincare #NoMakeupWakeup Sweepstakes:
1. Snap a photo of your freshly washed face.
2. Share to Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #NoMakeupWakeup - be sure to tag @SimpleSkincare on Twitter or @SimpleSkincare_US on Instagram
3. Don't forget to tag #Sweeps!
You will rarely see me with bare nails, so when Julep sent over their favorite Winter nail colors and a tutorial for how to keep your nails at their best during the Winter, I had to share! I particularly love Sawyer, Joanne and Ilsa!
*Julep sent over the tutorial but I was not compensated for this post.
These products were provided to me by Neutrogena. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was sent the following: Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Serum ($20.99), Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($20.99), Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Night Moisturizer ($20.99), and Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Eye Cream ($20.99)
After these past two weeks I can say I have definitely noticed improvement in my skin. It is a lot smoother and brighter. I'm not saying my face is covered in wrinkles, but this is also a preventative thing. All the magazines tell us to start using anti-aging products in our 20s to help counteract what will happen as we get closer to our 30s. I used the products while I was on a trip, so being on planes and also being overtired may have affected the results a bit, but I'm still very happy with the products. I imagine if I wasn't on vacation my dark circles would be a lot lighter, but a lack of sleep counteracted the results to a degree.
Before using this I had been trying out Chanel's Resynchronizing Skincare line and my previous favorite was L'oreal Paris Youth Code (which I have been using for a few years.) I will definitely continue to use my Neutrogena products until they run out, but I have not decided which of the three product lines I will use when that time comes.
Over the past 2 weeks I've been using Physicians Formula's Va Va Voom Mascara to test out it's claims of being non-smearing/smudging and ability to get you the perfect Spring eye. I even tried using different eye shadows as well as my usual "spices" from Chanel. But, before we get to that, how adorable is the packaging? I love the little shoe charm, such a cute added touch.
The product did not smear or smudge during the time I wore it and came off pretty easily with my usual makeup remover, no hard scrubbing. It also has a great smell, probably the result of the cocoa extract and vanilla and musk infused into the product; that's why it's called the "Sexy Booster." I'd say it's definitely worth the $9.99 and is going to be one of my regular mascaras, I'm always trying new ones so I never say one is my absolute favorite.
Here are the looks I created with the mascara. I'm all about simple, especially when it starts getting warmer. Who wants to go crazy with their makeup if it's going to melt off?
* Disclosure: I have received free products from Harper's Bazaar in connection with my affiliation with Harper's Bazaar Style Ambassadors**.
** The Ambassadors are a nationwide network of Bazaar's most influential, well-connected, and fashionable readers who have been hand selected to represent Bazaar. I am NOT, however, employed by Bazaar, my opinions are my own. I am honored to be part of such a great group of women.
The product did not smear or smudge during the time I wore it and came off pretty easily with my usual makeup remover, no hard scrubbing. It also has a great smell, probably the result of the cocoa extract and vanilla and musk infused into the product; that's why it's called the "Sexy Booster." I'd say it's definitely worth the $9.99 and is going to be one of my regular mascaras, I'm always trying new ones so I never say one is my absolute favorite.
Here are the looks I created with the mascara. I'm all about simple, especially when it starts getting warmer. Who wants to go crazy with their makeup if it's going to melt off?
Look 1: Used purple eyeshadow, blush, lipstick & mascara
Look 2: Used green eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, liquid eyeliner & mascara
Look 3: Used gold eyeshadow, blush, lipstick & mascara
Look 4: Used lipstick & mascara
* Disclosure: I have received free products from Harper's Bazaar in connection with my affiliation with Harper's Bazaar Style Ambassadors**.
** The Ambassadors are a nationwide network of Bazaar's most influential, well-connected, and fashionable readers who have been hand selected to represent Bazaar. I am NOT, however, employed by Bazaar, my opinions are my own. I am honored to be part of such a great group of women.
