Corinna B October 24, 2017

Product Spotlight ~ Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

This week’s Product Spotlight is on Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil:

Every fall I re-tool my skincare lineup, adding in some heavier serums and facial oils to give me a pre-emptive strike against the cooler weather’s harsh, drying effects.

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I love facial oils. Anyone with a normal to dry skin can see the instant benefit of adding a facial oil to their skin care routine. If you have been reading this blog for a while then you will already know that I am obsessed with Korean skin care and with Tatcha skin care products from Japan. My skin has never ever looked better than it does since moving into these products. I haven’t felt any need to change anything out, so instead of trying new things I just keep reordering what works.

I needed to order some more facial oil, but this time instead of going back to my usual products I decided to try one from a brand that I have been reading about for ages, Sunday Riley. One of my favorite bloggers, Nikki de Roest swears by Sunday Riley, I’ve been hearing so much buzz about the brand in the beauty media, I figured I might as well give it a look too. I bought the smaller bottle ($55) to try it out.

The Sunday Riley Luna Oil is a night-time oil, that does all of its hard work while you sleep. It works on fine lines and wrinkles, soothes the skin, evens out rough spots, nourishes and hydrates. It also gives you visibly younger looking skin.

One of its key properties/ingredients is trans-retinol ester, a retinol product that works with skin elasticity as well as (I assume) the usual retinol benefits for smoothing skin. I found this info in a review I the London Evening Standard

The fun part is that it is a dark and mysterious blue-green in color as a result of deeply pigmented blue tansy oil (strong anti-inflammatory properties) and German chamomile (treats irritation). Avocado oil is a superfood for the skin, rich in vitamins A, B, C, D and E, while chia seed oil (omega 3) and Cape chamomile sink in deeply and encourage speedy absorption of all the actives. But the star turn is trans-retinol ester, which fights skin elasticity and is so powerful that you can’t use it during pregnancy. When you are over 35, retinol is the game-changer.

Sunday Riley products are cruelty free and contain no Parabens, Sulfates or Phthalates. I have read so many wonderful things about it and am super excited to start using it tonight! You can find Sunday Riley products online at Sephora.com

Corinna B October 17, 2017

Product Spotlight ~ Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

I decided recently to add a weekly blog post that focuses on makeup, skin care and hair products. It is going to be a product spotlight, looking at specific products that I use and love. Some of these products I buy for myself, some are given to me for magazine shoots and ad campaigns, and some are sent to me for my blog.

In order for a product to make it to the spotlight posts it has to really wow me, and most products don’t, so if you see it here it has to be fabulous!

These posts may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure.

The first product that I want to spotlight is:

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask.

I initially got this product as a bonus from Sephora, and loved it so much that I just re-ordered it online at Sephora.com

I had heard about Tata Harper products from other makeup artists, but hadn’t tried any of them before. Tata makes her products in small batches, here in the USA. They are all natural, non toxic, and are 100% free from GMOs, Fillers, Synthetic Chemicals, artificial colors and artificial fragrances. They are also incredibly effective.

The Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask is fabulous.

What I have personally noticed when I’ve used this mask is that it evens out the complexion, gets rid of any dullness, creates and instant smoothness and glow to the skin. It has been a fabulous transition product, taking my tired, end of summer skin into fabulous for fall.

I read on the Tata Harper website that you should use this mask every day for 2 or 3 days then drop back to once or twice per week. I think it is a great little mask to use before an evening out, on your wedding day, or any day that you want a little boost, because it makes your skin glow and also lets makeup sit smoothly, so you look fresh and vibrant.

Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask is also a sensational product to pack when you travel.

You can find Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask, and her other wonderful products as well, at Sephora.

Corinna B September 4, 2017

5 Fall Skin Care Tips You Need To Know

Summer is officially over and fall is here.

I am never, ever ready to let go of summer. I always try to squeeze out one more week of sundresses and sandals, evenings by the pool with a spritz and some summer music.

The reality is however, that it’s time to pack away summer clothes and summer lip colors, and get prepped for the new season. I can already hear the upcoming collective squeal of “pumpkin spice latte!!!” (yuck – really??) and the reverential excitement over the return to boots and sweaters.

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Today though we are going to have ourselves a little chat about prepping our skin for the new season. In case you haven’t noticed, skin gets thrashed over the summer. The combination of heat and humidity, paired with extra sun and wind exposure, compounded by extra layers of SPF – or worse! the lack of SPF, leaves your complexion looking dull by the time fall arrives. You may be noticing your skin looking a little opaque through your foundation, and even though you have a tan there is a slight gray-ness instead of that early summer, healthy glow that you were sporting back in June.

Which means we need a plan to get the complexion back into tip top shape.

New fall skin care products just arrived on my desk!

I just received a box of goodies from Bloomingdales.com that are all about getting your skin back to gorgeous for fall. In fact, they represent the 5 Fall skin care steps you need to know.

5 Fall Skin Care Tips That You Need To Know

The Cleanse.

Last week I talked about doing a double cleanse, the first being an oil cleanse and the second a water cleanse. I’m pretty obsessed with water cleansers and have been using them in my pro makeup kit for more years than I care to remember.

This one is Trish McEvoy Skin Cleansing Water. Its super gentle on the skin, removes makeup (even stubborn, waterproof eye makeup) and gives you a nice cleanse. As the weather moves through fall and into winter this is an ideal cleanser, clearing away impurities but not stripping the skin. Trish McEvoy Skin Cleansing water is available online at Bloomingdales.com

The Exfoliation

I am super, super excited to start using this next product!

After the build up caused by perspiration, excess oils, hot and dry weather, chlorine, salt water, sun protection products – basically every single thing we have encountered all summer long, skin looks super dull. The top layer of dead skin and debris needs to be cleared away. The ideal solution is to go have a microdermabrasion treatment with a facialist, but that can be costly and it can also be difficult to schedule, especially if you have a mad schedule like mine! But now I have this new PMD Microdermabrasion Kit, which comes with microdermabrasion at home products.

This is extra cool because it is said to be the best at home microdermabrasion machine. The PMD Personal Microderm kit comes with a nifty little hand sized personal microderm machine/wand, a variety of different discs that allow you to choose if you have very sensitive skin, sensitive skin, medium skin, or skin that needs maximum strength dermabrasion. There is also a disc for use specifically on the body. You can give your skin persoanlly customized microdermabrasion treatments at home every week if necessary, but for most people every 2 or 3 weeks will be ample.

The PMD Microdermabrasion Kit comes with a DVD on the ins and outs of how to use it and a booklet, both making it really easy to use. It would make a really fantastic Christmas/end of year gift too!The PMD Personal Microderm Kit is available online at Bloomingdales.com

The Soothing Hydrating Mask

Summer strips your skin. Winter does too. Skin that has had to deal with the elements feels sensitized, dried out, irritated. This Kiehls Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydrating Masque calms and soothes skin and then gently hydrates it. It is wonderful after sun exposure, so is great not only for beach days but also ski days.

This mask is also fantastic throughout fall and winter when skin gets so overly challenged with wind, biting cold, central heating – the works. It is a wonderful soothing mask for sensitive skin and sensitized skin. The Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydrating Masque is good for all skin types, it isn’t heavy and it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. You can find it here on Bloomingdales.com

The Treatment

By the beginning of fall the summer glow has been replaces by skin that looks dull and lifeless. When skin looks dull and tired your makeup will too. Its time for a refresher! After exfoliating away the debris on the surface of the skin you need to introduce a Vitamin C treatment. Vitamin C helps treat some of the UV induced photo-damage, revitalizes the complexion, and is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the skin. Vitamin C is also loved for its anti-aging benefits, and is known to brighten skin, retexturize and even out skin tone.

But here is where it gets tricky. In order for Vitamin C to be effective it needs to be fresh, so most over the counter Vitamin C skin care products have a very limited shelf life and lose their power long before you have finished using them. Clinique has a Fresh Pressed 7 Day Pure Vitamin C System that uses powerful, pure Vitamin C in individual stay-fresh servings.

It is a 2 step process, starting with a morning cleanse that uses single serve stay fresh packs – one for each of the next 7 days. The second step is the daily booster with pure Vitamin C. It comes in an airtight pack with 7 days worth of serum.

Vitamin C is best used in the morning so that the powerful antioxidants can fight off all the free radical pollutants we are exposed to in the environment.

I’m heading back out to Paris in 2 weeks, so am starting my 7 day treatment in a couple of days. If ever there was a place to arrive with glowing, revitalized skin, Paris has to be it! You can find the Clinique Fresh Pressed 7 Day Vitamin C System online here at Bloomingdales.com

The Sheet Mask

If you’ve been following this blog for more than 5 minutes then you already know that I am obsessed with sheet masks. Every Sunday night I use a sheet mask – its part of my skin ritual and I love it! I use them during the week when I have time and I always, always pack them for international travel.

I got these Wei Sheet Masks from Bloomingdales.com. They are ideal for the beginning of fall – one is detoxifying, stress relieving and soothing and the other is brightening and illuminating. You only need to leave them on for 10 minutes, but I like to keep them on longer.

If you found these Fall Skin Care Tips helpful please share this post on your social media. There are links at the bottom of this post. Thank you!!