A Slice of Summer Glow with These 6 Korean Beauty Products

May 21, 2019

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY GLOW RECIPE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

With our first official hot day here in New York City yesterday, I got inspired to write up a post on how to achieve that radiant summer glow when it comes to our skin. But sans makeup. Makeup can help achieve the ultimate sun-kissed bronzy luminosity - but for some makeup is a no-no during the warmer seasons. Especially heavier coverage such as foundation. I love to have my skin breathe during this time of year to keep it healthy and fresh, so in today’s post I’m sharing 6 amazing Korean skincare products, all from the same brand, that will definitely give you a slice of that summer glow we all want.

WATERMELON GLOW ULTRA-FINE MIST

This ultra-fine, hydrating, fog-like mist is designed for ultimate skin radiance and makeup enhancement. It’s uniquely formulated with hibiscus flower which naturally contains AHAs to smooth the look of skin, apple cider vinegar (ACV) which naturally helps balance oil production, and rice germ oil which helps protect against free radicals. I have used it before applying makeup and it’s great, but I literally spray this on my face all day long even without makeup on. It smells like watermelon, so good in fact, my husband secretly loves it too! Refreshing, travel-friendly with very cute packaging, it’s my new favorite mist spray for summertime.

BLUEBERRY BOUNCE GENTLE CLEANSER

This hydrating, bouncy cleanser delivers all the antioxidant-rich benefits of blueberries while refining pores with hyaluronic acid and AHAs. The ultra-gentle formula is packed with nourishing oils to remove makeup with minimal rubbing. Skin is clear, radiant, and glowing without feeling stripped. During the warmer months, I prefer a gentle cleanser as I don’t want to use something too harsh for my sensitive skin. This cleanser is really my jam, and I love using it while traveling too when skin can wreck havoc even during the simplest of trips.

PINEAPPLE-C BRIGHT SERUM

Brighten up with pure pineapple juice, a potent, natural source of vitamin C, AHA, and bromelain enzymes. Blended with soothing chamomile, the serum retexturizes skin and evens tone. Glass Skin is the ideal skin look inspired by K-Beauty—so smooth and reflective that it looks like glass. Or that dewy glow effect. It’s the ultimate summer brightening serum - your face will literally look like a mannequin! But in a good way, ha ha! I also love how to chamomile is a red reducer - especially when it comes to breaking out. And how adorable is that bottle?!

WATERMELON GLOW PINK JUICE MOISTURIZER

This oil-free moisturizer calms, brightens, and perfectly preps skin for makeup, while antioxidants protect against environmental stressors to ward off fine lines and dark spots. Use day and night as a moisturizer for oily/combo skin or as a serum for dry skin. Its bouncy, gel-emulsion texture feels cool on contact and absorbs instantly. Perfect for the summer heat. It works best with the pineapple serum for that ultra glowing skin. Plus, the smell is intoxicating. It’s like your face guzzled down a glass of fresh watermelon juice!

AVOCADO MELT SLEEPING MASK

Intensely moisturize, firm, and brighten overnight. Oleic acid and linoleic acid-rich avocado helps to restore moisture and collagen in the skin, while the antioxidants and antibacterial properties of manuka honey refresh stressed out skin. PHAs provide a gentle exfoliation while you sleep. This avocado sleeping mask contains Kaolin Clay: This clay pulls impurities from the skin without causing redness or irritation; and absorbs excess oils, decongests pores, and diminishes shine. Skin is extremely smooth. Would recommend using only a little bit per use - in this case, less is more.

WATERMELON GLOW SLEEPING MASK

My favorite product out of the 6: It’s the first product I ever tried by Glow Recipe and I use it all-year round. This luxuriously bouncy, breathable sleeping mask refreshingly hydrates, smooths, and perfects skin overnight with a revolutionary pillow-proof, transfer-proof formula. The oil-free, lightweight, glow-boosting hybrid is formulated with ultra-soothing watermelon extract, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and gentle AHAs that work while you sleep to tone and clarify roughened, dull complexions. AHAs smooth the surface of the skin by banishing dead, rough surface cells, clearing the path for ultra-effective, lasting hydration, while hyaluronic acid binds moisture to the skin for an incredibly nourished complexion. Skin is baby-soft and bright in the morning, effortlessly.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Julep Passport To K-Beauty

August 30, 2018

This post is brought to you by Julep Beauty but all opinions are my own.

Many of you have asked about affordable skincare and especially, K-beauty since my last luxury skincare post, so I finally have something for you guys that I think you'll really love as well! Julep is the latest brand to bundle up its K-beauty essentials into one convenient place. Its brand-new Passport To K-Beauty is the ultimate Korean skin-care vault, complete with 11 of Julep's best-selling products for helping your skin become as clear and glowing as a member of any K-Pop band. Continue reading to learn more about every product in this amazing beauty box and as always, where to shop!

The products are neatly organized in a multi-tiered pink box that can be easily stored on your vanity or under your bathroom sink. The packaging itself is quite aesthetically pleasing. With ingredients straight from Jeju Island, (a popular vacation destination site below the southern tip of South Korea,) you have a complete K-beauty routine in one easy-to-navigate place. You can mix-and-match the products depending on the time of day or what your biggest skin concern may be. Again, there 11 products divided up into three different sections: Protect, Hydrate, & Cleanse. Let's take a closer look at each section:

PROTECT

NO EXCUSES INVISIBLE SUNSCREEN GEL

A completely transparent face sunscreen in an essence-gel base, Julep No Excuses Invisible Sunscreen Gel delivers broad-spectrum SPF 40 that helps protect against UVA/UVB rays. This lightweight gel goes on smoothly and dries to a satin finish, making it perfect to wear under makeup. How do I use it: Apply liberally, 15 minutes before sun exposure. Use a water-resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.

TRIPLE QUENCH DEEP HYDRATION SHEET MASK SYSTEM

Julep's Triple Quench Deep Hydration Sheet Mask System offers three steps to help reveal the appearance of softer, brighter skin. The complete three-part sheet mask system is all you need for a deeply hydrating and ultra-pampering boost to your skin-care routine. How do I use it: Use once to three times a week, depending on your skin's hydration needs. Perfect for traveling.

NIGHT SHIFT SLEEPING MASK

An overnight moisture mask that you wear while you're fast asleep, so you wake up to smoother, more hydrated skin. It's formulated with a unique peptide blend, sodium hyaluronate, and botanical extracts--including Power Cell Complex--that work to deliver moisture to the skin. How do I use it: Massage a thin, even layer onto face, avoiding eye area. Apply to clean, bare skin or layer over serum and moisturizer. Leave on overnight and rinse off in the morning. Your skin will be oh so soft!

HYDRATE

BOOST YOUR RADIANCE REPARATIVE ROSEHIP SEED FACIAL OIL

Julep's Boost Your Radiance Reparative Rosehip Seed Facial Oil is a lightweight, fast-absorbing facial oil that gives an antioxidant boost to your skincare routine. Perfect for all skin types - even oily skin. The rosehip seed oil reduces the appearance of fine lines, scars, and hyperpigmentation. Regulates oil production while moisturizing. Vitamin E protects against dehydration and free radical damage while it aids in the absorption of the rosehip seed oil. Bergamot oil brightens skin while providing a natural uplifting fragrance.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS RESTORATIVE FACIAL MILK

What Your Skin Needs Restorative Facial Milk is an ultra-lightweight facial moisturizer, with a high-tech blend of five skin-boosting oils that absorbs quickly into your skin to treat, nourish, and hydrate. It's formulated with squalane, as well as the skin-loving oils of jojoba oil, argan oil, coconut oil, and olive oil. How do I use it: Apply one to two drops onto face after cleansing. Can be worn alone or under moisturizer. Apply day or night.

YOU GOT THIS PRESSED SERUM DAILY MOISTURIZER

You Got This daily moisturizing routine down with this stick that streamlines your serum and moisturizer steps into one. Formulated with soothing hydration and antioxidants with ingredients like camellia japonia seed oil, jeju blossom extract, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramidesso, it's ready to help you take on the day. How do I use it: Swipe the pressed serum stick on forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Gently massage in with fingers. Follow with an SPF during the daytime.

DREAM BIG NIGHTLY RENEWAL PRESSED SERUM WITH BHA

Julep Dream Big Nightly Renewal Pressed Serum with BHA is an innovative stick that streamlines your nighttime serum and moisturizer steps into one. It deeply hydrates as it gently exfoliates to unveil smoother, more refined skin overnight. The salicylic acid (Beta Hydroxy Acid) lifts and loosens dead skin cells and purges the pores of impurities to improve skin's clarity, tone, and texture. Antioxidant-rich Jeju Blossom Extract protects against environmental damage. Sodium hyaluronate deeply hydrates to promote skin's suppleness and elasticity. Ceramides strengthen the skin's natural barrier, restore damaged lipid barrier caused by environmental damage, and prevent water loss.

SO AWAKE DEPUFFING GEL EYE CREAM

Julep So Awake Depuffing Gel Eye Cream is a lightweight, multitasking eye cream that handles all your everyday eye woes. It hydrates and depuffs the delicate eye area as it reduces the look of dark circles. Plus, illuminating micro-pearls perk up the look of tired eyes instantly. The Sodium hyaluronate deeply hydrates to promote skin's suppleness and elasticity. Turmeric root extract and banana flower extract soothe redness and irritation as they reduce the appearance of dark circles, providing long-term brightening effects. Antioxidant-rich Jeju bamboo grass & Jeju blossom extract protect against environmental damage as they soothe, nourish, and moisturize. Caffeine perks up tired-looking eyes and diminishes puffiness. Collagen improves skin's elasticity.

CLEANSE

CHARCOAL BODY KONJAC SPONGE

Julep took their cult-favorite Konjac face sponge and made it big enough to use from top to toe. Helping to gently exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal a soft, radiant, and glowing looking complexion, the special teardrop-shape helps reach every facial curve and nook, while an attached suction cup makes for easy shower storage. How do I use it: Rinse under warm water before each use. Massage in a circular motion to exfoliate dead skin cells. Rinse thoroughly and squeeze out excess water after each use. Replace every one to two months.

LOVE YOUR BARE FACE HYDRATING CLEANSING OIL

This lightweight cleanser from Julep gently and thoroughly dissolves makeup and dirt without over-drying skin, then rinses clean. This formula treats your complexion to ingredients such as grapeseed oil; olive oil; and power cell complex, a blend of ultra-hydrating ingredients that includes rosehip seed oil, malvaceae lipid extract, and green coffee bean oil. How do I use it: Pump into dry hands and massage over dry face. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

LOVE YOUR BARE FACE DETOXIFYING CLEANSING BALM STICK

An innovative stick cleanser with a blend of natural oils and fruit enzymes that removes dirt, oil, and impurities while gently exfoliating for a deep-down clean. You can finally nourish and deep cleanse your skin at the same time. Treat yourself to a luxurious blend of natural oils that dive deep to remove makeup, dirt, oil, and impurities while delivering essential nutrients to soothe, repair, and moisturize the skin. Natural pomegranate fruit enzymes work to gently exfoliate and dissolve surface debris that can cause dullness and uneven skin texture, leaving you with a noticeably softer, more radiant complexion. Key Ingredients: Rice bran oil dives deep to purge impurities grapefruit peel oil cleanses and evens skin tone camellia japonica seed oil hydrates and clarifies skin.

So what is the verdict on Julep's Passport To K-Beauty vault? A big two thumbs up! It is available for $249 on julep.com, ulta.com and nordstrom.com. At first glance the price may not be 'right' BUT... the individual products add up to $326. With the vault, you're saving $77. You're basically getting two or three products for free, which is a plus when K-beauty routines typically account for 10 to 11 steps. Plus many of the products are travel-friendly, and I'm always down for K-Beauty while traveling! What do you guys think of this pretty pink beauty box?! Would you rather buy the products separately or in a bundled collection as such? Drop your comments down below!

LOVE & XX'S,

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The Importance of Quality Skin Care Products with Lionesse

July 23, 2018

LIONESSE® AMBER COLLECTION: AMBER EYE SERUM | AMBER DARK CIRCLE EYE CREAM | 
AMBER NEW AGE SYRINGE

This post is brought to you by Lionesse Beauty but all opinions are my own.

Hey guys! I've been getting several questions about my higher-end luxury skin care and a lot relating in the anti-aging & eyecare department so I thought of creating a post to share with you more on my thoughts on this and, especially now that I'm getting older, why it's so important to be using quality skin care products. Some of the main problems I've had with my skin due to age are dark circles and puffiness under the eye area and yes, a few wrinkles are starting to make their grand appearance. Continue reading to learn more about Lionesse Beauty and some of the products I've been using to fight back and prevent these common imperfections in our skin. But first, let's dive into why I choose quality over quantity every time when it comes to skin care products.

1. Your skin is only as healthy as the products you apply.

While some popular products may have designer packaging and celebrity endorsements, it doesn’t mean that the ingredients are of any quality. These ingredients play a critical role and can range significantly. I really take the time to consider the ingredients that are in the products I"m applying to my skin. The reason? Because some lower cost options may list that they use some of the same ingredients as higher-end products, but it’s been found that many of the lower cost options dilute the ingredients or don’t use as much of the same ingredient. For example, there are two main types of ingredients found in skin care – Cosmetic Grade and Pharmaceutical Grade. The latter of these two exceeds US quality standards and is also more highly refined, removing bacteria and impurities from the products. Your skin will benefit, both short and long-term, from using better ingredients. Looking like a million bucks is worth the extra pennies it may cost you. Think of it as a really good investment!

2. The amount of product used

Another factor that plays into using quality skin care products is how much product you actually need to use. When using genuine quality skin care products, you shouldn’t need to use an excess amount of products to get the results you’re looking for. In addition to the amount, you likely shouldn’t need to be using a massive collection of different products in your daily regiment. In which case, less is always more :) Using quality skin care products should allow you to use a minimal amount of product but produce quality results. When the products are created with quality ingredients that are truly beneficial, less product is needed to achieve results.

3. Protection from damaging environmental agitators

Top quality moisturizers and body products help to seal your skin, both retaining important moisture and sealing out damaging particles and products that may be in the environment, like pollution, dust, even UVA, and UVB rays. Your skin is your defense system against foreign substances that can make you sick or cause irreversible damage to your body. Skin is nourished and strengthened by the products you apply, make sure you are protecting this natural barrier and promoting healthy skin for your long-term health. Don't forget to put on that sunscreen before leaving the house! Be mindful to not just protect the face but also the body as well.

4. Help fight the looks of Aging

Keeping your skin sufficiently hydrated is key to keeping your skin looking young but more important, healthy. Starting skin care at a young age helps to defy some of the aging effects on our skin. Don't fret if you haven't because it's always better late than never! Fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, sun damage, discoloration, dryness and problem skin, that can start as early as the late 20’s, can all be cared for with a dedicated skin care regiment. Quality products will help to alleviate some of the concerns about aging while nourishing and restoring your skin’s vitality.

5. I'm all about confidence, baby!

Who else here agrees that first impressions matter? Within a matter of seconds after meeting someone new, they will make their first judgment about you. Skin care is important to help you give your very best first impression. Your skin’s appearance is a check to your general health. A radiant and healthy complexion mirrors the health of your body on the inside and reflects a healthy lifestyle. Nourishing your skin with quality products is just as important as taking vitamins, drinking water, eating healthy foods, and getting enough rest. The way you feel about yourself also projects onto others- if you are feeling great and looking good, your confidence will shine throughout!

SHOP THE LIONESSE® AMBER COLLECTION

Speaking of lasting impressions, there's nothing worse when you have that big meeting in the morning and you wake up with the puffiest, darkest circles ever. But no need to fear: Lionesse is here! Roar! As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, these common imperfections are such a buzzkill, but look no further - I got your eyes covered with the Amber Collection by Lionesse Beauty, a beauty brand that brings you a range of skin care, hair care products and tools that are as diverse as your needs and as unique as your beauty. Eyes that sparkle are eyes without puffiness and dark circles. Let's take a deeper look at the three most favorite items within this collection:

1. Amber Eye Serum

This is the first product I apply out of the three. I love to use it thoroughly around the eye area, to get the full usage out the serum. You can instantly feel how much tighter the skin is where you apply the product and my skin around the eye area looked immediately more radiant as well. Definitely reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with this soothing, light-weight serum. Formulated with Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) and Aloe, this serum will leave the skin surrounding your eyes looking younger and tighter. Apply a small amount of serum to the eye area and lightly dab until fully absorbed. For best results, use in combination with Lionesse Amber Eye Cream.

2. Amber Dark Circle Eye Cream

Once the eye serum is completely absorbed, I move onto this delight: this shimmery lightweight dark circle eye cream that is everything. I've been trying to find a cream that can really combat with my dark circles and voila! I finally met my match. Formulated with Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate), Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) and Caffeine, this light eye cream instantly reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness under the eye area for brighter, well-rested look. Apply to freshly cleansed skin. Gently apply Amber Dark Circle Eye Cream under eye area and massage until fully absorbed. For best results, use in combination with Lionesse Amber Eye Serum.

3. Amber New Age Syringe

I'm going, to be honest... when I first received this final and last product of the three, I was a little intimidated to use it! I think my exact words to my husband were, "Want to play 'Operation'?" Haha! But all kidding aside, the luxuriously wonderful New Age Syringe's properties will help you refine the look of wrinkles while moisturizing your skin. Formulated with Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate), Hyaluronic Acid and Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima Oil) this rich formula immediately reduces the look of deep wrinkles while moisturizing your skin with this innovative formulation and advanced application method. I've been applying it the edges of my eyes where I've obtained what I call my, "smiley wrinkles" from all the years of laughter! You can definitely see a major improvement and it's shed years off to my face! I literally look and feel like a young teenager again! Just apply to clean skin. Gently press the top of syringe down until product comes out and apply directly to wrinkle. If necessary, remove excess product with a cotton swab.

Now before you come at me with how expensive these products may be, remember what I talked about in this post. When it comes to skincare, the earlier you start the better, ALWAYS quality over quantity, and yes, less is more when it comes to luxury skincare beauty products! Like I said, think of it as an investment, just like the quality pieces you choose to hang in your closet, it's the same concept with your skin! Let all those delicious, high-quality ingredients hang from your beautiful, radiant face! Which product are you most intrigued to try? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section down below. I can't wait to hear what your guys' thoughts on this skincare post! And as always, you can shop the beauty products featured in each individual blog post at the beginning or at the end of each post! Since this post is a little longer than my usual ones, I've also linked them in the middle of the article - that way you don't have to scroll as much to get to the links. Happy reading and happy skincare ya'll! Follow Lionesse® on Facebook and Instagram!