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!

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LIONESSE® AMBER COLLECTION

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June Beauty Favorites

July 5, 2018

BEAUTY FAVORITES: BROOKLYN CANDLE STUDIO MAUI ESCAPISM CANDLE | 
JESSICA JOHNSON BEAUTY 3N1 HYBRID FACE OIL | JESSICA JOHNSON BEAUTY T3 HYDRO-ACTIVE 
SPRAY SERUM | ISLE OF PARADISE MEDIUM SELF-TANNING DROPS | KNOURS. BODY + V ZONE SOAP | 
KNOURS. GEL CREAM | PIXI GLOW-Y GOSSAMER DUO DELICATE DEW & SUBTLE SUNRISE | 
MELTMORE PORE REMOVER DUAL PRIMER | URBAN DECAY COSMETICS BORN TO RUN EYESHADOW 
PALETTE | bAREMINERALS MATTE FOUNDATION BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15 GOLDEN BEIGE 13 | 
bAREMINERALS MINERAL VEIL | bAREMINERALS BEAUTIFUL FINISH BRUSH

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY URBAN DECAY AND bAREMINERALS BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Hi, everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July (to those who celebrated.) We kept it very low key since we both still have a lot of work to finish up on this week - plus we've never been the type to go away when everyone else does. The traveling is awful and everything is more expensive so we like to go away when less people do. Along with keeping up with my work, I always take advantage of New York City when everyone's away. You get to go to restaurants you'd otherwise never have a chance to get into and in the mornings there's no street traffic to fight off! The city is very different when it's a ghost town. This is also the time I clean out my closet and get the apartment spic and span and totally cozy. What can I say, I'm old(er) and like to be home nowadays! And what better feeling that cleaning up your place and seeing how great it looks afterward? Hence the delay on my monthly beauty roundup! Sorry guys, I'm super late on this post, and with the holiday being smack-dab in the middle of the week, it made my content scheduling a bit wonky. Apologies for keeping you waiting, but I promise it's worth the wait because in my June beauty favorites I'm sharing my newly updated summer skincare and makeup routine. One huge change? Goodbye liquid foundation! Continue reading to learn more and also to shop the products!

The tide rises and falls on a secret beach on the island of Maui and, with it, notes of sea salt, sea moss, and driftwood evaporate into the air. A touch of zesty bergamot and soft ylang ylang round out aromas of the ocean. The Escapist collection takes you to our favorite places in the world, places we’ve traveled to that have a permanent place in our olfactory memories. Double-wicked and housed in white textured boxes and screen-printed glass tumblers, this collection will tug at the heartstrings of minimalists around the world. Hand poured by Brooklyn Candle Studio in Brooklyn, New York with 100% soy wax for a clean burn, a cotton braided wick primed with vegetable wax, and fine perfume oils and essential oils sourced from around the world. No phthalates, dyes, or preservatives. Volume: 13 oz Diameter: 3 3/8 in Height: 4 1/4 in Burn time: Up to 70 hours

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Johnson from Jessica Johnson Beauty to check out their two new products being launched: a 3 in 1 face oil and a spray serum that is truly out of this world. I've been using these in my new skincare regiment and the results have been nothing but amazing! During the warmer months, my combination skin is far from flawless but since using these two products, my skin has never looked more supple, softer and full of that natural dewy glow we women all covet! These two products will remove your makeup, cleanse your skin, hydrate, strengthen, protect, nourish, and reduces inflammation. Think about how much time and cabinet space you save! Here's a breakdown of these two products:

3N1 HYBRID FACE OIL

This proprietary blend of 6 oils deeply cleanses, nourishes and hydrates. C02 Botanical Extracts of turmeric, calendula, & St. John's Wort that reduces redness and inflammation. For best results, use with their organic bamboo face cloths (so freaking soft!!!)

STEP 1: MAKEUP REMOVAL/MASSAGE/FIRST CLEANSE

Massage 4-6 pumps of oil over entire face, neck, chest and eye area. Using gentle circular motions, massage for one minute. Lay warm, wet washcloth over the entire face, take a few deep breaths and enjoy the relaxing effects of lemongrass, citrus, and sage essential oils. Gently wipe off oil, using circular movements, paying extra attention to the eye area to remove all makeup (completely safe!).

STEP 2: SECOND CLEANSE

Double cleansing at night is essential to healthy skin. Using 4-6 pumps of oil, spread evenly over face. Moisten fingertips with warm water and gradually add warm water to the face, creating a milky emulsion. Rinse well with warm water and pat skin dry.

STEP 3: TREATMENT

Moisten skin well with the t3 Hydro Active Spray Serum. Place 1-2 drops of oil in the palm of your hand. Rub hands together then evenly massage a fine layer of the oil into the serum. All creams and lotions are an oil & water emulsion. In this step, when you blend the two products, you are creating a lotion right onto your skin! How amazing is that?!

T3 HYDRO ACTIVE SPRAY SERUM

The T3 Hydro Active Spray Serum is packed with the powerful treatment ingredients found in intensive serums, but it's easily applied as a spray! To use, after cleansing the skin spray serum on skin. While skin is still wet, massage 1-2 drops of 3N1 Hybrid Face Oil over serum. Use as needed throughout the day or during air travel to keep skin hydrated and protected. Here are some of the key ingredients founded in this serum:

Sodium Hyaluronate: An intense hydrator that attracts and binds moisture to the skin.

Royal Jelly: Contains complex B vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, enzymes, natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties.

Olive Leaf Extract: Moisturizing fatty acids and antioxidants hydrate and protect skin.

Peptides: Softens the appearance of wrinkles, supports elasticity, reduces puffiness, anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory.

Grape Cell Extract: A powerful anti-oxidant that protects skin from UV stress and helps maintain the cell characteristics of epidermal stem cells.

Pomegranate Extract: High levels of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, helps speed wound healing, sun damage, supports collagen & elastin production.

Isle of Paradise Medium Self Tanning Drops n Self tanning water with colour correcting actives a green base for a natural golden glow with no streaks no smells or orange tones. Whether that s for the beach or brunch Isle of Paradise has got your tan covered! Formulated with Superbalance Complex to reduce redness, calm the skin and improve your karma :) I strongly recommend mixing these drops into your moisturizer WITHOUT your hands. Isle of Paradise has other products that are also recommended using a mitt with, so just a small piece of advice when using this brand. The results are great but you have to be careful... but with any self-tanning products, I strongly suggest a glove or mitt to blend it in. These drops are very subtle but you will still get a great sunkissed tan!

I came across Knours. in June while attending Foundermade for the second year in a row. It's basically a summit where emerging brands come together to network and connect with press, buyers etc while sharing knowledge and experiences. The founders of Knours. have always been inspired by clean living. Through a shared passion for exercising and eating right, it naturally evolved into skin care. Believing that everything has an effect on one's body, they sought to provide women with the best, clean beauty line that would help and not harm them during pivotal moments of each month. Thus, Knours. was born. An efficacious collection of 8 essentials dedicated to helping women feel beautiful and confident every day.

KNOURS. pH 5.6 BODY & V ZONE SOAP

Formulated with naturally fermented, Korean artisanal vinegar 'Hanega'Using a low-acid formula to match skin's slightly acidic pH, this soap is gentle on the skin and prolongs moisture retention. It removes impurities and excess sebum. It’s not only beneficial for the skin on the body, but also on hair and the sensitive V-zone. Your all-in-one cleanser.

KNOURS. GEL CREAM

A lightweight, soothing gel cream that keeps temperamental skin under control.This hypoallergenic, soothing gel cream will give your skin peace. Meditate on how good it feels.

Add a touch of light to your makeup with PIXI Glow-y Gossamer Duo in 'Delicate Dew' Or 'Subtle Sunrise', a highlighter duo with natural glow.The delicate, super-silky powders deliver natural-looking brightness to the complexion, creating lit-from-within luminosity. With a creamy, skin-like texture, the highlighters blend effortlessly onto skin, brightening and enhancing high points on the face, such as cheekbones and brow bones. Perfectly pigmented, the results will look natural in any light.

MELT MORE PORE REMOVER DUAL PRIMER CREAM & BALM

Meltmore is 100% formulated with ECOCERT certified, EWG verified all natural ingredients.
The worlds’ first pore specializing in cosmetics solely formulated with ECOCERT certified EWG verified all natural ingredients.

1. Formulated with no chemical ingredients for perfect cleans + zero trouble. All natural ingredients design to melt away perfectly. No remaining product is left behind to clog pores or cause breakouts, but this dramatically reduces the look of pores while smoothing your complexion. It's the ultimate blur balm.

2. Pore removing primer balm. Powerfully refines pores! Candelilla wax deeply purifies pores, while instantly working to help smooth skin while peppermint tightens the pores and leaves skin smooth and healthy.

3. Hydrates your skin with a flawless finish. The light texture cream refreshingly hydrates, smoothes, and blurs common skin concerns such as blemishes, redness, scars, bumps leaving you virtually flawless.

If you find yourself packing multiple kits for one look, Urban Decay's Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette is your globe-trotting go-to. When it's time to grab your carry-on and dash off to the next big adventure, you'll want to pack light. Enter Born To Run, an all-in-one eyeshadow palette that has everything you need to create neutral looks, add in pops of color and play with brights, no matter where you're going. With 21 of-the-moment shades - from jewel tones and modern neutrals to more colorful shadows - you've got every possible eye look covered in one sleek kit. Made from UD's mind-blowing formula that gives each shade its velvety texture, rich color and blendability, Born To Run's Eyeshadow shades hold tightly onto pigment that stays put.

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette

I'm revealing my new way of putting on foundation and I'm kissing liquid-form goodbye! I've been using mineral foundation and Holy Cow! It's got the same full coverage as liquid! Here are my three current summer favorites from bareMinerals:

bAREMINERALS MATTE FOUNDATION BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15 GOLDEN BEIGE

A mineral foundation with buildable coverage and a naturally matte finish available in 30 shades for all skintones. This foundation's weightless minerals buff and blend seamlessly upon application. Redness, imperfections, and fine lines and wrinkles are visibly blurred, while excess oil and the appearance of pores disappear with just one sweep across skin, and improve over time, too. Matte Foundation is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, nonacnegenic, and noncomedogenic so you can feel good about what you're putting on your skin, and it's available in an array of skintone-perfecting shades. It is formulated Without: - Parabens - Sulfates - Phthalates All bareMinerals® Foundations are oil-free, noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, and dermatologist-tested.

bAREMINERALS MINERAL VEIL SPF 25

Get the ultimate flawless finish while protecting your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays. Make the most of your makeup with Mineral Veil, a see-through but spectacular finale for any kind of complexion. Minimizing lines, absorbing oils, and softening your complexion, it gives you a flawless finish that's too good to miss. And best of all, it's utterly weightless. Just a bare veil of minerals that lock makeup in place and give your skin airbrushed perfection. Benefits: Protects skin from harmful UVA/UVB raysGives your skin a soft, airbrushed quality. Is entirely translucent, allowing for a natural look. Keeps your skin clear of preservatives, waxes, talc, and binders. Minimizes pores and fine lines for a youthful complexion. Absorbs oils to keep your skin looking fresh and clean. Prolongs wear of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, Lipcolor, and Eyecolor. Can also be worn on bare skin for a fresh, feather-light finish. Works beautifully for all skin tones

bAREMINERALS BEAUTIFUL FINISH BRUSH

This luxuriously soft, extra-large, patent-pending brush delivers fast, even, controlled coverage to reduce application time. Engineered with a unique convex center and waved synthetic fibers that hold powder like water to a sponge, it deposits more product with less effort. Its skirted silhouette fits perfectly into our proprietary ORIGINAL and MATTE Foundation lids to help capture (and contain) every mineral.

LOVE & XX'S,

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April Beauty Favorites

April 29, 2018

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BOSCIA, AMOREPACIFIC, DIPTYQUE, GIVENCHY BEAUTY & LIPSTICK QUEEN BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Hey guys! I'm back this Sunday with the regular monthly blog post of my latest discoveries in the beauty world. Before Monday's I'm all about a little pampering and R&R with attention to skincare. Being partly Korean, my mother showed me the secrets very early on in life and I've been applying the same regiment to my skin for decades. We literally used to put on toner together and she'd literally show me how to 'tap' it in, rather than rubbing into the skin. One of the many different regiments she's shown me through the years. So into today's post, my beauty favorites are more focused on skincare rather than makeup. I tend to balance them within a post, dividing up each category with five products from each, but this month is a little less (2/5 is makeup) because my skin has been adapting to the changes of season and have been wearing much less makeup and not trying new items as much out. Hope you enjoy it! Continue reading to learn more about what my mom and I have used while hearing about bits and pieces of our skincare stories with us and where you can find these amazing beauty products!

APRIL BEAUTY FAVORITES

At boscia, plants are the secret to skincare success. They use ingredients rooted in nature: plant-to-bottle formulas that show results and feel even better. Good skin comes naturally because, in their world, beauty really does grow on trees. They are revolutionizing beauty routines around the globe with products that are made for play and meant to be shared—because your skin wants in on the fun! Formats that surprise and textures that move with you, bounce, and stretch… it’s all part of their plan to make skincare meet the modern world, with an attitude of exploration and excitement. Boscia keeps things clear with nothing to hide, because only good-for-you ingredients go into their products, with no harmful irritants or chemicals allowed.

Essential to every product is boscia's signature botanical blend: an effective mix of jojoba leaf and willowherb. Jojoba leaf is a powerful antioxidant that helps to prevent free radical damage caused by pollution, UV rays, and other environmental irritants. Willowherb is a natural skin-calming botanical that helps to alleviate inflammation and redness.

The original black mask and reigning fan favorite, Luminzing Black Mask is a peel-off mask powerhouse that unveils a post peel glow worth sharing. Chock-full of powerful antioxidants like activated charcoal and vitamin C, this powerfully detoxifying mask leaves your skin feeling flawlessly fresh and clean while helping to minimize the appearance of pores and enhance radiance. An innovative, powerful, mineral-rich mask infused with activated charcoal that peels off to reveal a brighter, more clarified complexion. I would give this mask a 5/5 rating. It's superb!

SHOP THE BOSCIA MASK

Steeped in centuries of Korean heritage, Amore Pacific has unearthed the extraordinary skin-health benefits of Asian botanicals, channeling these ingredients into luxurious, high-performance anti-aging skincare.

It carefully utilizes green tea cultivated from the Dolsongi Green Tea Garden; the first of the three green tea gardens that Amore Pacific owns and operates on Jeju Island off the South Coast of Korea. The green tea leaves are handpicked and naturally fermented in optimal conditions for 50 days. These fermented leaves are then transferred by tea masters and placed into "onggi's", traditional Korean earthware band buried in the earth, to age naturally for another 50 days. After 100 days of waiting and a 24-hours slow extraction process, Amore Pacific’s Vintage Single Extract Essence is perfected.

This anti-aging essence delivers the antioxidant power of Single Extract Formula™. Created using the patented Full Body Extraction™, it promotes prebiotics to prevent further signs of skin aging. Vintage Tea Leaf™, containing green tea’s precious substance catechin, works to improve the appearance of skin’s clarity, texture, and elasticity. My mother really stressed the importance of an excellent toner. It not only helps hydrate and tone the skin, but balances the skin's pH levels in general, giving it a clean, fresh start for any other regiments such as oils, serums, lotions and more! And this Single Extract Formula™ is the best toner I have tried in ages.

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Enriched with real rose petals that provide continuous hydration, this quick-absorbing, non-greasy oil by Diptyque contains high concentrations of active ingredients. White iris oleate infusion smoothens and boosts radiances, sweet almond oil nourishes while rose petal provides the necessary hydration. Perfect for all skin types. In case of oily skin, use two drops of this oil before applying face cream or use a drop of oil blended with face cream in the morning and 3-4 drops for a relaxing face massage in the evening. What it does: It restores the skin's natural radiance, reinvigorates and smooths skin eliminating wrinkles and fine lines. How to use: Apply it to your face in a gentle upward and outward direction. For massage, warm it in the palm of your hand and apply on your face, massaging around eyes, and moving in upward motions around cheekbones, jawlines, and neck. I love face oils at night and I use a jade roller to massage in all the extra nutrients, so it can really absorb into my skin. The perfect kind of hydration for traveling on a plane. That dry air will suck the living life out of your face! And this one takes the cake, the scent alone is intoxiating.

SHOP DIPTYQUE OIL

A loose powder with a fusion of four complimentary, complexion-refining shades that together, create a made-to-measure, color-correcting finish. Get surreal skin perfection in four natural shades. Each color combination evens out the appearance of skin tone while enhancing radiance and keeping shine under the utmost control. Upon application, imperfections appear diminished and skin looks more even and porcelain in nature, with a lasting, radiant, matte finish. The formula and the pigments are treated with an exclusive, technological atomization process that creates a perfectly uniform and natural-looking result. I've been using the Givenchy Prisme Libre loose powder lately instead of a ton of foundation, because it's good to have the skin breathe from time to time, especially when you may have been wearing a lot more makeup than usual for photo shoots, events, etc. It naturally takes the redness out and keeps my skin radiant without having it look overdone. I love this mineral powder more than wi-fi honestly. LOL!

SHOP THE GIVENCHY POWDER

Emanating the free-spirited glamour of the '70s, Lipstick Queen's Blue By You Lipstick is a playful tribute to the lavish glitz of the decade, with a modern twist. Evolving the iconic transformer collection, luxe Blue By You is a soulful indigo blue that transforms into a metallic raspberry pink.

Enriched with Shea Butter, Mango Butter and antioxidant Vitamin E, lips are left soft and hydrated, while the sheer, shimmering finish provides easy-to-wear, comfortable, long-lasting color. Reminiscent and iridescent, Blue By You encourages us all to get out in the center of the dance floor and strut our stuff. Starting as a bold, soulful blue, the color transforms into a flattering, metallic raspberry pink that perfectly captures the medley of glistening magic within a disco ball, transforming you into a dancing queen in a swipe.

SHOP THE LIPSTICK

LOVE & XX'S,

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Spring Clean Your Skin with Bioré

March 17, 2018

How many of you are a seasonal skincare user? Depending on where you live, those like myself on the East Coat go through all four, which can definitely alter our skin. In the warmer months, my combination skin tends to get oiler and during the colder months, my skin tends to be drier. So especially in between the seasons like springtime, I like to keep my skin care cleaning regiment thorough but gentle. Bioré® Skincare targets the root of all skin problems—the evil clogged pore. So when it comes to dirt and oil they take a no-nonsense approach to fight smarter, not harder. Our scrub, liquid, powder, strip, mask and bar cleansing products go straight to the source of those pesky pores for deeply clean, beautiful skin that’s ready for anything. Here are two of my latest favorite products from the brand.

The Bioré® Self Heating One Minute Mask is a deep cleansing mask that heats up in just 60 seconds, never hardens, and rinses off clean! It’s infused with charcoal and purifies pores 2 1/2 times better than your basic cleansers. You can also add water to increase heating action times two, either way, I love how refreshing my skin feels right after. I absolutely love this mask because the heat opens up my pores to deeply purify my skin, not to mention it feels incredible! My skin felt super smooth and clean with just one mask. The individually packaged masks also make the product easy to travel with, but I just love the convenience of a time-saving mask that legit works. You can purchase the pack of 4 on Amazon for $5.82. Target, Walmart, and other retailers also carry it. :)

Bioré® Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips work like a magnet to instantly lock on to and lift out deep-down dirt, oil, and blackheads. In just 10 minutes, you'll remove weeks' worth of buildup, see 3x less oil and achieve your deepest clean. The pore strips are dermatologist-tested and remove weeks of build up from your pores - without the pain of removing some pore strips I have tried in the past. The pore strips are also individually packaged, and you get 6 of them in a box for $5.99 from Amazon or other retailers.

If you decide to give Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips and/or One Minute Self Heating Mask a try, I picked mine up on Amazon. You can buy them at major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens. etc. You can see distribution here. Have you ever tried Bioré products before? Unclog your pores! You can learn more about Bioré on their website but follow them on Instagram and Facebook for news and tips!

LOVE & XX'S,

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February Beauty Favorites

March 5, 2018

BEAUTY FAVORITES: SULWHASOO ESSENTIAL TRAVEL KIT | CLARISONIC MIA 1 SKIN 
CLEANSING SYSTEM | CLARISONIC THE ESSENTIALS SET | ALGENIST GENIUS LIQUID COLLAGEN | 
FIRST AID BEAUTY ULTRA REPAIR TINTING MOISTURIZER in MEDIUM | LANEIGE LIP 
SLEEPING MASK | BLISS® LEMON + SAGE SOAPY SUDS BODY WASH | BLISS® LEMON + SAGE BODY
 BUTTER | JIN SOON NEO POP COLLECTION | GIVENCHY EAUDEMOISELLE DE GIVENCHY PERFUME | 
URBAN DECAY COSMETICS DISCO QUEEN HOLOGRAPHIC STICK | URBAN DECAY COSMETICS 
HOLOGRAPHIC POWDER | MOUNT LAI JADE ROLLER

I'm well overdue on last month's beauty favorites! You'll have to excuse the delay. With two weeks of back-to-back fashion weeks in New York and London, travel, and nonstop content creating since coming home, it's been rather the most difficult in terms of time management. I just can't do it all by myself, mind you it's still this way. Nonetheless, here are my top ten favs this past month - trust me it was hard to narrow it down to these! Continue reading to learn more about what's trending in the skin care & makeup world, from neo pop nail polish to a lip sleeping mask, these are all great beauty products you need to have in your hands right away come spring.

1. SULWHASOO ESSENTIAL TRAVEL KIT

When it comes to traveling, I find it best to bring compact sized items in my beauty and makeup products. Which is why this month I've been using Sulwhasoo's Essential line. It was perfect for my five day trip to London for fashion week as it is travel size. There are three items included in the kit. Sulwhasoo's essential water soothes and hydrates, leaving your skin supple. The water containing Matrimony Vine and Purslane provides hydration, leaving your skin with a delicate veil of moisture. The essential emulsion helps improve skin texture, providing rich moisture to leave skin dewy and smooth. Mountain Peony extract helps improve skin texture while Yai Jiu Hua helps elevate skin clarity. It spreads easily over the skin’s surface and absorbs completely, leaving it soft and supple. Lastly the cream seamlessly absorbs into skin for a naturally healthy complexion.
The cream helps fortify aged and loosened look of the skin, completing an overall younger-looking appearance. Formulated after dedicated research of skin resilience, Sulwhasoo developed JISUN Firming Complex™, a special ingredient complex of goji berries, black beans, and arrowroot. The proprietary complex effectively supports a more firm look of the skin. The cream helps skin to retain moisture, and makes its surface appear firm while hydrated. The whole collection together is thorough - my skin never looked fresher while traveling.

2. CLARISONIC MIA 1 SKIN CLEANSING SYSTEM

I've been using this with my regular face cleanser from La Roche Posay with Clarisonic's Mia 1™ features one speed for basic sonic facial cleansing. Oscillation technology distributes 300 micro-massage movements that happen every second to work within skin's natural elasticity to sweep away dirt, oil, and makeup to unclog pores, while fluid forces allow the water on the device to flush pores clean. After only 60 seconds, these patented technologies in the Clarisonic facial brush cleanse skin up to six times better than hands alone. This leaves skin ready for treatment products and prepared for smooth, flawless makeup application. This set contains:- Clarisonic Mia 1 White (with Radiance Brush Head) with a USB enabled charger.

3. CLARISONIC THE ESSENTIALS SET

The 4 brushes included in this set, the Clarisonic Acne Cleansing Brush Head is for sensitive, acne-prone skin and has extra-plush bristles to provide gentle cleansing. The Deep Pore Brush is for all skin types with enlarged pores, the Clarisonic Deep Pore Cleansing Brush Head is engineered with graduated dual-action bristles to help flush and dislodge oil and debris that clogs pores. The Radiance Cleansing Brush Head is specifically engineered with extra fine bristles to deliver a luxurious and highly effective sonic cleansing experience. This unique and patented brush head helps to remove sebum and dullness. And lastly, the new sonic foundation blending brush from Clarisonic utilizes patented oscillation technology to generate more than 18,000 micro-blends per minute. The makeup brush gently provides a flawless, full foundation coverage look in 60 seconds or less. Equipped with anti-microbial and non-porous bristles, it is easy to clean and ensures minimal absorption so you use less foundation. You can also use it to apply contour, concealer, blush and more. But nothing powder-related, it has to be liquid/cream form.

4. ALGENIST GENIUS LIQUID COLLAGEN

This breakthrough fountain of youth leverages a clean, vegan formulation design to help replenish and preserve a healthy, youthful skin matrix by delivering vegan collagen to the skin in its most active state. The anti-aging formula contains 13,000 microalgae oil beads naturally sourced and sustainably produced, omegas 3, 6, and 9, and a natural source of vitamin E. Skin is left more resilient, brighter, and youthful-looking. Since using it, my skin looks bouncy, radiant and well-toned.

5. FIRST AID BEAUTY ULTRA REPAIR® TINTED MOISTURIZER

A multitasker with sun protection that provides up to 12 hours of soothing hydration, imparts a natural, luminous finish, and reduces the look of visible imperfections. Formulated with vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and other nourishing ingredients, this tinted moisturizer provides skin with up to 12 hours of soothing hydration and broad-spectrum SPF 30. Colloidal oatmeal and allantoin help to reduce the appearance of redness, while calming and soothing sensitive skin. Natural mineral pigments and micro-pearls deliver good, clean, buildable coverage to enhance skin's natural radiance, while minimizing the look of redness, pores, uneven skin tone, and other visible imperfections. The whipped, mousse-like formulation will not clog pores. I've linked the product in the shade I've been using which has been 'medium'.

6. LANEIGE LIP SLEEPING MASK

The Lip Sleeping Mask has a softening balm texture that closely adheres to lips for quick absorption. Enriched with vitamin C and antioxidants, its Berry Mix Complex™ offers a nutritiously sweet and fragrant blend of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and blueberry extracts to indulge the senses. Exclusive Moisture Wrap™ technology boasts hyaluronic acid and minerals to form a protective film over the lips to lock in moisture and active ingredients. A generous layer of this soothing mask at bedtime helps reduce flakiness so you can wake up to lips that feel refreshed, supple, and soft to the touch. Moisture Wrap™ - an exclusive technology that features a mineral network of moisture-rich beta-glucan to form an 8-hour time-release moisturizing layer over skin. It locks in active ingredients and mineral water. What's the best part? It tastes like watermelon and yes, it's the best lip sleeping mask I've ever tried!

7. BLISS® LEMON + SAGE SOAPY SUDS BODY WASH

Bliss Lemon Plus Sage Soapy Suds jump-starts your morning with its invigorating body cleansing action. This fragrant body wash or bubble bath gently removes dirt and oil while comforting and moisturizing your skin. Glycerin acts as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin. Aloe soothes inflammation and irritation. Vitamin E softens the skin and fights free radicals.

8. BLISS® LEMON + SAGE BODY BUTTER

Lemon + Sage Body Butter - Bliss' Lemon + Sage Body Butter restores moisture to even the most 'rough and scaly skin' as it protects the skin from free radicals. It smooth's, softens, and hydrates dry skin, without making it feel greasy. Used in over 70,000 Bliss Spa massages every year worldwide, this superior skin-smoothing formula has gained a huge following - making it one of Bliss' best selling products. I am a definite fan of the product.

9. JIN SOON NEO POP COLLECTION

Pop art has been a major source of inspiration since the inception of the JINsoon nail lacquer line, so it was only fitting that JINsoon teamed up with Korean Pop Artist, Hyang- Sook Yun, for the JINsoon Neo-Pop Collection. Hyang-Sook is known for super-imposing dot matrix patterns as a transformative medium over silhouette-like archetypal images. The various shades, all yielding an Andy Warhol-like result goes perfect for an iconic product such as JINsoon nail lacquer. I've been using their collections for years and it's my favorite nail polish brand.

10. GIVENCHY EAUDEMOISELLE DE GIVENCHY EXTRAVAGANT

Magnetic spices are blended with green citrus notes, followed by blossoming tuberose, and heightened by the warm, animalistic, and milky facets of vanilla bean on a sensual woody background. Adorned in matte black warmed by the golden lettering, the bottle presents a refined and modern design. Extravagant celebrates a heady and addictive flower, revealing an intense and sensual floral trail for a bewitching, self-assured, and intrepid woman.

11. URBAN DECAY COSMETICS DISCO QUEEN HOLOGRAPHIC STICK

This holographic highlighter creates an iridescent, multidimensional sheen that looks amazing on any skin tone. Use a little for a subtly ethereal shimmer, or keep layering for an intensely holographic highlight. This silky, lightweight formula glides on, flashes down, and has an airy finish so it won't interfere with your complexion makeup.

12. URBAN DECAY COSMETICS HOLOGRAPHIC POWDER

A lightweight, insanely pretty powder that comes in a translucent, iridescent lavender shade and creates a luminous, holographic sheen. Take your glow into the next dimension with this lightweight, insanely pretty powder that creates a luminous, holographic sheen. Use a little for a more subtle glow, or build and layer to achieve a high-watt highlight. UD infused this velvety formula with lustrous pearl pigments. There's never any white cast just a pretty, luminous glow. And because this formula isn't pressed, the feel is ultra-lightweight.

13. MOUNT LAI JADE ROLLER

The jade roller is a Chinese skincare tool that has been used for thousands of years. Perfected throughout the centuries, this facial massager was built to have a cooling, soothing effect on the skin. Besides improving overall health and radiance of the skin, jade rolling has a multitude of benefits such as improving blood circulation, reducing puffiness and inflammation of the skin, and relieving facial and jaw tension. I have to say it might seem silly using something like this when it comes to skincare, but it's really great for de-puffing. (Love it around the eye area.)