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Skin Care

Mother’s Day Gorgeous Gift Ideas: Crabtree & Evelyn Wisteria Bath and Body Collection

April 22nd, 2012 by Karen 7 Comments

crabtree evelyn wisteria 1

Mark your calendars! Here in the States, May 13 is Mother’s Day (click here to find out when it falls in your country). Want to get Mom something special this year? Looking for gift ideas? Check back over the next few days for a different Mother’s Day gorgeous gift idea (a new special something with which to spoil Mom). 🙂

Many moons ago (aka the early ‘80s), my parents bought a big, burly brass vase at an antique store. We always just assumed it was, well, a vase for flowers, so every Mother’s Day, Mom’s bouquet would go into that vase, and she’d set it out in the living room for everyone to enjoy.

Imagine my surprise a few years ago when I learned that Mom’s brass vase is actually a spittoon! Yep. I was watching an old western on TV (can’t remember which one). There was a bar scene in it, and a cowboy spat his chewing tobacco into what looked exactly like Mom’s vase, and my brain registered, “Um…why is that guy spitting into Mom’s brass vase?”

One search of Google Images later, and the rest is history.

Mom’s brass vase/spittoon sits in their living room to this day…but to the best of my knowledge, it’s still reserved for flowers. 🙂

crabtree evelyn wisteria 2

Mom loves getting flowers for Mother’s Day, but when I can, I also like to get her a little something that I know she’ll be able to appreciate after the flowers have faded, like one of the bath and body products from the new Crabtree & Evelyn Wisteria Collection.

With notes of wisteria, gardenia, ylang ylang, mandarin, nashi pear and musk, the light, feminine scent seems elegant, and it lingers in the air for hours. I have a feeling that Mom will also like the soothing watercolor styling on the packaging.

crabtree evelyn wisteria 3
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There are 7 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Skin Care

Mother’s Day Gorgeous Gift Ideas: The Clarisonic Mia2 Sonic Skin Cleansing Acne Clarifying Collection

April 20th, 2012 by Karen 13 Comments

clarisonic acne clarifying collection

Mark your calendars! Here in the States, May 13 is Mother’s Day (click here to find out when it falls in your country). Want to get Mom something special this year? Looking for gift ideas? Check back over the next few days for a different Mother’s Day gorgeous gift idea (a new special something with which to spoil Mom). 🙂

For Mother’s Day a couple years ago I got my mom a Clarisonic Mia, and she loves it! Nothing says “Thanks for sharing your body with me for nine months, Mom!” like a gentle, yet industrial strength, facial cleansing.

Okay, well, you know what I mean… 🙂

And this is good timing, too, as Clarisonic recently released a new kit (priced at $169) called the Acne Clarifying Collection, and it’s pretty darn snazzy.

It comes with a dual-speed Clarisonic Mia2, a bottle of Clarisonic Acne Daily Clarifying Cleanser (which contains a solution of 2 percent salicylic acid) and an Acne Cleansing Brush Head gentle enough for blemish-prone skin.

Oh, and since the Mia2 brush in this kit is white, it’ll look great with all kinds of bathroom décor (a small but important detail).

clarisonic acne clarifying collection

clarisonic acne clarifying collection
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There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Clarisonic, Skin Care

Mother’s Day Gorgeous Gift Ideas: La Petite Patisserie Trio From Laura Mercier

April 19th, 2012 by Karen 16 Comments

Laura Mercier La Petite Patisserie Trio

Mark your calendars! Here in the States, May 13 is Mother’s Day (click here to find out when it falls in your country). Want to get Mom something special this year? Looking for gift ideas? Check back over the next few days for a different Mother’s Day gorgeous gift idea (a new special something with which to spoil Mom). 🙂

When I was growing up, I used to love sitting in the kitchen and watching my mom bake sweet treats (she makes a mean banana bread!).

This year, treat Mom to something almost (but not quite) as sweet as she is with the limited edition Laura Mercier La Petite Patisserie Trio ($45), a decadent trio of scented body products baked with pastry chefs and foodies in mind.
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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Laura Mercier, Skin Care Keywords: laura mercier

5 Bridal Beauty Tips: Glow in Your Gown With These Five Body Care Tips

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 58 Comments



This post is part of a series sponsored by Dove® ClearTone™ Deodorant.

It’s that time of year when knots are being tied, and many brides are slipping into strapless dresses. Yes, it’s wedding season!

I wore a strapless gown when El Hub made an honest woman out of me, which — wow! I can’t believe that was six years ago… It feels like yesterday! And I remember being a little nervous back then about baring so much skin.

If you’re planning a trip down the aisle and have your heart set on a strapless gown, consider these bridal beauty tips to get your arms, shoulders, neck and back in tip-top shape for the big day.

1. Glow on, exfoliate!

A gentle exfoliating scrub sloughs away dead skin cells, leaving you with a gorgeous full-body glow. I always keep a gentle scrub in my shower and use it every couple days. After rinsing, I like to follow it up with a rich moisturizer.

In a pinch, try mixing a small amount of granulated sugar with your shower gel.

No, really! 🙂 It’s a cheap, pretty effective way to get your scrub on.

2. Remember residue removal

Got body acne (it’s no fun)? Removing hair conditioner residue from your shoulders, chest, neck and back may help reduce breakouts.

I used to wash my hair and bod, and then condition and rinse. Now, after conditioning and rinsing my hair, I twist it up into a bun, clip it in place, and wash my bod with a shower gel, taking care to remove any remaining conditioner residue on my skin.

3. Here comes the sun (screen), little darlin’

I’m not gonna nag. I know you’re really good about wearing sunscreen every day on your face, so this is just a gentle reminder to remember your neck, chest and arms.

Even if you don’t plan to spend the day outside, your skin still gets some sun through the windows in the car and at the office.

And if you haven’t looked lately, check the expiration dates on your sunscreens. They become less effective after they’ve expired.
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There are 58 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Skin Care Keywords: dove, sponsored post

My Nose Thinks Molton Brown Broke the Mold on Pepperpods With Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod Bath & Shower Body Wash

April 15th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

I’m usually more of a citrus and floral fragrance lover when it comes to bath scents, so I wasn’t expecting to hear the herald angels singing the first time I sniffed Molton Brown’s budget-busting $30 Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod Bath & Shower Body Wash.

And I didn’t (well, not immediately).

The wash, which starts as a gel and builds up into a nice sudsy foam (gotta love those big bubbles!), contains notes I don’t normally look for in a fragrance, like patchouli and warm, pink pepper, but there’s something different about the way they go together here.

Molton Brown went aaaaall the way out to the Gulf of Guinea on the West Coast of Africa for these pepper pods, and it was worth the trip. While they were there, they also added African ginger.

It’s weird — the more I’ve been using this wash, the more I like the scent. It’s invigorating! And unusual. Definitely not your typical Bath & Body Works or Victoria’s Secret fruity floral.

It’s warm and spicy, but still a little dainty and feminine at the same time. I really look forward to using it now after my early morning run because it keeps the endorphin rush rushing longer throughout the day. The scent also lingers on my skin and fills the bathroom for hours, ahh…
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There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Product Reviews, Skin Care

What Skin Care Products Have You Been Loving Lately?

March 29th, 2012 by Karen 69 Comments

Your favorite skin care products?

I keep meaning to ask if you’ve found any good skin care products lately! We talk so much about makeup that I forget sometimes about skin care, even though I use it even more than I wear makeup.

Here are some of the things I’ve been using and lovely lately…

Clarins HydraQuench Rich Cream ($50)

I’ve been a huge fan of the Clarins HydraQuench line for years, but I only recently decided to give their $50 HydraQuench Rich Cream a try.

It’s a thick, rich balm designed for extremely dry skin and/or cold climates, and I wish I’d tried it sooner, because despite the crazy price, I think it’s great.

Mostly, I’ve been using it on the tight, dry skin around my nose and mouth, which are both pretty sensitive areas for me, but this stuff never gives me breakouts.

If I listen closely when I rub it in…I can actually hear my dry patches sigh in relief, haha!

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant ($50)

Dermalogica’s $50 Daily Microfoliant is another product getting a lot of play in my bathroom. A rice-based powder exfoliant designed for all skin types, I just put a small amount in the palm of a hand, and add water to activate the exfoliating agents, which include rice enzymes, salicylic acid and papain (an enzyme found in papaya). Working in the water turns the product into a gently exfoliating paste.

I use it a couple times a week to help slough away any flakes on my face, and I’m really happy with the results. I think my skin glows brighter and definitely feels smoother after each use.
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There are 69 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Skin Care

Mellow Out With Aveda Stress-Fix

March 21st, 2012 by Karen 16 Comments

Aveda Stress-Fix

I spend a large portion of my days trying to relieve stress…

No, seriously. A lot of people don’t understand the high stakes nature of pet assisting for a world-renowned international kitty supermodel. Most days, I’m chained to my desk for 12-14 hours.

No, really. I’m chained to my desk. I have to ask permission to use the restroom, and when I go, Tabs follows me in (cats are such pervs!).

So, yeah. Girlfriend is stressed out…

I know it’s not healthy, but I’ve been trying to turn things around lately. I exercise now about an hour a day (those endorphins really help) and try to make it to yoga in the evenings when I can.

But is it enough? I really don’t know. Just the other day, I was plucking my eyebrows and found another white hair, and I keep finding new ones on my head, and in places where they never used to show up.

I can’t say I’m surprised, as a lot of people in my family started going gray at a young age, but I can’t help but wonder if in my case the long hours have had anything to do with it…

I know, I know. Hard work is a part of life, but so is the need to relax.

Cue yet another excuse to work a new beauty angle into my life (the sign of a true addict)! 🙂

The hunt is on for new stress-relieving products, and this week I’m taking a look at three new ones from Aveda’s Stress-Fix line.

Their new Soaking Salts ($40), Body Lotion ($28) and Concentrate ($22; it’s in a cute rollerball!) just launched at Aveda stores and salons, and they’re scented with lavender and sage, which Aveda says are clinically proven to help relieve feelings of stress.

aveda stress fix

aveda stress fix
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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Aveda, Product Reviews, Skin Care Keywords: aveda

Weekend Beauty Report for March 18, 2012: It’s Raining Skin Care!

March 18th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

weekend beauty haul

After fish and chips last night, I asked El Hub to drive me to Sephora, because the best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day when you’re playing the proximity Irish card is to 1) eat fried food, 2) drink a pint of beer (I highly recommend the Unfiltered Wheat at Moylan’s next time you’re in Novato) and 3) do a wee bit o’ beauty hauling.

Last night was a skin care night. I love makeup, but there’s something about the prospects of a new skin care holy grail that always fills me with hope (LOL!). The gal who rang me up last night at Sephora said it best, “New makeup is always fun, but new skin care feels like a fresh start.”

Here, here, girlfriend! Preaching to the choir. 🙂

I picked up a few things that I hope will help me with some skin issues I’ve been having… A new crop of hormone-fueled pimples just popped up along the edge of my chin — the kind where you can feel the hard bumps just beneath the surface.

It’s like, when I hit my mid-30s, all hell broke loose on my chin, ugh!

My skin usually responds well to beta hydroxy and benzoyl peroxide acne products, so I’m trying bottles of Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy Acid 2% Acne Wash ($35) and Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39). The Kate Somerville one contains 5.3% benzoyl peroxide. Hopefully that’s enough to take care of those zits.

I’m curious — when you break out, what usually works for you? Do you prefer benzoyl peroxide, beta hydroxy acid or something else?

peter thomas roth beta hydroxy acid acne wash

kate somerville antic bac clearing lotion
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There are 37 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Skin Care

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

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