Hi readers, just a quick little update that I will be taking this week off since I need a little time to regroup after my weekend cruise. I still feel like I’m out at sea, swaying with the waves! Anyone else feel like this after being on a ship? It’s normal but feels pretty weird.
In the meantime, I will be testing the Sephora Favorites Give Me More Lip Collection so stay tuned for a review this one. 🙂
See you next week,
Stephanie
October, sometimes referred to as ‘Pinktober’, is known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With a 1 in 8 probability of women developing breast cancer in their lifetime, early detection is key. This can be achieved through:
For more information, consult with your physician and you can visit nationalbreastcancer.org for additional information.
Shop For A Cause
You can help support and fund different organizations by shopping for limited edition ‘pink’ products. These are just a few I found. Click on the link(s) I provided at the bottom of each product to learn more.
Aveda ‘hand relief’ Breast Cancer Research Foundation Moisturizer $26
Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder (pink cap edition) $26
EOS Limited Edition Breast Cancer Awareness Collection- Lip Balm and Hand Lotion Set $7.99
Essie 2014 BCA Collection $8.50 each
Estee Lauder, Evelyn Lauder and Elizabeth Hurley Dream Pink Collection $29.50
Murad Hydrate For Hope $49.50
Nest Passion Candle $28
Sonia Kashuk Proudly Pink Five-Piece Purse Brush Set $15.99
Tocca Sapone de Viaggio in Cleopatra (Daisy Soap Set) $24
Other Ways to Help
You can donate, fundraise, volunteer or become a sponsor with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Susan G. Komen or Look Good Feel Better.
Remember, sometimes no symptoms will manifest which makes routine check-ups imperative. “When breast cancer is detected early, in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 98%. (National Cancer Institute)
Disclaimer: The contents on this website, and any related links, are provided for general informational purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here. Please consult a healthcare provider if you have any questions about a particular health condition.
Renee and I at Sofitel in Beverly Hills
Hi readers! I hope you all had a great weekend!
I was given the unique (and awesome!) opportunity to assist celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau during one of her quarterly visits here in L.A. This is the second time I have helped her during her stay and words cannot express how blessed I feel to be able to participate in this event. Renee is one of the go-to skin care gurus with celebrity clients like Demi Lovato and Lisa Rina and generates rave reviews from beauty editors with good reason. Aside from being extremely knowledgeable and formulating her own skin care line, she is also genuinely sweet, caring and humble. When I first met her, she greeted me with a hug and smile that felt like I had known her forever. Such a lovely person inside and out.
I was one of the lucky ones that received a bottle of her soon to be released newly released Pro Remedy Oil! Pro Remedy Oil is a blend of 12 natural oils including sweet almond oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil and cranberry oil that “helps repair dry skin from airplane travel, eczema, sunburn, dry climate and pregnancy.” Since many of us receive chemical peels during the fall and winter months, this oil can also be used post-chemical peel to soothe skin.
Pro Remedy Oil is a clear light-weight, citrus scented oil that absorbs quickly into the skin. Since I have combination skin, I mix about 2-3 drops with my moisturizer and apply to my face-a little goes a long way. So far, I like how my skin has felt hydrated with no heavy after feel and I haven’t broken out. We’ll see if that changes in the next couple of weeks.
If you have dry skin or eczema and haven’t found products that work, definitely look into this oil, especially during these next few months when we’re prone to losing more moisture. Those with acne or oily skin types should tread lightly since you already produce enough oil and probably don’t need anymore.
Other goodies I received: Bio Calm Repair Masque, Aloe Cleansing Milk and Bio Radiance Night Serum- can’t wait to try them out.
I’ve tried a couple of products from Renee’s line and although there were some I didn’t like or didn’t work for me, some items worth checking out that I love include Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel, BHA Clarifying Serum, and Triple Berry Smoothing Peel.
If you’re interested in Renee’s skin care line, visit her website www.reneerouleau.com
Hope you enjoyed this post and sneak peek!
As colder weather starts to set in (except maybe here in California), were bound to be bombarded by excessive handwashing and hand sanitzer use in an attempt to prevent colds. The disadvantage? Dry hands. Here’s a couple of staple products I like to keep on hand. 🙂
Bath and Body Works Pocket Bac Hand Sanitizing Gel, $1.75 and The Honest Company Hand Sanitizer Spray, $2.99
Small and portable, the Pocket Bac Hand Sanitizers come in different scents and the Hand Sanitizer Spray makes disinfecting surfaces easy.
Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream in Rosewater, $8-$20
Was gifted a hand cream from this brand a few years back and I love how it contains ceramides and vitamin E to help moisturize the skin, yet feels light. Found this one at TJ Maxx for about $7.
Caudalie Nail and Hand Cream, $9-$15
Used this citrus scented hand cream back in esthetic school and loved how quickly it absorbed into skin. It contains grapeseed oil and vitamin E to provide antioxidant properties as well as shea butter. Leaves nails with a nice sheen.
True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere and Silk Hand Cream, $12.95
Have used and repurchased this one for a long time and love the vanilla and sandalwood scent. Leaves hands feeling super soft. I have noticed this leaves behind a bit of shimmer but I don’t mind as it’s subtle.
Lush New Charity Pot, $6.95-$25.95
New to my collection, I use this hand and body lotion at night or after I shower since it has a heavier and thicker consistency. Albeit ylang ylang and cocoa butter are dominant scents in this one, I find it’s the least scented one out of the bunch. Also, every dollar except the taxes goes towards a charity
L’Occitane Hand Cream, $12
Another staple product as it’s creamy but non-greasy. Shea butter is blended with honey, almond, grapeseed and coconut oils for a nice, hydrating formula that lasts.
Hope you enjoyed the post. What’s your favorite product?
With fall practically right around the corner, here’s a couple of my favorite things I look forward to this season.
First on the list: pumpkins! With everything pumpkin flavored or scented abound, one of my favorite pumpkin related items are pumpkin peels. With glowing skin as a trend, a pumpkin peel can be a great way to attain this look-more about this in a future post!
Fall makeup trends! Of course you don’t need to adhere to these trends-makeup is after all a representation of your unique style- but here’s a brief overview of what’s ‘in’, this season.
Eyes: Blue shadow seems to be the dominate color followed by metallic silver, bronze and gold liquid shadows and liners. Liner and lashes take inspiration from the 1960’s (think Twiggy).
Lips: Depending on the look you want to exude, lips can range from shades of burgundy, velvet purple or red. Natural lips were also seen everywhere during Fashion Week.
Cheeks: Stick to natural shades of blush (or even bronzer) to balance out the eyes or lips.
Tea! Although any time is a great for tea, I just love the idea of curling up with a cup of hot tea on a cold night to unwind. Yes, I am obsessed with anything lavender 🙂
TV shows: By far one of my favorite shows, Once Upon A Time! Fairy tale stories, villains and awesome makeup. Other shows I am really looking forward to: Revenge, Bones,and Criminal Minds.
Scents: Season scented soaps to envelop your senses with!
Candles! Always a great way to end a day with while sipping tea.
What’s your favorite aspect of fall?
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was pretty eventful as I attended The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa in Long Beach! It’s an event held for professionals in the skin care, beauty and wellness industry where you can attend workshops, advanced education seminars and purchase products. Translation: heaven for a beauty junkie like me! Here’s a small recap of my day.
The badge we receive for the day of the event- very nice.
First purchase was at the Skin Script booth. I got the Pomegranate Antioxidant Cleanser, 15% Vitamin C/Green Tea Serum, and the Ageless Skin Moisturizer, with Aloe and Co-Q10.
Another Skin Script purchase. This one is their holiday special Spiced Cider Facial which includes the Apple Orchard Enzyme and Autumn Spice Hydrating Mask. Unlike the Skin Script items above though, you need a license to purchase these.
I stopped by the Ilike booth which has an ‘organic’ line of products. After speaking to one of the representatives, I bought the Sour Cherry Gel Mask for my combination skin. *Note: I put organic in quotes because there isn’t a universal standard on what is deemed organic.
The Eminence booth was crowded all the time and filled with on-going demonstrations but I managed to squeeze in to scope out their ‘organic’ line. I ended up getting the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant (an exfoliator that seems similar to Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant) and Strawberry Rhubarb Masque with Hyaluronic Acid, again a mask for my combination skin.
Though I received a ton of informational pamphlets and brochures from other exhibitors there, I’m highly interested in checking out these products in the future: (h2t) for their pumpkin peel (it smells AMAZING and will hopefully be ordering it soon), Circadia by Dr. Pugliese, Dermapen, Rhonda Allison and Image Skincare.
Always great to receive free trade industry magazines!
By the end of the day I was exhausted! It’s a bit overwhelming to be surrounded by soo many different products, demonstrations, information, devices, samples (not pictured here) and people. I concluded my day with a seminar on the Hydrafacial- a modified version of microdermabrasion- and a facial with an (h2t) 30% pumpkin peel. Pure bliss.
I will post reviews on the products once I have an opportunity to try them out! What conventions do you look forward to? IMATS? The Makeup Show? Other? I’d love to know!
I was honored with a nomination for the One Lovely Blog Award by the awesome Cameron from Threads! I’m truly grateful for this as I’m still getting the hang of how all of this blogging world works so thank you Cameron for taking the time to nominate me. Anyone who is interested in fashion should definitely check out Threads 🙂
Rules:
1. Thank and link back to the person who nominated you.
2. List the rules and display the award.
3. Include seven facts about yourself.
4. Nominate five or more bloggers and let them know about the award.
5. Display the award and follow the blogger who nominated you (if not already!)
Facts:
1. I helped out with makeup at USC’s dance production Alice in Wonderland
2. I was able to meet and assist celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau
3. My eyes appear hazel in bright light or when I wear pink eyeshadow
4. When something is bothering me, cleaning helps me sort out my thoughts
5. I first learned to drive stick shift…but that didn’t last too long
6. My favorite food is Italian
7. I have a dance background in tap, ballet and jazz
Nominees: Some great blogs that I enjoy reading
http://jacquienavarro.wordpress.com/
http://lifeaslisaknowsit.com/
http://leahpereyra.com/
http://simplyquaintblog.wordpress.com/
http://megjacobsblog.com/
I took a week off for vacation, went to Vegas and had a blast. I don’t really care much for gambling and all the smoking but I do like walking around exploring the hotels and shops and getting to relax and swim. Here’s a small glimpse of how it went.
What I Packed
Some of my travel essentials. It’s good to pack light and take travel sized products when possible. For skincare, I keep it simple. Sunscreen, cleanser, toner and moisturizer. Optional: Eye cream with SPF (I used Dermalogica’s Total Eye Care SPF 15) and if you use any antioxidant serums, i.e. vitamin C or E, you can layer them under your sunscreen. For makeup, I really love the Urban Decay Naked palette where you can create natural or smokey bronze looks.
Fun Under the Sun… Er, Shade
Seeking shade on a hot day behind the waterfall.
Pool side essentials: Sunscreen, a good book and a relaxing jacuzzi.
Special Occasion Night
Me and one of my sisters en route to dinner.
We had a great dinner at Tommy Bahama’s located in the Las Vegas Town Square. If you’re ever in Vegas, stop on by, especially for dessert. Key Lime Pie (love the tartness) and Triple Chocolate Cake (not as overly sweet as it seems, at least to me) are amazing!
Waiting for the show to start at The Mirage. For a fast, special occasion look, I like a bold red lip, bronze eyeshadow on the lid, black eyeliner, mascara and a swipe of bronzer. Products used: Urban Decay Naked palette eyeshadow in Smog, Urban Decay Glide-On 24/7 Eye Pencil in Black Velvet and Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in No. 10 Red Essence.
Sight Seeing/Activities
Until I can see the actual one in Paris, this will suffice.
The New York, New York hotel view from the M&M store.
Calling all chocolate lovers, visit Hershey’s World located inside the NY, NY hotel. There’s an impressive Statue of Liberty replica made out of chocolate and some yummy treats.
One of the best parts of my vacation: getting to zipline at night passing a dome of lights and images! It’s smaller than most, but well, baby steps first, right?
Zipping by through Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas at night although, to be honest, I didn’t see really notice the dome or lights because I was busy hanging on for dear life! It was a bit nerve wrecking at first but once you get the courage, it’s an amazing experience!
If you ever find yourself in Vegas, definitely try ziplining! How do you like to spend your vacation?
No, I don’t mean the status check-in, but with yourself. When our daily life screams go, go, go, it’s good to push pause, at least for a couple of minutes. Sitting at a computer all day, working out, the stress of everyday life, etc can take a toll on us and even worse, it can lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is not good for your skin, for your overall well-being, it’s not good period. After a weird week and a bit of lower back discomfort, I decided to book a massage, trying hard not to think twice about it. Since I am the type of person who’s mind is always thinking non-stop (except when I am sleeping), forcing myself to relax is somewhat of a battle, but when I am able to let go, I feel better. Allotting some time to check-in with myself allows me to think, Is it really worth it to stress over everything? A tensed demeanor looks good on no one.
Here’s what I learned about massages-it does a good deal more than you might think!-and popular types.
Therapeutic Benefits of Touch/Massage
Popular Massage Treatments
Swedish Massage
The Swedish massage is the most common in the U.S. and uses long, smooth strokes, kneading and circular movements that can be gentle and relaxing.
Deep Tissue
Deep tissue massages target the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. This type of massage benefits those who have chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems, or recovery from injury.
*Note: People often feel sore for one to two days after
Hot Stone
Heated smooth stones are placed on certain points on the body to warm and loosen tight muscles. This is a good alternative to deep tissue.
Alternative Massage Techniques
While receiving a massage is very beneficial, there are also instances in which receiving a massage is not a good idea. If you have open lesions or anything contagious, you need to wait until it’s all cleared up to receive a treatment. Also, certain health conditions can contraindicate a treatment due to the increased circulation. Below are a few alternative treatments that can be performed but ALWAYS check in with your physician first to ensure your safety.
Acupressure
Acupressure is an oriental technique of applying pressure to specific points of the body to release muscle tension and restore balance.
Pressure Point
Similar to acupressure, each point has a movement that is repeated 3-6 times. Sometimes, a blend of essential oils are used.
Foot Reflexology
This technique applies pressure to the feet based on a system of zones and areas on the feet that directly correspond to the anatomy of the body. Foot reflexology causes relaxation, increased circulation and brings balance to the entire body.
Your problems will be there waiting for you so why not take some time to not worry about them?
School is out, summer is here and if you’re like my family, camping trips may soon make their way into your schedule. The outdoors can provide beautiful imagery, new perspectives, fresh air but also has some not so nice perks. Bugs attacking you from every angle or inadvertently providing a feast for neighboring critters is something I can do without. So whether you’re out on the road in an RV or truck/car, here are some suggestions on what to pack and some tips I learned along the way.
What To Pack
Mini First Aid Kit
Always a great item to have. You can pick up a few at your local dollar store for, well a dollar. Can’t beat that!
SPF Products
You’ll definitely want to take your broad spectrum sunscreen (make sure the cap is sealed tight- I learned this the hard way!), an eye cream with SPF (if you have one), and lip balm with SPF. Sunburn looks good on no one.
Travel Sized Bottles
You can take your cleanser, toner, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner and bodywash in tiny bottles so you don’t have to lug huge bottles around, and in case they accidentally get left behind, no major loss there.
Unscented Towelettes/Unscented Baby Wipes
In case you don’t have access to a sink to wash your face, you can use these. A trick I used: I spritzed toner into a towelette and used it to remove the sunscreen, dirt and oil that accumulated throughout the day. Plus, they come in handy to wipe down surfaces, sticky/dirty hands, etc.
Mini Antibacterial Soap
Another good product to have when soap might not be readily available.
Medications
Make certain to pack your medication if you take any; there are little tiny plastic containers you can purchase to store them in. You might want to also keep Benadryl on hand in case of allergies and aspirin or ibuprofen. Some camping sites have small stores that provide these items but they tend to hike up the prices a bit.
Bug Repellent
My ‘perfume’ for the trip and a total life saver! There are also ones you can hang outside your tent- sorry bugs, you’ll need to find your victims elsewhere.
Warm Clothes
Regardless if the weather is super hot during the day, keep at least a jacket, an extra pair of socks, and pants to keep warm in case the temperatures decide to drop at night.
Tips
Do be sure to pack away any edible items lest you want to attract unwanted strangers. Trust me, animals can and will find a way to open bags and boxes. Store items in coolers or plastic containers and make sure to secure them.
Activities like hiking or fishing mean long periods of time out in the sun, so make sure to take along your sunscreen to reapply and prevent sunburn. Hats and sunglasses are great to take along too.
Keep hydrated to help control your heart rate and blood pressure as well as regulate your body temperature.
Nothing beats coming back from a day-long activity and firing up the grill to cook a delicious meal. One caveat? If you did get sunburned, the heat generated from the grill can further aggravate an already irritated complexion. Keep some aloe vera gel (and maybe some ibuprofen) handy if this is the case.
Camping or any other outdoor activity is always an adventure from making smores to setting up tents. Enjoy it, stay sun protected and safe, and embrace the experience- you’ll be home in no time.
What do you pack for your outdoor excursions?
