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Sabrina

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Kate Somerville Clinic on Melrose Place

November 9, 2015

I’m excited to share one of my latest discoveries in skincare today which is the Kate Somerville Clinic in Los Angeles. It’s a hidden gem in Los Angeles and if you are ever in Southern California, I highly recommend you book a visit there. I was invited to the clinic for a facial treatment in early fall and had an incredible experience back in September. I’ve had about 5 facials in my lifetime usually tagging along with girl friends who know a lot more about skincare and treatments than I do. I’ve found facials in general to be a luxurious splurge, but not life-changing. My experience at Kate Somerville was what I will call life-changing though, it was hands down the best facial I’ve ever had with visible results immediately following the treatment. Right after the treatment your skin glows. For me, my skin maintained its glow for a week after the treatments.

The week before my facial, my skin had a freak-out. I had breakouts and a lot of red areas from irritation and flare-ups. The following day after my facial, my husband commented how much better my skin looked – all signs of redness were gone, my skin was glowing, swelling of a few pimples was dramatically reduced (and they magically disappeared within 2 days when it usually takes weeks to disappear and heal). My husband told me whatever they did it worked and he suggested I go back for regular visits since he knows how sensitive my skin is. I went back for a second visit about six weeks after my first visit (they recommend facials every 4-6 weeks depending on your needs and skin type). My skin has never looked or felt better.

I’ll go through the steps that were done for my treatment, thoughts on products used, skincare I’ve incorporated since the facials and also take you on a tour of the beautiful Kate Sommerville space.

On both occasions, I had the Kate Somerville Signature Facial which is their basic facial treatment. It runs about 50 minutes long and on your first visit they have a detailed skincare form for you to fill out so the therapists can customize the treatment to your specific needs. Pricing on all treatments are listed here. My main skin concerns were issues with texture, flare ups, break outs, and anti-aging. They do perform extractions which I usually find irritate my skin and often make my face worse. On both occasions at the KS clinic, extractions were very gentle and there were no issues afterwards. Here is what I experiences in Q and A format, I hope you find this helpful! Throughout most of the facial a steaming device was above my face to help open pores.
  • What kind of facial did I receive? Was it a mix of treatments?
    • You received the Signature Facial, which is customized to your needs and skin concerns. This treatment begins with enzymatic exfoliation and extractions, and a customized treatment mask follows along with an acupressure massage. This is truly the best facial to receive when first dipping into the life-changing world of facials!
  • Can you highlight what treatments were performed? 
  • There were a couple of interesting tools used, one was a tiny needle and the other was a small vibrating tool used over the skin – can you tell me what those were?
    • Ashley used an Ultrasound machine for exfoliations, permeation and circulation. This helps with lymphatic drainage and exfoliation. Later in the treatment the High Frequency device was used, this helps bring oxygen to the surface of the skin, it kills bacteria and improves overall texture of the skin.
  • There were 2 products that felt active on the skin, can you tell me what those were?
    • A custom blend of exfoliation products were used which included ExfoliKate Intensive to eliminate dead skin cells and contribute towards a brighter complexion. This truly reveals glowing skin due to the Fruit Enzymes and Lactic Acid to renew the complexion. Ashley also used the DermalQuench Liquid Lift™ post extractions to oxygenate and hydrate the skin. This also helps neutralize any redness in skin, and instantly plumps fine lines and wrinkles.
  • At one point a Clarisonic was used, what was product was used with it? 
  • My skin had a lot of redness but after the facial, everything seems to have calmed down significantly, what was used to help decrease inflammation/redness? 
    • A customized combination along with Clinical strength professional products from the Kate Somerville line. The skilled massage followed by the Nourish Daily Moisturizer helps increase blood circulation and oxygen to the surface to the skin, which is extremely healing and calming. The EradiKate Sulfur Mask was used which helps tighten and tone the skin. It also reduces redness and inflammation.
  • My skin seems a lot smoother, what products during the treatment helped with this? 
    • Enzymes and acids to exfoliate are the key to a smooth complexion. Ridding the skin of dull skin turning over cells and nourishing the skin.
  • I know this probably depends on the skin type, age and treatments performed, but how often do you recommend facial treatments? 
    • Monthly facials are ideal for all skin types, 28 days to be exact. If a client has highly congested skin, I might suggest coming in every 2-3 weeks until the congestion is under control. If the skin type is normal, coming in every 4-6 weeks will do the trick. There are certain skin conditions that may require more frequent visits. Skin is like a road map – there are several routes you can take to end with optimal skin health. I like to customize the path for each client, to ensure that glowing healthy skin is the end result. 
A few of my favorite products from Kate Somerville along with some new discoveries I’ve incorporated into my skincare routine over the past few months:

  • Clarifying Treatment Toner is something I’ve had in rotation for a long time, it helps with post-acne scars and keeps the skin feeling clean and hydrated
  • Daily Detox Cleanser* is one of the few cleansers I’ve tried that really cleans out the pores but doesn’t dry out the skin, I’ve used up the tube entirely ordered a replacement tube this past weekend
  • Age Arrest Anti-Wrinkle Serum* helps with fine lines, plumps the skin and feels ultra smooth, it helps me with oil control throughout the day and works well alone under foundation or moisturizer
  • LumiWhite Two Tone Perfector* was recommended for me to use as a spot treatment to help with dark spots, I’ve tried this on spots and all over the face, it’s helped with brightening and spots have started to fade, although the fading is happening gradually (I’ve since purchased the D-Scar Serum to see if this works better/faster, I’ll review once I’ve tested it)
  • DermalQuench Liquid Lift* is a something that was recommended I use instead of toner (after cleansing the face), it’s an anti-wrinkle treatment that helps with wrinkles, improves skin texture, and uneven skintone, my skin has looked and felt a lot better after using this, it’s worked wonders with redness and helped keep skin texture smooth
  • DermalQuench Liquid Lift With Retinol* (for night) is something I just started testing a couple weeks ago, I’ve used it as an alternative to other night time treatments to start since I wasn’t sure how my skin would react, more detailed review to follow, but I wake up with smoother skin that is noticeably smoother to the touch
  • RetASphere 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream* is one of the most gentle Retinol treatments I’ve tried, although so many of my readers have recommended I incorporate skincare with this ingredient, I have been hesitant to do so since past experiences with Retinol and Retin-A left my skin extremely red with lots of peeling and pain, this treatment from Kate Somerville is ultra gentle and has improved skin texture
Many thanks to the Kate Somerville team for allowing photos of the clinic. Here’s a mini tour of the facility. The entryway is so beautiful:

Spacious and bright waiting room where you can browse the products by line:

Products on display with a tester unit:

Beautiful feminine interiors:

 A look at one of the treatment rooms:

Inside the room I had my facial:

I’m overall thrilled with my experience at the Kate Somerville Clinic. It’s a 2-3 hour drive for me to get to Los Angeles, but well worth the drive for me, especially for a fun day trip. If you haven’t checked out the clinic, I think it’s a must. There are a number of different facials and treatment options, I’m still relatively new to most of them but if you’ve tried any, I’d love to hear about your experiences, feedback or recommendations on what else I should try.

If you’re like me and are often overwhelmed by all the skincare options, hands on evaluation of your skin by a facial treatment expert with recommendations based on your specific needs is priceless. I often like to pick out skincare based on what I think I need, but it’s always helpful to hear what the experts say. Out of all the items they’ve recommended, all have worked. I’ve purchased a few more items they marked on a recommendations list that I have yet to test out, but am really excited to.

Do you have any Kate Somerville favorites? Please share!

Facial provided compliments of the Kate Somerville team. Press samples indicated with a * beside the items listed.

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Buxom Holiday Lip Sets: Leave Your Mark & Don’t Miss a Beat

November 7, 2015

Each year I swear the gift sets get better and better. Buxom Cosmetics has several amazing holiday sets out this year. There are two lip gloss sets in particular that are beyond adorable. The Don’t Miss A Beat Full-On Lip Polish Collection ($32) has six mini lip polishes. Possibly one of the most impressive lip gloss sets this year is the Leave Your Mark Full-On Lip Polish and Lip Cream Set ($59) for 15 mini lip polishes and lip creams. These contain plumping glosses that come with a sponge-tip applicator. There is a minty feel to these and they do make the lips look full with plumping activity but it’s not numbing or too tingly. The colors in both sets are so so so good! Normally sets have several repeat shades, in these two there is only one color that is in both sets which is Jennifer. This is my first time trying on the Full-On Lip Polishes and Full-On Lip Creams and I really don’t know what took me so long. For comparison, the minis have 0.07 fl oz while the full sized Lip Polishes have 0.15 fl oz and Lip Creams have 0.14 fl oz, both full sized versions retail at $19 each. Here is what they look like in the box – how fun is the packaging?
All the colors laid out along with some other Buxom goodies that I’ve been loving. A few full-sized Lip Creams also shown for size comparison. All the colors are so amazing. It’s rare that I like most of the colors in sets, but in this case I liked all the colors with the exception of one (White Russian was too pale for my lips and settled into lines). These are great to gift yourself, a friend, or if you’re doing a mix of little goodies you can split them up into different gift bags.
Don’t Miss A Beat is the smaller set. The colors are all Full-On Lip Polishes and all have some degree of shimmer. Some are more sparkly than others. In this set, all have either subtle shimmer or tiny flecks of gold sparkle. Colors are: Destiny (peach carnation), Nicole (shimmering strawberry), Ava (berry smoothie), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Kayla (preppy pink), Dolly (shimmering sultry mauve.

Lip swatches below, for skintone reference I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Genius Gel in Golden Medium and Urban Decay Naked Skin Powder Foundation in Medium Light Warm (equivalent of Chanel Beige 40 right now). Dolly is my perfect your lips but better shade.
Leave Your Mark is an impressive 15 piece set. It has a good mix of neutrals, brights, and sparkly colors. The Lip Creams have medium to full coverage and are non-shimmer. The Lip Polishes range in pigment depending on the color. The most glitzy lip polish is Olivia and Zoe which have more sparkle. The others have a more subtle or less frosted shimmer finish. Colors in this one are listed below.

Mini Full-On Lip Polish in Bunny (fresh peach nectar), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Olivia (pink disco), Sandy (almost naked), Sophia (sweetheart pink), Starr (sweetheart pink), Taylor (crimson flame), Zoe (dazzling orchid).

Mini Full-On Lip Cream in Berry Blast (vivid fuchsia), Cherry Flip (red poppy), Dolly (sultry mauve), Hot Toddy (toasty nude), Pink Lady (electric pink), Purple Haze (ripe grape), White Russian (nude pink) .

Lip Polishes:

For the Lip Creams, the only shade that didn’t work so well for me was White Russian. It’s a light color that contrasts with my pigmented lip tone so my lip lines showed through. I was really surprised by Purple Haze, it looked like an un-natural bright purple in the tube but it has a slight jelly finish which makes it a really pretty plum-fuchsia.

Both sets are winners. I think they are both really good values even without the Sephora Sale discount. The colors are small enough that you can fit several in your purse or clutch without taking up too much room. But I like that they seem big enough that they will last more than a couple uses. If you’re a VIB Rouge definitely take advantage of the holiday 20% off event now through November 9th (use code ROUGE20). Or if you’re a VIB member the sale starts the 13th (use code VIB20). Full ingredient listing on all formulas can be found on each product page at Sephora.

There’s a Beauty Insider 500 point perk with some cute Buxom minis. If you’re looking for a smaller set to buy there is also the 3-piece Pout Out Loud Set ($19) which has Rebel Rose Bold Gel Lipstick, Lip Cream in Hot Toddy and Lip Polish in Gabby (all minis).
Bottom line, there’s lots to love. The Buxom Don’t Miss a Beat ($32) and Leave Your Mark ($59) sets are both exclusive to Sephora in stores and online. Both are limited-edition. Do you have any favorite Buxom Lip Polishes or Lip Creams? I just took a quick peek online and there are so many shades! I need to check them out in more detail this weekend.
The Buxom lip sets were provided as courtesy press samples for review consideration. All opinions my own.
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Sephora VIB Rouge/VIB 20% Off Sale Event Recommendations and Wishlist

November 6, 2015

The Sephora VIB Rouge Holiday Shopping Event starts today! VIB Rouge Members can get 20% off all purchases in store and online November 6 – 9. If you have reached VIB Rouge status you should have received a flyer in the mail with the discount card or check the e-mail associated with your Sephora Beauty Insider account and you’ll can present that in store. For online orders use code ROUGE20 at checkout. I have a roundup of my top recommendations along with what’s on my wishlist.

1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /  9  /  10
11  /  12  /  13  /  14  /  15  /  16  /  17  /  18  /  19  /  20
21  /  22  /  23  /  24  /  25

Recommendations:
What’s on my wishlist:
To recap, VIB Rouge Members receive 20% off all orders from November 6 to 9 with code ROUGE20 online at Sephora.com. If you’re a VIB Member you will be able to use code VIB20 from November 13 to 16 for 20% off. If you plan on shopping in store check your mail or e-mail for the coupon/bar code attached to your account.

Do you have anything on your wishlist? Or any recommendations of what I should check out? I’d love to hear what you’ve had your eye on!

Press samples include some items featured in 1, 4, 7, 12 and 13.
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Kat Von D Beauty: Lolita Lip Duo and Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Synergy

November 5, 2015

I’ve been hauling a few things here and there from Sephora and recently picked up some items from Kat Von D Beauty. The Metal Crush Eyeshadow ($21 for 2.8 g) in Synergy has been on my wishlist for a long time but it’s something I always forget to pick up in store so I ordered it online. It’s a glorious copper bronze with the most amazing texture and shimmer. The Lolita Lip Duo ($19.50 for 2 x 0.10 oz) is a new limited-edition pack of two mini liquid lipsticks in the classic Lolita shade (dark chestnut rose) and a new Lolita II (dark terracotta). The Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick is something that appears to have reached cult status. By the time I decided I wanted to try it, most of the shades in the formula were sold out (and many still are). As soon as the Lolita Lip Duo popped up online I decided this was the time to try it out (although Lolita is also in the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip Set too).

Up first is a review on the Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Synergy which is a super pigmented bronze shimmer eyeshadow. It’s so soft and velvety it’s almost like a pressed pigment. I have nothing but good things to say about this one. One swipe with a brush and it glides onto the lids beautifully. I would say the texture is similar to that of Urban Decay shimmer eyeshadows but the Kat Von D Beauty Metal Crush is softer. The color is high in shimmer but it’s not over the top and wears beautifully as a smokey bronze. On my face it pulls warm. On the hand it pulls more neutral at least on me. Your mileage may vary depending on how warm or cool your complexion is. Being the neutral lover that I am I wish this formula came in more neutral shades like a soft peach, tan gold, or champagne. Most of the colors in this formula are edgy and very bold. 

You can apply these with a dry or damp brush.  The pigment is so good you really don’t need a damp brush to intensify the color. Even blended out you can see there’s still a lot of color that shows up. Lasting power is very good with this one – it stayed put all day from early morning until late evening without smudging or fading. Since the texture is soft and powdery there is some fallout when you apply it, but once it’s on the skin it doesn’t move unless you rub your eyes.

Here are a few swatched comparisons:

NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Telesto (c/o, review here)
MAC Pigment in Chocolate Brown (discontinued)
MAC Eyeshadow in Sable

Up next is the Lolita Lip Duo. I had very high hopes for this as there are over 3,000 reviews on the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick formula online at Sephora, most have extremely high ratings with tons of raves. I think I overhyped this in my head and the fact that Lolita was near impossible to find made me have high expectations. The formula is on point for a liquid lipstick. The texture is super pigmented so you only need a little bit to cover the entire lip. The lasting power is also quite impressive. Even with the matte finish formula the product doesn’t feel dry on the lips. I will say this is half love, and half luke-warm. The regular Lolita is a dark chestnut brown pink which swatches beautifully on the hands but on my lips it turns very dark and cool. If it were 1-2 shades lighter and a bit warmer I think it would be 100% love. On my medium olive complexion I feel like it looks like dark death. Lolita II on the other hand is pure love. It’s a terracotta orange pink shade that I expected to look like an orange brick brown color on the lips but I find the warmth makes it more wearable for my olive complexion. It does darken on my lips after it dries but I still really like it.

After doing some searching on Google it appears Lolita has gone through a few variations. Some show the original one to be lighter and more neutral which is something I think I would have loved. The current one appears to be darker and more cool-toned by 2-3 shades.

Note your mileage may vary depending on your skintone, for some reason these darken on my lips and look different than they do in the tubes and when swatched on the hands/arms:

Swatch comparisons below:
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme in Mahogany (c/o, review here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Negligee (swatches here)
Buxom Lip Foundation in Revealed (c/o)
MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
Tom Ford Lip Color in Twist of Fate (review here)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme in J’Adore (c/o, review here)
Buxom Lip Foundation in Bare (c/o)

One last shot below:
Overall, two hits and one miss for me which isn’t bad considering I ordered the lip duo sight unseen. I’m not sure if it’s just a combination of my skin tone and lip tone which both seem to turn Lolita dark on my face. Synergy Eyeshadow is pure love. It’s such a pretty warm bronzey color that seems perfect for year round. I hope they expand the color range in the eyeshadow formula because it’s just so so good.

I’m still relatively new to the Kat Von D Beauty line. I do adore and love her Ink Liner which is among the best that I’ve tried. I’ve used up one and repurchased it. If you have any other favorites please let me know what you think I should check out.

The Kat Von D Beauty line can be found exclusively at Sephora. The Lolita Lip Duo is limited-edition while Synergy Eyeshadow is part of the permanent lineup. (P.S. Sephora’s VIB Rouge Sale starts tomorrow 11/6 with code ROUGE20 online, stay tuned for recs and my wishlist!)

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NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device

November 4, 2015

 

As I age I’ve become more aware of the effects of aging on the skin especially when it comes to wrinkles. This year I turned 34 and although I still have pretty good skin, I’ve started to notice wrinkles and creases form on my forehead develop, mainly from me making weird facial expressions that have caused creases over time. The good news is that the wrinkles aren’t too bad yet. As I transitioned from my late 20’s to 30’s I noticed many of my friends the same age explore and try various treatments and procedures such as Botox, fillers, lip injections etc. I’ve seen some great results in my fellow girl friends but for me I get super scared with anything invasive so I’ve been more of an observer from afar.

 

I’ve been introduced to a few facial devices this year, one I’ve been trying over the past month is the NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device ($199). This is a microcurrent device that is FDA-approved designed to give the face lift and contour and takes 5 minutes to use. I did a lot of research online before I testing it on my own face. I read dozens of reviews and watched several videos to learn more about the NuFACE brand and micro-current technology.

 

The NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device is a smaller petite version of the NuFACE Trinity Device. I really like the size of the mini. It fits easily into the hand and works well for my face size. There device comes with a charger and a 2 oz tube of the Gel Primer which helps conduct microcurrents from the device to your face. The initial charging for the mini is 16 hours so you can’t use it right away straight out of the box.

 

https://www.mynuface.com/pages/microcurrent
So first up are the basics: what is NuFACE and what do microcurrents do? I will say up front that I have no scientific expertise or background on microcurrents. Everything in this review is based on what I’ve read and watched. If you have any information to add, please do so in the comments. The NuFACE devices are described as follows:

 

“The NuFACE mini is a natural, noninvasive, anti-aging solution perfect for travel and for those looking for that first step into microcurrent treatments. This petite, portable microcurrent facial toning device is FDA-cleared for facial stimulation and gently works to stimulate the larger surface areas of the face to provide a five-minute facial lift. As we age, our body’s natural current begins to slow down (just like our metabolism), leading to sagging skin, loss of contour and wrinkles. Microcurrent mimics this natural current and goes beyond skin deep to tone facial muscles while improving contour and skin tone, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”

 

In watching a number of videos and reading a few articles about this, microcurrents in the NuFACE device are low level currents that help stimulate muscles under the skin and help lift, tone and contour the facial tissues. It’s described as a mini workout for your facial muscles, many of which aren’t used a lot over time like other muscles which causes sagging. It works from the bottom of the skin layers up to lift up tissue in a gentle non-invasive way.

 

In addition clinical studies and research from NuFACE have shown microcurrent help stimulate ATP production, which is supposed to help stimulate structural proteins, such as collagen and elastin. More on microcurrent technology here.

 

The NuFACE mini is super easy to use. Simply press the power button in the middle and the device will light up. You can control the intensity of microcurrents to light, medium or intense. I have super sensitive skin and found the lightest setting sufficient. The medium setting felt a little zappy.

 

Close ups of the device below:

 

 

To use the device, it’s recommended you use it on your face in sections. I’ve done mine in three sections, right half, left half, then forehead area, although my main focus has been on my forehead. It’s recommended you use once a day although to start I’ve been using it 2-3x per week. You first clean the face with an oil-free cleanser to allow microcurrents to penetrate the skin. Oils can block the microcurrents. Then apply the Gel Primer over the section of the face you want to lift. I found that a thick and generous layer is needed. It helps the device glide over the skin, if you don’t have enough on, it will stick to your skin.

 

A closeup of the Priming Gel applied on my hand so you can see what the consistency looks like:

 

 

In testing it over the past 30+ days I found it really does work. My first use took around 10 minutes because of my personal learning curve, but you can complete the treatment over the entire face in 5 minutes. After the first couple uses with the lowest setting the face feels noticeably firmer along the cheeks and especially on the forehead. I have been using this mostly on my forehead because I thought I would see the most results there. The forehead area is lifted and I can feel it especially along the brow areas. Skin is firmer and smoother. Wrinkles and fine lines are less visible. The effects are temporary but skin is supposed to improve over time with regular use.

 

A couple things to note, the device is not recommended for use on the neck (use it on the face only). It’s also recommended you don’t over-use it, limit to 1x per day. For quick reference, two other resources I found really helpful. YouTuber uppiesbeads59 has a good NuFace Demonstration. There is also a great in depth review with lots of helpful reader comments and insights on Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog. Do note they tested different versions (mine is the mini) but both offer really good information about NuFACE and the effects of the device.

 

Overall I give this a thumbs up. It’s one of my first steps towards anti-aging devices and treatments aside from regular skincare, serums and masks. I don’t know that I will ever be brave enough to try Botox or other treatments – I suspect it might be a matter of time. If you would like to share any stories about your experiences I’m all ears. For now I’m thrilled I found something to help give my face some help with lift and contour without having something invasive or pokey. I am going to continue using it on my forehead on a regular basis. I use it 2-3 times per week in the mornings. Let me know if you want a 2-3 month update!

 

 

The NuFACE team has been kind enough to offer one mini to giveaway. It’s open to all US readers 18 years or older. Simply enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried anything from NuFACE before? If so, what have you tried and what were your thoughts? If not, do you own any other facial tech devices that you use on a regular basis?

 

You can find the NuFACE mini Facial Toning Device for $199 in stores and online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Space NK, Neiman Marcus, Amazon.com and Mynuface.com. Standard color is the white and silver/gray. There is a Chic Black version (limited edition) available for the holidays in celebration of the brand’s 10th anniversary.

 

The NuFACE mini was sent as a press sample for review consideration. Device for giveaway also provided by the PR team. This post was not sponsored. As always, all opinions my own.

 

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L’Occitane Shea Melting Honey Collection Launches

November 3, 2015

Earlier this fall L’Occitane launched their Shea Honey Body Collection which combines the rich smoothness of Shea butter and the soft gentle scent of Provençal honey. The collection is exclusive to L’Occitane stores and online. I was a huge fan of some of the older honey items that they discontinued and was sad when it was pulled, but the items in the new collection are just as divine. There are six pieces in this collection covering bath, body, lip and hand care. I have four pieces to share a review of today.

The Shea Honey items smell like a soft sweet soothing honey. It’s a warm and well-rounded kind of scent that is amazing. There is a very slight hint of floral to the scent, it’s not overpowering like some honey scents can be. If you have an ultra sensitive nose and don’t want any fragrance in your body products, I highly recommend the Shea Butter line. The Extra Gentle Lotion for Body and Hands has been a staple for years. I’ve repurchased so many times I’ve lost count. It’s lightweight but super hydrating and good for sensitive skin.

There are two bath items in this collection. The Shea Melting Honey Soft Shower Gel ($20 for 8.4 fl oz) is a gentle body cleanser that lathers up nicely in the bath or shower. It has a thick consistency but foams up well to leave the skin feeling super smooth and well hydrated. I’ve had some dry patches on my legs this past week and this has really helped hydrate my skin. A little goes a long way.

There is also a Melting Honey Solidarity Soap ($3 for 1.7 oz, sold out online, but I did spot this available in stores still). I’m not a bar soap kind of girl, but L’Occitane is the one of the few lines I actually like and use for bar soaps. They have the best lather and are moisturizing but don’t leave any film on the skin.

My favorite item in the collection is the Melting Honey Ultra Soft Cream ($36 for 3.4 fl oz). This is a super lush and soft cream that melts into the skin. It’s like a body cream or body butter but with a much softer texture. It feels super emollient without any greasy feel. I’m completely obsessed with the formula. I hope L’Occitane expands this formula into other lines like the Almond and Shea Butter (they currently have it in the Rose Heart, Vanilla Bouquet and Zesty Lime). The Melting Honey Ultra Soft Cream has 10% shea butter.

Last but not is the Shea Melting Honey Whipped Hand Cream ($12 for .59 fl oz). I’m a sucker for hand creams that come in cute packaging and L’Occitane launches are always among my favorite. (Have you seen the packaging for the new Pierre Herme x L’Occitane launch? The hand cream trio to die for!!) The whipped hand creams come in an airy whipped formula that feels lightweight but is still super hydrating and creamy. The texture has just the right consistency where you feel moisturized but not greasy. It absorbs nicely into the hand and smells really good. The Melting Honey Whipped Hand Cream is made with 25% shea butter. The honey is very softening on the skin.

I’m thrilled with each item in the new collection. Everything is super hydrating which is perfect for this time of year but lightweight enough so it doesn’t have any heavy feel. The best part about L’Occitane is that they have a wide range of body products to suit everyone’s tastes. I buy the gift sets every holiday as Christmas gifts because they are beautifully packaged and never fail to make friends and family happy (even for the super picky ones that are so hard to shop for). I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s holiday collection and sets in person. The Advent Calendar is the cutest set I’ve ever seen.

Have you checked out anything from the Shea Melting Honey Collection yet? If not, what are your L’occitane favorites? All the Shea Melting Honey items are exclusive to L’Occitane Boutiques and online. Also all pieces are limited-edition.

The Shea Melting Honey items were sent courtesy of L’Occitane for review consideration. All opinions my own.
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Rosy Red and Pink Tinted Lip Balm Treatments for Holiday

November 2, 2015

Today I’ve rounded up nine of my favorite rosy tinted lip balms for the holiday season coming ahead. Many of you loved last year’s roundup on holiday reds for lips and nails. This year’s version is for the neutral lip lover who is afraid to wear bold reds on the lips but wants to try something with some color. If you’re like me and almost always wears neutral colors on the lips, tinted lip balms, treatments and oils offer sheerer coverage and are more natural looking. I have a mix of pink and reds in a number of different formulas. If you’re looking for a good double-duty lip product that offers tint and hydration, I hope this guide will help you find a new one this month.

Below are a mix of potted balms, wand/gloss-like balms, squeeze tubes and twist up sticks. All of these offer a glossy sheen. As usual with most balms, lasting power will not be the same as with lipsticks, but this means that they fade more naturally. Oils often come with a stain built in so there is the hydration aspect but the color will stain the lips and last longer throughout the day. Several of these have been reviewed in depth before. I’ll link previous reviews.

Shown from left to right:

  1. By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in Bloom Berry ($56, review) is one of the most expensive lip products I own. Splurging on the regular Baume de Rose made a big dent in my wallet and once the tinted versions launched an even bigger dent was made. This is a super lush thick rose-scented balm. Bloom Berry is my holy grail red lip balm because it for me it’s the perfect shade of berry red. The pot is really large so it will last a long time. I’ve had mine for over a year, there’s still a lot left and it hasn’t gone bad yet.
  2. By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur Cherry Bomb ($89 for set of 5, review) comes in the full-sized pot, but I have it from a holiday set (both the pot and wand are identical in color). For those who want a brighter cherry red, this one is a lovely color that is bright but not too bright. It will give your lips a natural flushed look.
  3. Hourglass No. 28 Tinted Lip Treatment Oil in Icon ($42) is the latest from Hourglass Cosmetics. If you’ve tried the original clear lip oil, you are probably aware of how luxurious, hydrating and amazing the formula is. It has anti-aging ingredients and oils to hydrate, condition and soften the lips while reducing wrinkles. The packaging is truly unique with a press-pump dispenser and a gold tip cap. Icon is a sheer glossy see-through red. It’s truly luxurious and gives the lips a healthy glow. Pigment is sheer but noticeable. It does fade to a natural shine throughout the day. Out of all the lip treatments this one feels the most hydrating on my lips.
  4. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed ($26, review) is a classic lip treatment that works wonders as a lip treatment. As a tint this is one of the sheerest and lightest in pigment so if you’re super timid with color, this one offers a very natural wash of color. If you’ve tried the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Masks you are probably familiar with the thick but lush hydrating formula. It offers a veil of moisture that is really good for dry lips.
  5. Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment in Cherry ($18.50, review) is a tinted lip treatment that is a classic red cherry color. It has high shine and comes in a tube with a sponge tip applicator. These also come in the twist up stick form. The stick has more pigment while the tube is sheerer but offers more shine. If you have super dry lips, you may find the color from the tube will settle into lines. The color is a vibrant cherry red but is sheer so it’s not in-your-face bright.
  6. Burberry First Kiss Gloss Lip Balm in Rose Blush ($26) is a newer lip product from Burberry. I wanted the Crushed Red color but it’s been sold out at my local Sephora (I need to just order it online already). I have a couple of these lip balms sight unseen. Part of me was expecting to be disappointed because I thought they would be basic and sheer. The other part of me had high hopes because I’m a fan of their lip products. These lip balms are really amazing. They offer enough color to show up on the lips and also have an amazingly smooth feel. There’s slip but it’s not greasy. I’m head over heels in love. It’s also scent-free.
  7. Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Red ($25, review) is my favorite stick balm formula. You can read the full review with swatches of all the shade options linked above. The only downside is the size and price. They are on the small side which makes them pricey. The formula can’t be beat though.
  8. bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Punch Pop ($16) is a twist up stick balm oil treatment. If you’ve tried other traditional tinted lip oils you may have been disappointed with the color payoff (I know I have). The oils in stick form from bareMinerals offer more pigment. They swatch sheer on the hands but the texture of the lips really picks up the color. The ones I tested have a slight stain in the pigment as well which makes the color last longer than most balms. The formula is plush and also unscented. I give these a thumbs up for pigment and coverage.
  9. YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in 04 Succulent Pomegranate ($36) is a pinkish fuchsia color that’s soft and sheer. I’m beyond obsessed with the Volupté Sheer Candy formula although for most it is either a hit or miss. If you want a super lush balmy feel with a glossy shine, these are among my favorite sheer lipsticks that offer hydration. They are scented like grapefruits or mangos (to me it smells like a mix of both) but it’s not overly sweet and they also taste good.
Swatched below in the same order:

Swatched on the lips:

My top picks:
By Terry Baume de Rose Bloom Berry for the best color
Hourglass Lip Oil in Icon for the most hydrating feel
Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector and YSL for the best texture
If you’re a neutral lip lover who is curious about rosy colors for the lips but want something a little more natural than the traditional bold red lipstick, I hope you found this roundup helpful! Do you have a favorite tinted lip balm or treatment?
Press samples featured in this post include items from Clarins, Hourglass and Bare Minerals. All others purchased by me.
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