Holiday Beauty Picks

Okay, so the Trish McEvoy mascara below is the best I've ever used. It comes off easily when you wash your face but does not leave residue under your eyes if you leave a little on from the night before. Its wand allows you to really get every lash. It's a new must-have for me. I've also been loving Eve Lom skincare for all of my skincare needs. My skin has never felt better. I'm very into eyeshadows in the red, mulberry, plum family right now and the Nars ones below are super pigmented and perfect for holiday parties. I hear the Dyson supersonic hair dryer is pretty incredible too. I love my Harry Josh one but if you need a new one, this one's got great reviews. I've posted about the Artis Brushes before and I particularly like the one I use to apply foundation or tinted moisturizer. What are your favorite products this season?

Spring Skin Care

I'm on a major health kick. This includes (but not limited to): no drinking, paleo, lots of fruits and veg, working out with a trainer 3x week, sweat lounge, yoga, etc. We'll see how long this one lasts... but I am taking advantage while I can. Whenever I get on a good health kick, I start to get in a good skin routine. Yesterday, I got a free mini facial at Blue Mercury and my skin was glowing! Below are a few things they used that I loved and will be purchasing ASAP. Similar to my purse purchasing issues, I also hoard makeup and skin care products but I love trying new things to see what works! Have any favorites that I need to try? Let me know in the comments!

Blue Mercury's in-house skin care line, M61, is great. It's natural and not as expensive as skin ceuticals and others but has high concentrations of natural ingredients. My favorites from my mini facial were the Power Glow Peel Glycolic Pads, Hydra-Boost Eye Serum and the Powerblast Glycolic Foaming Facial Mask. My skin hasn't looked this good in months.

I also love Blue Mercury's in-house makeup line, Lune + Aster. Try the amazing CC cream and apply using the By Terry precise foundation brush. Top it off with the bronzer/highlighting combo.

For an awesome moisturizer, they gave me a sample of a ReVive deep moisturizer that I just bought a big jar of. I put it on after washing my face last night and woke up with baby soft skin.

I've spoken on here about the fact that I have really bad KP (Keratosis Pilarsis), which are the little red bumps on arms, legs, etc. and I am constantly searching for a solution. Someone recommended I try a body lotion with a high dose of glycolic acid. I recently ordered BeautyRx by Dr. Schultz Daily Exfoliating Body Therapy Lotion, which has 10% glycolic acid and I'm excited to see if it helps at all.

Cleansing waters and essences are all the rage right now. This one by Caudalie has good reviews and I got this Darphin Paris one that according to the site is a "unique all-in-one, no-rinse cleanser for face, eyes and lips, gently removes make-up and impurities with an ultra-gentle formula. Skin is left fresh, soft and supple."

As for treatments, Skin Laundry on Montana Avenue (multiple other locations across the country) has ten minute laser facials that make such a difference. $150 for a pack of 3 and you walk out of there feeling dewy and fresh. According to their site, short term results include vaporizing dirt and removing bacteria, improving dullness and unevenness and tightening and brightening of skin. Long term results include reduction of sun damage, reduction of redness and fine line, reduction of acne and acne scarring and stimulation of collagen amongst other benefits. Try their Nourishing Cleansing Oil too especially if you have dry skin or combination skin. Washes away dirt and makeup but is hydrating.

For makeup, just picked up this coppery colored Nars shadow pencil in Skorplos and this too faced eye shadow palette has five stars on Sephora and is calling my name...

Has anyone tried out R+Co's hair products or Oribe's Gold Lust hair oil? I may test those out next!

The New "It" Skin Care Line

Move over La Mer! There's a new skincare giant in town that's sure to rock the boat. Marie Veronique Organics just launched a line of skincare products that is ultra luxe and doesn't contain any synthetic ingredients that most skin care products employ (i.e. parabans, etc.). Their formula is made up of marine-derived ingredients and is all-natural.

Although on the extremely pricey side (some are as much as $375 a pop), this line of serums and lotions promises to “produce more collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid,” says Marie Veronique Organics’s CEO Hillary Peterson. The products are said to be as effective as getting peels and skin care gadgets that can cost up to $5000 (in contrast, a 3 month regimen cost around $750). I don't know if I can stomach shelling out that much but it does make me think about all of the ingredients in my skincare products and reconsider my choices.