Beauty Reviews

Summer Must-Have: SkinCeuticals Sunscreen

by Kirsten on June 21, 2011

Sure, I could spend my time researching what is known to be the fan favorite of all sunscreens, but what’s the point when I already use one of the best?! Granted, I did a ton of research a few years back, and no question about it – this is my all-time favorite.

No need to hold you in suspense, but you must buy this: SkinCeuticals Ultimate UV Defense

Buy SkinCeuticals Ultimate UV Defense in SPF 30 at SpaLook.com!

Plain and simple, it’s fantastic. I wear it in place of a moisturizer every morning, and beneath my make-up. Not only does it protect against UVA and UVB (cancer-causing) rays, but it also utilizes zinc oxide, which is one of the most amazing levels of protection you can get. You may remember zinc used to be that thick white or colored stuff on people’s faces that looked totally bizarre years back. Thankfully, they have done a ton of improvements, and it now is nearly invisible. Some may notice a lighter appearance to their face after putting the sunscreen on, but it quickly absorbs and goes away. No worries, I promise!

And let us not forget, it is 3.0 fluid ounces. That’s right my friends, it is travel and TSA friendly! This bottle lasts me over six months ($35 over six months, is only about $6/per month, $1.25 per week. Yes you can afford that), and I apply it everyday to my face, neck and use the leftover on my hands for the tops of my hands. Note: I use cheaper versions for my body as I am not as picky about the greasy look it may leave behind.

So the moral of this story? Wear sunscreen. Everyday. Do not think that because you have a darker skin tone, or like the look of a tan face, that it means you should not. Cancer and wrinkles are not cool and if you can prevent them with something so simple, why would you not?

I too love the look of having a sun-kissed glow, but tanning (out in the sun, or worse, a tanning bed) is not the way to do it. Just because you don’t notice the damage right away, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. I look at the faces of my mom’s friends, and it is quite evident those that protected their beautiful skin throughout their lives. I ask what their secret is? Sunscreen. Yes, some things can be that simple.

SkinCeuticals offers a wide variety of sun protection, and this just happens to be my favorite. They also have a sport version and another Sheer Physical version. I have tried all of the, and the Ultimate is my favorite. Perhaps one of the others may by yours? Either way, their sunscreen is to die for.

Who else loves SkinCeuticals? Jennifer Lopez, Debra Messing, Katherine Heigl, Kelly Rutherford, Kirstie Alley, Rebecca Romijn, Sophia Bush and many more.

Enjoy!

Love, K.

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Beauty Products for Travel – I Can’t Live Without Schick

by Kirsten on November 2, 2010

Readers often ask what are my must-have beauty products while traveling, and which I choose to leave behind. It’s a constant battle as I don’t check my bags unless I absolutely have to – which means space is scarce, and multifunctional items are key.

Many beauty products I choose to leave at home, and if I have to, will pick up what I need upon arrival. But there are a few products that I have learned I cannot live without while traveling. My Schick Intuition razor is one of them.

I started using this razor a few years ago and never turned back. It may be bigger than other razors, but the quality is beyond comparison. I no longer buy shaving cream and I cut down on the time it takes to shave! Total win-win.

Now available is the Schick Intuition Plus Razor, which is the first and only razor that lathers, shaves and moisturizes in one easy step. I can vouch for the fact that it leaves your skin noticeably softer. It’s 4 blades are surrounded by a newly redesigned moisturizing solid enriched with shea butter, aloe, and Vitamin E, which helps to replenish your skin’s natural moisture.

Sure, it may be bulkier, but it does not need to go in your bag of liquids, and you can easily find a spot for it in your luggage. I made the mistake of leaving it behind on one vacation, hoping to save more space. I bought a disposable razor when I arrived, and hated every minute of it. Never will I go down that road again.

Recently I learned of the Schick Quattro Trimstyle Razor for women, which offers convenient bikini trimming and shaving in one shower-safe product. It also has an adjustable comb that gently guides the hair toward the trimmer blade to achieve desired hair length (choice of 3 length settings). The comb can also be removed completely for an even closer trim. No surprise it won the Shape Magazine Beauty Award in 2009!

This particular razor is pretty small, and a great product to carry with you on any beach vacation. It works amazingly well, and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Let me know if you have any questions about either product! I love them both, and would be happy to provide additional info!

Pick up your Schick Intuition Plus Razor here!

Pick up your Schick Quattro Trimstyle Razor here!

Love, K.

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How to travel with your favorite perfume – Travalo makes it carry-on friendly!

by Kirsten on October 20, 2010

When it’s time to pack your toiletries for traveling, it’s often a mad dash to find 3 fl. oz., travel-friendly items. Packing your favorite perfume can be a challenge, as many are well over that 3 oz. limit. (This applies to those that carry-on your bags like I do; if you check your bags – read on, this still applies to you!)

In the past I have recommended finding sample sizes of perfumes from your local cosmetics counter, but the problem is that you can’t choose the brand of perfume you want. It could be something you love, it could be something you hate. Most women have their favorite perfumes, and there is something to be said about brand loyalty!

Finally a product came my way that fixes this issue for all my fellow traveling fashionistas. Travalo is a refillable atomizer bottle that can quickly and easily make your favorite perfume carry-on friendly.

My first question was how in the heck do you get your perfume into this bottle without creating a huge mess? And, how do you fill Travalo if your perfume does not have a twist off top? Simple – my beautiful readers!

Travalo fills directly from almost any fragrance bottle with a removable spray head. Simply remove the nozzle from your perfume, pump Travalo up and down on the tube, and you can be ready to go in just a few seconds. No more lost parts, no wasted fragrance, and no danger of spilling a single drop of your expensive perfume!

It comes in a very small, 8 cm size that holds about 50 sprays of your favorite perfume. As you can imagine, it’s extremely light-weight, at only about 13 grams. Perfect for your purse, clutch, or even your pocket!

This is a must-have travel product for anyone that likes to travel light-weight. Even if you are someone that checks your baggage, it still is risky to bring along a full-sized glass bottle of perfume. One accidental drop of you bag could mean disaster for your clothes and suitcase. Travalo eliminates any and all of these concerns.

Travalo received a 2010 Beauty Award from Cosmopolitan magazine, and has also been featured in InStyle, Marie Claire, on ElleUK.com, the Vogue Beauty Blog, among many others. It is clear that this is a magical little accessory, one that from this point forward, will forever be a part of my travels! I highly suggest picking one up for yourself or for a loved one, it makes a perfect gift – and is an awesome price!

Pick up your own Travalo here!

Love, K.

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Getting kinky on the airplane

by Kirsten on October 7, 2010

Ok, you dirty-minded people, it’s not what you think! Truth be told, traveling gets us kinky. Neck kinks, back kinks, spasms, sore muscles, it can be a nightmare. (I told you it wasn’t what you thought!)

Thanks to a genius product known as t spheres, this painful problem can become a lot less of an issue with a very simple fix. I know I love them, and you will too.

t spheres joins together two of the best senses – if you can even say one sense is better than another – our sense of smell and touch. These two little balls of pleasure are life-savers for all the traveling fashionistas out there. To put it simply, two small massage balls are provided in a tiny pouch and they emanate heavenly aromatherapy-infused scents. I was lucky enough to to try the “Perk Up” version which mixes grapefruit and peppermint to help you improve concentration and circulation – ideal for a long flight.

They were amazing. Instantly they relieved the pain in all those spots that you just can’t seem to reach, and even better, you don’t have to coerce someone to give you a massage – you can do it yourself!

It’s as easy a placing t spheres on the floor to give yourself a foot massage. Place it against the back of your chair or a wall to massage the kinks out of your back, or put them beneath your hips to help alleviate the pressure of sitting for such long periods of time.

I am not the only one that loves t spheres, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Brooke Shields, Rita Wilson, and many others, are huge fans. They have been featured in Lucky Magazine, Shape Magazine, Nylon Magazine, and on DailyCandy.com, amongst many others.

I won’t be traveling without these babies ever again, and you shouldn’t either. Save your self the aches and pains, and treat yourself to a bit of heaven – even if you are stuck on a plane for 10 hours. You’ll thank me – and t-spheres, later.
Pick up a set of t spheres here!
Love, K.

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Beauty Product Review: L’Bel Lip Gloss, Moisturizing Cleansing Lotion and Toner

by Kirsten on October 5, 2010

I was the lucky recipient of a couple great beauty products from the luxe beauty company, L’Bel. Years ago I had tried some of their products, but it had been a while since I had the chance to give them a test-run. Continuously searching for the next great thing for my beauty regimen – particularly when it comes to great products to bring traveling – I was happy to give these few products a try!

Let’s preface this post a bit. I am a very simple woman when it comes to my beauty routine. I don’t wash my hair everyday for the obvious damaging reasons, I don’t wear a ton of make-up – and there are plenty of days I wear none at all, I don’t style my hair with products daily – again another way to keep my hair healthy, and I follow a pretty simple routine before going to bed at night. That being said, I look for products that either help me make my already easy system even more simple, or I look for products that make me feel or look amazing, in which I feel like I can no longer live without.

L’Bel carries a very large line of products including make-up, skin care, face care, fragrance, and hair care for both men and women. On this particular occasion, I tested out their Lip Gloss, the Moisturizing Softening Cleansing Lotion, and their Moisturizing Softening Cleansing Toner.

As I mentioned before, make-up is something I don’t wear on a daily basis, and often when I do wear make-up, I wear very little. Of course, when I am going out, have plenty of time in the day, or feel like I want to spend the extra time, I do love to go all out, beautifying my entire face. There is one product that I use almost daily – whether wearing make-up or not – and that is lip gloss.

L’Bel’s lip gloss was a perfect size to fit in the smallest of purses and clutches, ideal for traveling, or even carting around on a daily basis. I tried their Couleur Luxe Resplendisant XP in Fantasie. It uses a sponge-like applicator on the end, very similar to many other lipglosses, and went on very smoothly and evenly. I would characterize the consistency as a bit thicker, but with minimal stickiness. It really gives you the impression that it’s going to stay on for a while.

Although the color was a bit off for my skin tone, I really liked the way it felt on, and I liked the slightly fruity smell that it carried. Definitely something I could see myself using more of in the future.

I also got a chance to try their Essential Moisturizing Softening Cleansing Lotion and Toner. I will admit, I am a huge fan of my current skincare regime, so I was interested in giving a new product a chance, and seeing how it stood up to my tried and true!

I was very pleasantly surprised! Their cleansing lotion, which is to be used as your facial cleanser at night or morning, was very gentle, and is made completely without soap. Years ago I learned how much happier my face was with me when I used non-soap cleansers. Who would have thought the soap would over-irritate my skin and cause more breakouts! If only I had known that in my teenage years. Sigh.

Similar to cult-favorite Cetaphil, this moisturizing cleansing lotion can be applied using a cotton pad, or by hand. You can also choose whether you rinse it off with water, or just gently rub it off with a cotton ball or pad. I opted to apply it with my hands and used some lightly warm water to rinse. What first felt slightly greasy to remove, ended up providing a nice moisturizer to my skin once I fully rinsed.

Immediately after I used their Essential Moisturizing Softening Lotion Toner. It instructed me to gently tap the toner on to my face by using a cotton pad. I followed them precisely, and I can see how this must create a much better environment for your skin in avoiding any irritation or redness that so often can be noticed after applying a toner. This toner was really gentle, and provided a nice firmness to my skin. Perfect prior to a make-up application!

All in all, I was really pleased with all products from L’Bel. Even greater – they sell these items in travel sizes! Now all fellow traveling fashionistas can test these products out, TSA approved!

Love, K.

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Top Self-Tanners for 2010

by Kirsten on April 11, 2010

This complete, comprehensive list is gathered from 2010 reviews and articles from Allure, Glamour, Consumer Search, About.com, and more, comparing and contrasting across all of these sites.

By now we should all know about the many dangers of tanning. The sun is ruthless on our skin, causing premature aging and even worse, skin cancer. It’s astounding when I still see people basking in the sun for that perfect tan, all for the sake of beauty. I am all for looking beautiful, but at the price of looking like a wrinkled 50 year old when I am 35, no thank you. I also have zero interest in going to the dermatologist time and time again with my newest weird mole or discoloration in fear of it being cancer. Yet, I have been blessed by a pale skin tone with my Norwegian heritage. Can’t really get much whiter than that!

For the last few years I make sure to apply sunscreen every single day to my face and neck. If I am going to be outside, I cover every single part of me exposed to the sun with a very complete sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. I wear hats to cover my face in addition to the sunscreen. And if I know I am going to be on the beach, or on a boat, I do everything in my power to find a spot in the shade. I may be more cautious than many, but come see me twenty years from now, and I can promise my skin will be beautiful.

the top self-tanners after the jump