This is Lancome’s Poudre Elephant from the Maharani Jewels Collection, this is your chance. The powder came with a gold sheen on top, which looked really pretty on the skin. Unfortunately, once you’ve swirled your brush in it twice, the gold is gone, and you’re looking at what’s left.
This makes a really pretty bronzer/blush and the touch of red is lovely. It’s also easy to avoid the red all-together, which is what I’d suggest if you’re using the bronzer all over your face.
I’ve already written about Kerastase’s styling products – I’ve loved all the ones I’ve tried, and I really think that this is one line that you can’t go wrong with.
Most recently, I’ve been using their Serum Oleo-Relax, which is the less-intensive of the hair serums they offer.
Right off the bat, I noticed that there was something different about this. It was less greasy and more liquidy than most of the other serums that I had used and it sank into my hair really easily. The liquidy texture meant that it was hard for me to apply too much and that I could easily apply it all over.
I put this into wet hair and found that when my hair was dry, it looked more conditioned and was less frizz-prone for the rest of the day. It’s one of those serums that’s basically fool-proof and seems to have been designed to use at home with stellar results.
$48 at salons and online.
Currently using the Kevin Murphy Shimmer.Shine spray right now instead of my usual perfume, because it smells so good, and unlike perfume, it actually lasts and lasts. This spray is light on the shimmer but high on the shine.
Besides having gold shimmer in it, this spray is like a lot of other shine sprays that are out there. It’s a mixture of dry oil and alcohol so it dries almost immediately after your spray it in your hair, leaving behind the bit of dry oil that makes your hair look nice and shiny. What makes this better than other shine sprays out there, is that it smells so good. Like good expensive perfume and not coconut oil or vanilla.
Kevin Murphy says that you can spray this into damp hair before styling or on to dry hair. I use other styling products in my wet hair, so I find that I don’t need this and I like after my hair is styled and dry to stop any frizz and just leave my hair more shiny. It doesn’t weigh my hair down which is nice, but honestly I love how it smells so much that I would figure out a way to use this in my routine no matter what. Right now, it’s 4 sprays on dry hair. Thinking I’m going to move that up to 6 because it smells so good.
Pick it up in salons.
This lip balm trio is on sale right now – $34 at Sephora instead of $43.
Australian brand Lanolips is going to be the most talked about brand of the year – their 101 Treatment, and balms are cushiony and hydrating and perfect for cold and dry weather.
The trio has three tinted balms that are easy to wear. I really didn’t find any of these that I didn’t like or couldn’t wear on top of lipstick or on their own. They have no scent or flavour so they stay on your lips, hydrate, and make them emollient.
Ingredients are:
Lanolin*, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter*, Ricinus Communic Seed Oil*, Beeswax*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*,Tocopherol (Vit E), (Nat) Aroma*, Prunus Amygdalus (Sweet Almond) Dulcis Oil*, Cocos (Coconut) Nucifera Oil* +/- Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxystearic Acid , Mica (CI77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 28 Lake (45410), Red 33 Lake (17200), Yellow 5 Lake (19140), Red 6 (15850), Iron Oxides (CI77491).
No petroleum in the ingredient list!
Available at Sephora.
By Rachel Longo-Tosoian
Getting my make off when I come home from work or right before bed can sometimes be a hassle if I do not have the right tools for the job.
I had never heard of Marcelle before using this product, and I must say that I was impressed with the Gentle Make-up Remover for Sensitive Eyes. The bottle reads, “Removes waterproof and long wearing make-up” so obviously, I needed to try it.
The first time I used the product, I failed to read the back of the bottle (always do this), and I did not notice that the liquid inside was separated (much like when you mix oil and water.) I went to use the product and nothing happened. So ladies (and gentlemen), always read the instructions! The second time around I noticed that the liquid was separated and gave it a hardy shake; excellent, everything mixed perfectly. I applied the product to a cotton pad and away I went.
I do not have sensitive eyes, but liked this product more than the Marcelle Oil-Free Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion. Actually, I found that this one did not remove any of my make-up, no matter how hard I scrubbed at my eyes.
It did not look like much of my mascara was coming off, but in the end, everything was gone. I even ran my fingers over my eyelashes just to be sure. I really liked using this product because it does not take a lot to remove the make-up and I did not have to rub and scrub away at my eyes as I have in the past with other products.
$14.99.
I learned so much from reading Deluxe by Dana Thomas. You think you know about the fashion industry, but you don’t know it until you read this book. It’s easily one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Dana is an accomplished writer and this book skips along imparting information and inspiring you to think about what luxury is to you. More than anything else, after reading this book, my need or desire for some of the big fancy labels has diminished quite a bit, and the way that I see high-end makeup has changed.
It’s required reading for every know-it-all fashionista.
From the archives: pictures of MAC’s Fafi collection.
Rollickin’ Paint Pot
You can see by the half-empty bottle that I like this hair serum a lot. Because it’s light, it works well for fine hair that needs some help with the frizz. I keep it close and reach for it in humid weather too because it helps my curls set nicely.
Wella is available in salons.
While I love a good fake tan, I hate hate hate real tans because you have no control over how quickly they fade and how evenly.
So I picked up the PCA HQ Free Pigment Gel.
It works because it has Kojic Acid and Lactic Acid at the perfect pH and so it totally works on exfoliating my skin so that my tan would fade away.
I saw a great reduction in the tan from the very first time that I used it. You should especially try this if you’re wary of using products that have hydroquinone in them. Though it’s been known to be super-effective at lightening skin, it’s also a controversial ingredient because some scientists don’t think that it’s completely safe. Also, PCA makes a version of this product with HQ in it, and I have not yet tried that. Not only will it take care of a tan you don’t want, but it will also bring evenness to your skin.
Available through dermatologists and medical spas, or online. $64.
Took this mascara to Jamaica with me! Watch the video to see how it goes on and what I thought of it.
