June 4, 2021
Summer Fridays' body oil, a dynamic duo that helps you skip foundation, my feedback about Daily Harvest, skincare designed to help you chill and a lip palette you won't be able to live without.
Happy Memorial Day weekend!
I’ve been waiting about two weeks to post this—because the timing couldn’t be more perfect! We don’t even have any major plans this weekend (unless breaking in our new poolside lounge chairs counts), but I’m still super-excited. I’m sure we’ll dine out as well (waterside preferred), and when we do I’ll be wearing Summer Fridays’ Pool Time Glowing Body Oil!
With just the perfect amount of glow-enhancing shimmer and a smoothing, softening blend of macadamia, jojoba, apricot kernel and sunflower oils, consider this your skin’s summer BFF. And the coconut-y, vanilla-y, almond-y scent is divine. My son told me I smell like the beach!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Get the summer skin you really want
Kosas Tinted Oil and MERIT Beauty’s Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick have been my go-to coverage products for quite some time, but I recently started jonesing for a good, “old-fashioned” tinted moisturizer. I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for a new attractive option, and once it dawned on me last week that Memorial Day is this coming Monday, I kicked my search into high gear.
Of course I have a list of “asks” from a tinted moisturizer, including a clean formula, dewy finish and extra sun protection. When I stumbled upon Saie’s Slip Tint, it seemed to meet all of my lofty demands, and the fact that the “adaptable” shades make it nearly impossible to go too light or too dark convinced me to add it to my cart.
It arrived yesterday, just in time for me to meet my dear friend from college for happy hour (at an actual bar!) and one of the first things she said to me was that my skin looked amazing. I was extremely satisfied with the results I saw in my bathroom mirror, but I hadn’t actually checked it out in daylight—but it apparently passed with flying colors. And as the sun was going down (and shining right on my face), I was thankful for the mineral-based SPF 35.
While I was shopping, I also ordered the Glowy Super Gel in “StarGlow.” I was initially sold on the fact that it could been used alone, as a primer or mixed into foundation for an extra boost of radiance, but truth be told I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was a little worried it would be super-shimmery, but it turns out to have a subtle luminizing effect. It’s basically a clean replacement for Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonder Glow (which I have been using for years).
The Glowy Super Gel and Slip Tint are truly a dynamic duo—and Saie has become one of my favorite brands for clean makeup basics. The award-winning line has expanded since I was first introduced to the Mascara 101, Brow Butter and Liquid Lip Balm, although I haven’t tried the cheek gel or lip glosses (yet). How long do you think it will take for me to cave?
I tried Daily Harvest, and here are my thoughts
When I started to feel better physically about two weeks after I had surgery, my mental state was lagging way behind. My body had obviously been through a lot, but I wasn’t liking anything I saw from the neck down—and I’m not even talking about my breasts because I knew/know they are a work in progress. I was swollen everywhere, to the point that my Vuori joggers were fitting more like leggings, and I was actually worried that I’d never see my “old” body ever again.
I found myself at a crossroads… Part of me was about to accept the fact that the trade-off for beating cancer was going to be a fuller figure. (A major contributor to my mindset was the fact that I started taking tamoxifen, which could potentially bring my metabolism to a grinding halt.) But the other part of me recognized that I had the power to not simply give up—and that this is was an opportunity to “reset,” move forward and maybe even come out of this looking and feeling better than I did before.
I’ve used delivery diets to get myself back on track many times, and after seeing Daily Harvest on my Facebook and Instagram feeds forever, I figured this was the perfect time to try it. With an incredibly wide array of smoothies, bowls, flatbreads and even “scoops” of vegan ice cream, everything is made with fruits, vegetables and healthy grains (and barely anything else). I was excited to feed my body all of these nutrients that I hoped would help it heal as well.
I loaded up my cart with seven smoothies, four bowls and three flatbreads. The smoothies were definitely my favorite—and all you have to do is add your milk (plant-based or not) to the cup of frozen fruits and veggies, dump it in the blender and whir away. The Mint + Cacao and Tart Cherry + Raspberry were my favorites—actually, all of them were except the Cherry + Almond which I found to be very bland.
I definitely enjoyed the bowls as well, especially the Cauliflower Rice + Pesto and Quinoa + Chipotle (which was very spicy). But at almost 500 calories each, I wished they were a bit “lighter.”
OK, the flatbreads didn’t do it for me—at all. The “crusts” were made of cauliflower, sweet potato and pumpkin and they never got crispy despite following the cooking directions. (I know how to use a toaster.) They were also on the bland side so I found myself doctoring them with a sprinkle of goat cheese or a dash of grated parmesan.
I hadn’t made my way through everything when it was time to place my next week’s order, so I paused my subscription—but it served its purpose. Once I started feeling better about the food I was putting in my body, my head started to come around. (It also helped that my plastic surgeon told me I was still swollen every week when I saw him—and that it would definitely go away.)
I’m thinking I’ll pick it back up after my son goes to camp to decrease my food prep responsibilities to basically zero. And when I do, I’ll be going heavy on the smoothies while trying a few oat and chia bowls. Have any of you tried Daily Harvest? If so, let me know what you love!
If you want to de-stress, start with your skin
Last week I had an amazing opportunity to treat myself to a little skin meditation. If you’re wondering what this means, trust me, I was too when I first received the Zoom invitation from LOUM. Upon delving into the details, this 20-or-so minute treatment featuring a trio of LOUM treatment products quickly became the most anticipated slice of my week.
But first a little background… LOUM is all about mitigating the effects that stress has on the skin. This includes adrenaline’s propensity to cause dryness, redness and sensitivity; the central nervous system’s effect on oily skin and breakouts; and the fine lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness that can arise from the cortisol produced during our “fight or flight” response. (Here’s looking at you, 2020.)
Prior to the event I received a package that included LOUM’s Renew & Brighten Minifacial, Pure Serenity Golden Vitamin C Serum and Redefine Contour Firming Cream. I’ve been seeing the effects of stress all over my face for what feels like forever now, but only then did I really understand what exactly was going on—and I was more ready for a little meditation than I’ve ever been.
Then the fun—or bliss, rather—began. This guided meditation, led by an aesthetician with the most soothing, serene voice ever, started with applying the Renew & Brighten Mini Facial and mindfully massaging it all over my face and neck while practicing deep breathing. I would say we were at it for more almost 10 minutes (hard to know for sure) before gently wiping it off with the wet washcloth I was instructed to have handy. Thanks to LOUM’s Tri-Serene Complex of whole plant CBD, marine micro-algae and wild indigo extract—plus gently-exfoliating pumpkin enzymes and antioxidant-rich chamomile and grapeseed extracts—my skin never felt so smooth and calm.
The next step was the Pure Serenity Vitamin C Serum (which is the one product I can never have too much of)—but I’ve never experienced one that uses submicrometric gold to stabilize this powerhouse ingredient. After more massage and delicate patting, my skin felt extra plump after this step.
Finally, we finished with the Redefine Contour Cream to essential seal in the skin serenity. I looked in the mirror immediately after leaving the meeting, and I couldn’t believe how plump, firm and radiant my face looked. It had been ages since I’d seen my skin so happy.
I’ll be honest… As hard as I’ve tried to get into meditation, it just hasn’t happened for me yet. However, the addition of skincare just might do the trick. Next time I treat myself to this ritual I’ll be busting out my gua sha tool—and then I might be so chilled out that I have to check out for the rest of the day!
P.S. Check out my Instagram to see the results!
Lip color is back!
I wasn’t really feeling a bold lip while homebound for the duration of the pandemic. Even if I had a Zoom with clients, something just didn’t seem right about rocking a bright red or festive fuchsia from my home office. I actually yanked my most-worn lipsticks out of my makeup drawer in early May of last year to free up some space—but I’ve started dipping back into my stash (which now lives in my office).
I was absolutely besotted with Westman Atelier’s “Les Rouges” Lip Suede when it launched in January 2020, but I never got around to purchasing it before lockdown—and couldn’t justify the splurge when I wasn’t leaving the house without a mask. But as soon as I received this morning’s announcement about “Les Nudes” I didn’t hesitate for a second. I’m thinking of this as a welcome back gift for my lips that I can wear anytime or anywhere—even in the comfort of my own home.