June 30, 2017

Probiotic supplements with extra benefits, Wander Beauty has your summer lip, my current French beauty faves and the latest self-tan essentials from James Read.

Probiotics with extra benefits

I’ve been taking probiotics since the day I was diagnosed with IBS, and two little capsules twice a day have made my life a whole lot better. I never expected anything more from them than helping keep bloating at bay, so when I learned about a relatively new line of probiotic supplements called Probiogen that offers more targeted formulas, I was intrigued.

From allergy relief and balance for stress and mood to weight management and formulas for women, men and 55+, these supplements offer problem-specific probiotic strains along with antioxidants and herbal ingredients to tackle a wide array of concerns. They’re also vegetarian and free of dairy, soy, gluten and GMOs—and they don’t need to be refrigerated, which is an added bonus.

I’ve been the Stress & Mood Balance for a few weeks now, and I have to say I’ve been a bit more calm (which has been a challenge since my son left for camp—for 7 weeks—this morning). For the record, I’ve been bloat-free as well. I also have the Allergy Relief on deck for once I’m finished with my first bottle, and it will be interesting to see if they help with the stuffiness and sneezing that requires Allegra-D every morning. Stay tuned for updates!

The perfect lip tint for summer

T-minus 9 days until St. Maarten, and the clothes- and product-pulling has begun. (TBH, I started a vacation rod in my closets months ago—and have been adding to it ever since.) I have sunscreens, post-sun lotions, hair potions and a nice stash of skincare samples, but I hadn’t started thinking about my makeup until Wander Beauty’s Beach Balm in “Sangria” came across my desk.  And thanks to this beauty, I don’t have to ponder much more.

This sheer, super-moisturizing balm has a berry tint, but I’d describe it more as your lip color but better. Designed to complement all skin tones, it deepens my natural lip hue and adds a glossy sheen (thanks to micro-fine pearl pigments) that looks both easy-breezy and polished at the same time. Formulated with anti-aging prickly pear extract, anti-inflammatory chamomile, moisturizing shea butter and antioxidant vitamins C and E, it’s essentially an all-in-one product that soothes and protects this delicate area while making you look pretty.

BTW, it’s amazing on the cheeks, too—which means there’s one less product I don’t have to bring on my trip. I’m thinking bronzy skin, gold-washed lids, mascara (obviously) and a swipe of this stick on my lips and cheeks. Vacation makeup, done. I wonder if I have a small enough cosmetic bag…

The French beauty products I'm obsessing over right now

Ten days from now I’ll be in Saint Maarten with my feet in the sand and a frosty beverage in my hand, and let’s just say I’m looking forward to doing a lot of nothing for five days. The only “real” event on our agenda is a day trip to St. Barth’s, and I’m most looking forward to hoarding French beauty products that aren’t so easy to get here. With that said, there are a lot of France-based brands available on our shores, and my French pharmacy fantasy inspired me to round up a few of the latest and greatest…

Clarins
Clarins is one of my go-to brands for skincare, and I just love their Lotus Face Treatment Oil, sunscreens and self-tanners. They’ve also made a name for themselves in the bodycare category, and I can’t even imagine how many gallons of their firming and cellulite-smoothing creams I’ve slathered on over the years. Well, now there’s a new one to try and I wish I had more time before my tropical getaway. It’s called Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert, and it might be Clarins’ most advanced slimming innovation to date. Featuring quince leaf  and seven other plant-based active ingredients to reduce the appearance of cellulite while firming and smoothing the skin, this lightweight gel-cream is just the “liquid courage” I need to walk along la plage sans sarong.

I’m a big fan of Clarins makeup as well, and I’ll definitely be picking up one of the new Instant Light Lip Comfort Oils avant my voyage. With a blend of nourishing hazelnut and jojoba oils and a different extra botanical ingredient in each shade, this is just what I’ll need for glossy lips that can stand up to the sun and surf.

Guinot
Everyone needs to refresh when heading straight from the beach to the bar (or anywhere else for that matter) and when a shower isn’t in the cards, hopefully Guinot’s new Eau Mirific is your bag. This lightly scented body mist hydrates post-soleil skin with passion flower oil as it soothes with mimosa extract. Can you say, oui si’l vous plait?

Diptyque
OK, this isn’t technically a beauty product but I’m obsessed with it nonetheless. I recently got into essential oils, but the diffuser I got from Amazon doesn’t come close to the chicness of Diptique’s Hourglass Diffuser 2.0. Available in six of Diptique’s delicious scents, just flip the diffuser over and enjoy a one-hour dose of fragrance. The upside is how happy your nose will be and how great your room will look, but the downside is that each $175 piece can only be refilled one time. I might have to wait until 3.0 comes out—but I’ll be coveting this and giving my Amazon diffuser the side-eye until then.

The latest self-tanning formulas to try

Self-tanner was a beauty innovation all in itself, but long gone are the days of oompa-loompa color and stinking to high heaven. Mousses, sprays and lotions have become the go-to formulations, but there’s a bevy of new ways to get your glow on—and of course bronzing phenom James Read is behind them.

This time of year, there’s nothing more refreshing than a facial mist, and with the new H2O Illuminating Tan Mist you get a gradual golden glow along with instant radiance courtesy of little flecks of 24K gold. With a soothing, hydrating rosewater base, this quick-dry spray lets you build up bronze color over a few days for subtle results. And it also has caffeine to help flush out excess fluid, in turn making cellulite appear smoother.

For those who want to get their glow on without the wait, James Read’s Express Glow Body Mask makes it happen in just 30 minutes. Formulated with moisture-rich jojoba seed oil, soothing aloe vera and anti-aging algae, you’ll get even darker color if you leave it on for 60 minutes. (Yes, you apply this tanner, hang out for a bit and wash it off.)

And last, but certainly not least, you can fix dry, pale skin in a flash with the Coconut Melting Tanning Balm. This rich, balm-to-oil delivers gradual color, major hydration and a super-sexy sheen, which means you can apply it before a night on the town and wake up with sun-kissed color.

These are just three of my top picks—and there’s plenty more to swoon over. Whether you want to tan your face or body, by day or by night, there’s definitely a James Read self-tanner that’s perfect for you!