April 26, 2019

Accessories for your Dyson blowdryer, skincare-infused DIY microneedling, my top Thrive Causemetics picks, self-tanners to try and Drunk Elephant's cleansing balm.

Because your Dyson needs accessories to match

I totally blew my beauty budget when I finally bought the Dyson Supersonic. Let it be known that it didn’t work out for Nugget—so now it’s ALL mine—and I mentally cut myself off from making any hair-tool purchases for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately I’m not really sure that’s going to stick because Dyson just released the Mother’s Day Gift Edition Styling Set that perfectly matches my ridiculously expensive blowdryer.

This isn’t your average paddle brush, and of course it got the Dyson treatment. With a weighted handle for more control and a larger-than-normal surface area to maximize efficiency when brushing or styling your hair, I don’t know if I can resist.

The set also includes a wide-toothed comb for detangling wet hair or guiding your flat iron when straightening (which is my new secret for an extra-smooth and sleek result, BTW). The polished bristles generate less friction than traditional combs to help minimize breakage and frizz, and the thicker-than-usual rounded tips are gentle on your scalp.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to step away from the computer so I don’t click “Add to Basket.”

At-home microneedling just got WAY better

I’m a huge proponent of DIY microneedling, and I give this treatment a fair share of credit for keeping my skin in tip-top shape. I generally roll my face two to three times a week and follow with one of the many supercharged serums I have lying around, and although my skin is sometimes red for an hour of so afterwards, I always wake up the next morning with radiant skin. That’s why I was intrigued when I received information about a new skincare line called MesoLyft, and I requested samples so I could try them for myself.

With dedicated versions for discoloration, the eye area, lips and neck, these little rollers incorporate potent serums so you get the collagen-stimulating benefits of microneedling and powerful active ingredients that target specific concerns. It may sound slightly complicated, but I promise these rollers are super-easy to use. You just press the button to dispense the serum and start rolling the tool over targeted areas.

I received the Skin and Eyes to test, so here’s the skinny on those. The Skin serum is formulated with guava and papaya extracts to help prevent pigment production along with kojic acid to improve the appearance of existing discoloration (as well as jojoba and meadowfoam oil for hydration and skin-calming benefits). The Eyes serum contains a muscle-relaxing peptide called Argireline to smooth the appearance of crow’s feet, a complex of skin-plumping ingredients, collagen-boosting retinol and vitamin C plus anti-inflammatory gingko biloba. Remember, the microneeding action helps push these ingredients deeper into the skin than they’d get by just applying the serums with your fingers or hands.

To be completely honest, I was skeptical when I first unboxed these products. The needles on the roller I usually use are WAY longer, so I didn’t think these would make a difference, especially on my pre-conditioned skin. I proceeded anyway, and didn’t feel a thing—zero, zilch, nada—so I was convinced I was wasting my time. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

After I had finished, my skin was red and it felt like I had a pretty bad sunburn. (I’m not exaggerating—see below.) In my eyes, this is a good thing and I see this as proof that the MesoLyft rollers are getting all up in my collagen’s business. In fact, the post-treatment redness and slight swelling are enough to make me limit my use to once a week (and I have very resistant skin).

Let’s try to ignore the fact that I look like I have Bell’s palsy in this picture. And FYI, I’m wearing the Sara Happ Sweet Clay Lip Mask.

I busted out the MesoLyft rollers for a second time on Monday night and met a friend I haven’t seen in a while on Tuesday morning for breakfast. No joke, the first thing she said to me was, “OMG, your skin looks amazing. What did you do?” (It really did—and I only used my super-sheer Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance.)

If you subscribe to the “if it hurts it works” philosophy like I do, MesoLyft is well worth the $80 to $90 (depending on the version you choose). And if you want to go all in, you can get all four roller-serum combos for $270.

I tried the makeup that’s all over your Insta feed

If you’re on Instagram ever, it’s likely you’ve spotted Thrive Causemetics. I’ve been seeing it for what feels like years, and I have more than a few friends who swear by several of their products. Though I’m definitely no stranger to Insta-shopping (especially after a few glasses of wine), I never purchased anything from the brand for myself—so I was super-excited when I got a package of goodies to review. Here are the a few of the stand-outs, and you can thank me for playing guinea pig later.

Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
I’m not easily impressed when it comes to mascara, but this one is a keeper. Just one swipe delivers long, lush lashes thanks to short plastic bristles that somehow manage to coat each and every lash. I’ve experienced zero flaking or smudging by the end of the day—and the tube itself is so weighty that it could easily be mistaken for a mascara double the price.

Focus Eyeshadow Palette #3
Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) needs a basic palette of matte neutral eyeshadows. Perfect for a natural, polished look and mixing-and-matching with other shades in your stash, this quad of silky, highly-pigmented, blendable powders offers an infinite array of options. And guess what… They’re water-resistant and infused with lid-smoothing hyaluronic acid!

Instant Brow Fix Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Gel
I’ve recent become obsessed with tinted brow gel, and this one has sent my Glossier Boy Brow to the back of the drawer (sorry, not sorry) for a few reasons. First, the smaller, tapered brush allows for more precision—but better yet, this waterproof, smudge-proof formula keeps brows looking their best for up to 24 hours. It’s bananas.

Glossy Lip Hydrating Serum
Is it a lip treatment, is it a liquid lipstick or is it a gloss? Actually, it’s all three. Serving up a sheer, shiny stain that sticks around along with an anti-aging ingredient complex and extended-release hyaluronic acid microspheres for long-lasting moisture, it’s my new daily go-to. And if you like a little more oomph, just use a lipliner before applying for extra color payoff.

Now that you know my four Thrive Causemetics favorites, here’s even more reason to add this brand to your makeup collection: Everything is vegan, cruelty-free and devoid of parabens and sulfates. Even more, the brand looks to real people like us when developing new formulas, and you can sign up to join the Thrive Lab team to make sure your opinions are heard!

And just like that, self-tanner season is here

Spring means more than stowing away the coats and busting out the sandals—and if you live in South Florida like I do, it means seeing less and less of my jeans and more of my skirts and dresses. Just last week my husband said something along the lines of, “You should really put some tanner on your legs” (thanks, honey) and truth be told, he was right. My arms and upper body have a decent amount of color thanks to my new-ish convertible/mid-life crisis, but my bottom half is a totally different story since my legs hardly ever see enough light of day to get even remotely tan. The good news is, this time of year is all about new self-tanners, and a few have caught my attention.

I tend to prefer a gradual tan (unless I procrastinate and have an occasion that requires a golden glow in a short timeframe). I’m digging James Read’s new Gradual Tan H2O Tan Drops Body (sorry for the link to the brand’s U.K. site, but it should be available on Revolve, DermStore, Blue Mercury, Amazon, Net-A-Porter and QVC any day now). Simply add a little to your usual body lotion or cream and get ready to get your glow on at your own pace. If you can’t wait, I suppose you could use the face version in the meantime.

I also like to indulge in a body oil on occasion, so why not get a little sun-kissed color while I’m at it? That’s why I have my eye on Tan-Luxe’s Wonder Oil. I’m intrigued by its rollerball applicator (although I’m fairly certain you still have to blend it with your hands or a mitt) and the major hydration and sheen it’s sure to deliver.

With temperatures on the rise, I suppose I should bring self-tanner back into my product rotation—and yes, I still have some Bronze Buffer inventory for a quick fix in the event of a mishap.

A new cleansing balm with an added boost

It’s no secret I love (scratch that—NEED) a cleansing balm in my life, so when my last jar’s contents began to dwindle I was on the hunt for a new one. As timing would have it, Drunk Elephant introduced their take on this essential at right about the same time, so I reached out to see if I could give it a whirl. Just a few days later, I had a Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser with Bamboo Booster of my own, and I didn’t hesitate to bust it open.

I was greeted with two surprises beyond the balm-based cleansing formula when I did do… First, it has an adorable scoop (so you don’t have to dip your fingers in the tub) that magnetically affixes to the lid—genius! Second, it comes with a little vial of bamboo exfoliating powder that you can mix into the balm a few times a week for extra skin-smoothing—also genius.

Then it was time to put it to the test, because (as you may know) I’m rather particular about my cleansing balms in that they MUST transform into a milky texture upon adding water so it easily rinses away. I’m happy to report that the Slaai did indeed slay in this department, leaving my skin soft, smooth and free of residue following my usual rinsing method. (This is thanks to a blend of antioxidant-rich marula, baobab, kalahari melon, mongongo and ximenia oils from Africa.)

As an added plus, the addition of this Drunk Elephant cleansing balm has taken my routine to the next level of “green” since the brand is devoid of what they call the “Suspicious 6” (i.e. essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical-based sunscreens, artificial fragrances and dyes and sodium lauryl sulfate). In a nutshell, you get all the cleansing-balm benefits without any of the potential skincare pitfalls—and amazingly hydrated, supple skin.