May 3, 2019
Summer skin courtesy of Tom Ford, celebrating Beauty Lovers' Day with Natura Bissé, how to reset your skin in 30 seconds and the Mother's Day gifts any mama would be thrilled to get.
Tom Ford has your summer skin covered
From clothing and shoes to perfume and makeup, nobody knows sophisticated-sexy like Tom Ford. His cosmetics are the pinnacle of luxury, and if I HAD to stick with one brand for the rest of my life, this would be it. I’m particularly fond of the seasonal Soleil collections because of their more subtle approach to beauty that focuses on glowy, glistening skin with an understated pop of color here and there. The Summer 2019 Soleil collection may be one of my favorites yet, and I am absolutely, positively, undeniably obsessed with the Glow Tone Up Foundation SPF 45 Hydrating Cushion Compact.
Yes, it’s a mouthful, but this compact serves so many purposes it warrants the long name. It’s a sheer yet buildable foundation that leaves you with the most radiant skin ever, it brightens the skin and evens out tone, it hydrates your skin, it’s a sunscreen, and it imparts a cool, refreshing sensation on contact.
It’s only available in three flesh-toned shades—but it’s super-adaptable so you don’t have to worry about a perfect match. Let it be known that it skews a bit dark—because apparently Tom believes sun-kissed skin is an important accessory for summer. This compact also comes in “Tone Up” shades designed to give you even more glow, and these can be used on their own, under the flesh-toned version (or any other complexion product) or as a highlighting finishing touch.
Oh, and they are so fancy and luxurious I just can't take it. If I close my eyes while blotting it on (and block out the Spongebob or Loud House in the background), I almost feel like I’m in Capri or another far-flung Mediterranean destination for a millisecond (and I’ll take whatever I can get).
Happy Beauty Lovers Day!
If you’re reading this you’re probably a fan of all things beauty every day—but today is all about us! Honestly, I wasn’t even aware that this “holiday” was a thing, and we can thank Natura Bissé for bringing this to our attention. And while we’re at it, let’s all wish Natura Bissé a happy 40th anniversary (yet they don’t look a day over 25)!
A few weeks ago I received a lovely package from this Spanish skincare brand (which is a long-time favorite of mine) to kick off the Beauty Lovers Day and milestone birthday celebration, so I thought it was only fitting to try a few of the products they sent along this morning. First up was the Diamond Cocoon Bath & Shower Balm, which is only available as a gift-with-ANY-purchase. (All the more reason to shop the Natura Bissé site!) I’m a big fan of facial cleansing balms, but this was the first time I’ve ever tried a body version and it really got my morning off to a great start. The luxuriously-scented creamy balm transforms to a sudsy treat as you massage it into damp skin—and my skin was so hydrated afterwards I didn’t even need to apply moisturizer.
After stepping out of the shower and applying my vitamin C serum, I slathered on a generous layer of the Diamond Extreme. Billed as an “anti-aging bio-regenerative extreme cream,” it packs a major moisturizing punch along with skin-stimulating artemia salina (a plankton extract, in case you were wondering) to firm, protect and revitalize the skin. I can say that I’m officially hooked after just one use, and I’m looking forward to this becoming a staple in my routine.
These goodies arrived on the heels of a few other new products, including the Diamond Cocoon Ultimate Shield Protective Mist—that I’m absolutely obsessed with. Designed to shield the skin from indoor and outdoor pollution while delivering a burst of moisture anytime and anywhere, it physically blocks pollution particles from sticking to the skin and helps fight free radicals generated by blue light (and we all need that).
I also received the Diamond Cocoon Ultra Rich Cream, Diamond Cocoon Daily Cleanse and Diamond Cocoon Hydrating Essence (which I haven’t had a chance to try yet—but believe me, I will). Keep an eye out for my reviews to come—and be sure to find your own way to commemorate Beauty Lovers Day!
Reset your skin in 30 seconds
I had some minor surgery 10 days ago, and it really did a number on my skin. Between the general anesthesia and taking a few days off from my usual skincare routine when I didn’t have the energy or pain threshold to get out of bed, it wasn’t pretty when I finally emerged from my Percocet-induced fog. My face was dull, rough and bumpy—and I wasn’t the slightest bit happy about it. My first order of business was a mask to help purge my pores of all the lingering toxins and essentially reboot my complexion.
I rifled through my facial-mask drawer, and nothing seemed to have the blend of exfoliating, purifying and brightening benefits I was looking for, and then I remembered I gave The Hubs Savor Beauty’s new Yuzu Lemonade Peel to try. (He’s very impatient and this skin-refining peel only takes 30 seconds, so I knew he’d actually use it.) It turns out this was just what my skin needed since I still didn’t have the motivation to do a full-on DIY facial—but my skin looked like I did afterwards.
Featuring a potent exfoliating blend of salicylic acid (which is oil-soluble so it’s able to get deep down into the pores), alpha hydroxy acid, polyhydroxy acid and papaya extract for enzyme-based skin-smoothing—plus a brightening boost courtesy of vitamin C sourced from yuzu and Kakadu plum—it was just what the doctor ordered. In less than a minute (including removal time), my skin texture was more even and the dullness was gone.
And since my goal was to clear my complexion of all the chemicals associated with anesthesia and pain medication, Savor Beauty’s vegan, all-natural, paraben-free, sulfate-free formula (and its lack of synthetic fragrances and dyes) made me feel even better. This was the just the pick-me-up my skin needed to get back on the road to recovery—and I should be 100% back to normal as soon as I can return to Pilates next week!
It’s time to start thinking about Mother’s Day
With Easter behind us and the threat of matzoh-induced constipation at an all-time high, Mother’s Day is the next holiday on our radar. Whether you’re on the gift-receiving end, gift-giving end (or both), it can be difficult to choose what to get for any mom, and what to ask for yourself. I have a running “gift list” since I basically have to tell my husband what to get me if I want a gift for any given holiday—and a dedicated list of items that are perfect for all my favorite peeps. To help make Mother’s Day gifting a bit easier for everyone, here are a few of my picks.
Lunya Washable Silk Set
I’m really into pajamas these days, and I’m really over the mish-mosh of past-their-prime tank tops and yoga pants in my loungewear drawer. I like to be comfy, but I also need to be adequately covered at all times since I have a 10-year-old son who can appear out of nowhere, even in the middle of the night. I’m also a hot sleeper, which makes things even more complicated. If money were no object, I’d be requesting these washable silk PJs in every color—and gleefully purge every stretched out, faded top and bottom from my closet.
Sweet Charma bracelets
I love the idea of friendship jewelry to signify the bond between myself and my favorite people—and if I had a handful of special ladies to celebrate this Mother’s Day I’d totally be getting these bracelets for all of them. My friend Jessica—and Sweet Charma designer—gave me one over a month ago and I haven’t taken it off since. If you have a mom and a sister, I highly recommend gifting them (and yourself) with matching versions. (P.S. There are plently of options for the guys, too, so make a note for Father’s Day.)
Olfactif subscription
If you or your Mom love perfume, this is the gift that keeps on giving all year. For $15 a month, you get three deluxe samples of scents you’re highly unlikely to find in a department store—and when you fall for a fragrance you can buy a full-sized bottle at a discount. There’s a different seasonal theme each month—and I’ve been looking forward to this showing up in my mailbox for about three years.