Having spent the past few weeks visiting the east coast, my skin was starting to rebel against the colder weather and blowing wind that it’s never subjected to where I live in Los Angeles.  It was getting dry and flaky and I wasn’t quite sure what to do about it.  Then I remembered that I had brought a sample of Givenchy’s new skin care cream, Le Soin Noir, back with me, so I decided to start using that and see if it would make a difference.

The first thing that I noticed when I opened the jar is that the cream is a deep black color.  I think it’s the first skin care product I’ve ever used that wasn’t white (or a similarly light color), so it immediately felt decadent to be putting it on my face.  The color comes from the rare black algae extract that’s in the cream, which helps maintain and prolong cellular longevity (helping to keep your skin looking younger longer).  The texture was very smooth and when I put it on, it blended in immediately, leaving my skin velvety soft.  It almost felt putting on a primer because it wasn’t greasy at all and didn’t leave my skin shiny, like some moisturizers do.  The cream is meant to be applied both in the morning and at night, and with daily use, it helps your skin to fight wrinkles and aging and become firmer.  I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and it’s definitely working to keep my skin in great shape; the dry patches and flaky area are gone, and I look well rested and glowing.  (Believe me, that doesn’t happen all that often!)

The one drawback to Le Soin Noir is the price — it’s a steep $360 for 50 ml, so it’s not an impulse buy.  But if your skin is looking dull and damaged and you’re looking to bring it back to its former glory, it’s definitely an investment worth making.

I’ve been spending most of my days outside wrapped up from head to toe, trying to keep warm and keep my skin away from the cold weather of Chicago. Since I lost my mittens, the only parts of me exposed to the elements are my face and hands. And while I’m so concerned with keeping them warm, I forget to keep them safe from the sun! It’s important to apply products with SPF on your skin, even when the weather is freezing cold. Here are some SPF products I’ve been using to prevent sun damage to my hands and face in the winter:

My lips are constantly dry in this weather, so I need a lip balm that helps to moisturize, heal, and provide some sun protection. Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15 does all of that really well. It’s scentless and hypo-allergenic, and applies smoothly and evenly, without even a hint of waxiness. It’s made with natural oatmeal, jojoba oil, and shea butter, all natural skin conditioners that smooth and soften my lips gently. I passed it on to my boyfriend to test, and even he liked how effective it was.

For my face, my moisturizer with SPF of choice is philosophy’s hope in a jar spf 20, which I reviewed, and applied religiously, over the summer. It’s become my go-to for the winter, as well. And to moisturize my hands, I turn to Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream SPF 30. I like that it’s not greasy and absorbs pretty quickly. It combines moisture, SPF, and anti-aging elements for the perfect hand cream to protect against all elements. What more can you ask for? Check these out and protect your skin this winter!

Sugaring has been around since the ancient Egyptian and Greek times, and while you may have heard the term thrown around interchangeably before with waxing, the primary difference is that sugaring is made out of all natural products.  Additionally, sugaring is rumored to be less painful than waxing, as when “sugaring,” the sugar clings only to the hair and not the skin.

The sugaring kit from the legendary Shobha, who we’ve already raved about here and here, features all of the elements that you need for at-home, hassle-free hair removal.  In the kit are talc free powder (to be applied prior to waxing to help dry out the area), an instruction booklet, 2 different length spatulas (both short and long), 6 long denim strips, and professional grade Shobha sugaring gel in a plastic jar.

The sugaring gel is easy to warm up in the microwave for between 30-45 seconds. (Note: Although you should remove the lid when microwaving, it’s not necessary to remove the layer of cardboard in between the lid and the wax.) And the best thing about the kit is that the denim strips are easily re-usable and washable.  Sugaring/waxing, regardless of what kind you use, will always be messy, but luckily, the Shobha sugaring gel is easily washed away using hot water, on both skin and on the denim strips.

As far as my pain assessment in sugaring versus waxing, I personally found it to be about similar during my at-home demo, but I figured “no pain, no gain” and attributed the cause of pain mostly to my technique.  The kit retails for a very reasonable $30 since the kit provides 8 fluid ounces of sugar gel, which can easily be used multiple times and you can buy it here.

It may not surprise you that as a sometimes oily skinned gal, I never ventured into the world of oil-based cleansers.  In fact, my first foray into this apparently popular type of cleanser was because I thought Lancome’s Huile Douceur was a pretty color in a nice bottle. Kudos to Lancome’s design team for making the packaging so pretty that it attracted me to try a product I would otherwise have never picked up.  Good thing it’s also good for oily skin.

To my surprise, Huile Douceur quickly started replacing all the other facial cleansers I was testing because my skin just felt super comfortable after each use (so much that I sometimes forget to put on cream!).  My sometimes oily skin also suffers from being occasionally dry, and this cleanser addressed both problems by moisturizing and removing excess sebum simultaneously.  As Huile Douceur is oil based, it also removes waterproof (and regular) eye and face makeup easily and effortlessly without any scrubbing.  Just rub this over your closed eyes to take off even the most stubborn mascara! I also happen to like the fresh floral smell of the product. (more…)

With the crazy winter weather that’s been taking over New Jersey during my visit (it’s been a fun combination of rain, sleet and snow this week), my poor lips were starting to get chapped. (They’re used to sunny Los Angeles weather!)  With all the family Christmas pictures coming up, I really didn’t want them to look gross in photos, so I picked up a jar of Ole Henricksen’s African Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation.  It’s a petroleum-free lip salve that I’ve been applying constantly since I got it, and it’s totally reversed the condition of my lips in only three days.

The formula is chock full of emollient and conditioning extracts, like jojoba oil, linseed oil, and cranberry seed oil, so it’s intensely moisturizing, and the sheer dark pink color will be flattering on everyone.  It smells great too, with its combination of grapefruit, orange and tangerine extracts - very fruity and uplifting.  What I really like about it is that it has a slightly grainy texture, so it exfoliates your lips, getting rid of any dead skin and helping to keep chapped lips at bay.  (And don’t worry, the texture becomes smooth when you rub it in, so it doesn’t look grainy on your lips.)

If you’re looking for a lip balm that’ll take you through the winter and still be light enough to keep your lips in tip top shape during the summer, look no further.  Here it is!

Ole Henricksen’s Africa Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation retails for $15 and can be found at sephora.com.

I have so many products, sometimes I think that it would be impossible to try anything else that impressed me.  And every single time I think that, I inevitably find a new product shortly after that that makes me excited all over again.  My current new product obsession is the HollywoodSecrets Five-Minute Eye Transformation.

Described as “a laser, Botox, scalpel and 8 hours rest in a Q-tip,” this quick and easy beauty solution makes your skin tighter and your wrinkles far less noticeable in as fast as 5 minutes - and it lasts for over 8 hours, making it perfect to apply before a big event or for an important day at work.  The product is incredibly easy to apply.  It comes in a tiny little tube with what looks like a Q-tip at the end.  All you have to do is snap the bottom of the tube, then apply the serum to your eye area with the Q-tip end.  It literally takes all of 60 seconds to put it on, then you just have to sit back and watch as the results dramatically appear. (more…)

The beauty community has its own version of the chicken vs. the egg debate, and in face cleansers, this debate is between the Eve Lom Cleanser and the Liz Earle Hot Cleanse & Polish. There are celebrity fans of both cleansers including Kate Hudson (left) and even Orlando Bloom (below) who both have enviable skin glows. We have featured both cleansers on our site before, with a review of the Liz Earle products here and an interview with Eve Lom herself and took on the challenge of testing out both of these cleansers to determine the differences and similarities between the two, and most importantly, find the one that will come out on top. (more…)

After my various cleanses, I went through a raw food stint which lasted until recently when I went on vacation and started gorging in all sorts of meats. At any rate, I’m easing back into eating raw (I’m a huge fan) and even started dabbling a little into natural and raw beauty products.

Envision Beauty was developed by Kimberly Snyder, a raw foodist and beauty expert who wanted to bottle the benefits of a raw diet into an all in one skincare solution. As raw foodists know, even a week on a raw diet/cleanse produces amazing results for your skin. My under eye circles went away, my skin was glowing, clear and baby soft. The idea with The Solution, was to help the user achieve the same results even if she chooses not to follow a raw diet. The solution is packed with natural goodies such as goji, acai, and grapeseed. Even the scientific compounds, such as DMAE are already naturally produced by the body. The bottle is also a vacuum, so no preservatives are needed to maintain freshness. I’ve had great success with this product; daily comfortable skin with no breakouts or irritation. And for me, even applying just once a day is enough for moistuirzed skin even in the winter.

Check it out for yourself at Envision-Beauty.com.

There’s nothing better to me than a good facial - you get to relax and get healthier looking skin at the same time.  What could be better?  When I’m in Los Angeles, I have my staples spas that I can head to any time my skin needs a little TLC, but when I’m traveling or visiting family, I never used to know where I could go for a good facial.  And then I discovered Blue Mercury.  With spas in states ranging from California to Florida, you’re likely never far from a great place to treat yourself.

While in NJ, I visited the spa in Bridgewater for their most popular treatment, the Fusion Facial.  The service lasts 50 minutes and is a modern facial, plus a glycolic peel and a vitamin oxygen blast.  It’s a fantastic treatment because it’s like getting three different services in one.  (more…)

Clinique Medical is a new product line from an alliance between Clinique and Allergan aimed at strengthening skin before and after cosmetic procedures and treatments. The products are available from your physician only, and are ideal for sensitive skin as well. Clinique Medical products are designed for everyday use and combat the drying and side effects of non-surgical procedures. If you often get facials or other treatments, Clinique Medical could be right for you and you can see the full range of products available here.

Since these products are also ideal for dry and sensitive skin, I tried the Dry Spot Balm. It is supposed to provide continued support to your skin after treatments, and I desperately needed something to combat the dryness and peeling on my lips due to the freezing Chicago weather. I could feel a difference right away after once use. My lips stopped peeling and actually began healing–something that most lip balms don’t address. Now the Dry Spot Balm is always in my bag, whenever I may need it.

This line of products certainly has a very specific purpose, and I think it is definitely worth trying if your skin needs some help after procedures. Click here to find a doctor in your area whom you can ask about Clinique Medical.