Month: October 2012

10/22 Sunday Round Up

| Loni

Sunday morning round-up. Basically, really cool things from around the internet to look at while drinking some coffee on Sunday Morning. Click on the description to be taken to some cool articles, pictures, tips and recipes.

This space is super amazing

Navy Nail love, can’t wait to try this and pair it with one of my many army green anorak jackets 

I should really bust my sparkle oxfords out before it gets too cold! 

Looking for a reason to make a batch of these vegan truffels, mhmmmmm

Funkins, aka fun pumpkins

Joy Cho of OHJOY! gets me every time, every single time

Back to basics? I think OhHappyDay! basically broke into my house and took pictures of my closet, swoon, the essentials are where its at! 

Finally, broke down and got this tote, I am hoping that it will help me contain myself, and only carry one bag instead of multiple tote bags. So excited! 

Hair Rut? Mom hair? Some easy, super cute non technical solutions! 

* Image above used without permission from HERE

Jammin’

| Loni

So, I am in a bit of jam. I have my little cousins wedding in one hour, and my hotel room is not ready. Ugh, like a Girl Scout or MacGuyver, here are the products I am about to use in the hotel lobby to get ready!

This foundation stick requires no brush or sponge, just dab it onto your face and pat into your skin and bam, perfect canvas. 

This pot rouge in Raspberry, can go on lips and cheeks, making it one less thing to drag out of my bag

A dash of eyeliner (maybe, it is the afternoon)

This eyelash curler is amazing, I’ve gone through a bunch over the years and I keep coming back.  Using this makes it easier to skip the mascara- Also just noticed they make this in gold, super crush.

Also, CONGRATS Colleen & Shawn!!!!!

Run, run, run you wild rose

| Loni

Wild Rose Moisturizing Lip Butter Glaze

$14.00

More info HERE

This stuff gets so much hype and people tend to flip over these little tubes and pots. As a lip product junkie I too drank the Kool Aid after my friend Sabina had been toting her Guava one around and raving about the brand in general.

For the moisture part, these do the trick, they are just the right level of thickness without being gloopy. Which avoids that annoying aspect of gloss of having your hair gets stuck in it, which is a plus during the winter when I would be using such a heavy gloss like this and wearing my hair down. Anyway, this glaze unlike so many other does not dry out your lips, probably because its free of parabens, sulfates, sythetic fragrances, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs and Trisoclan.

So, in addition to having the moisture part down pat Koress has nailed the color. Its that perfect, berry thats not too obvious. Its a fuchsia color that is pretty deep and vibrant without looking clownish. I just dyed my hair super dark brown and this really pops against that dark backdrop. It’s a really nice wash of color, that says I tried, but not too hard.

What I like most about it though is how healthy it makes my lips look. The glaze really coats my lips and minimizes the fine lines I have been noticing more and more– likely due to the excessive diet coke and indoor air– but its does so without that overly glossy balloon lip look that I really try to stay away from.

Definitely, a good lip gloss, that achieves the holy grail here at One Product at a Time, that ‘pulled together effortlessly look, that totally says everything I did was an afterthought.’

*Above image used without permission from HERE

In plain sight

| Loni

Malin+Goetz vitamin E Face Moisturizer

$45.00

More info HERE

I’ve been treating my skin, inside and out pretty bad recently. Eating dairy, some gluten and a TON of diet Coke. I blame travel and working from home, but nevertheless its taken its toll on my skin. Its super dry and oily at the same time, uber combination skin.

I have been using my same moisturizer as the temperature dips that I used in summer, but it almost seems like its making my skin more oily and leaving a film on my face. I’ve been noticing that my skin gets shiner and that my makeup seems to be sliding off my face.

Enter Malin + Goetz, a brand whose packaging always caught my eye, but a brand that I knew not enough about of to warrant taking a closer look. In fact, I was thrown by the packaging, how could something so pretty actually deliver results. That was until one of my favorite makeup artists for Laura Mercier, recommended the line I had seen so many times, urging me that this would be super gentle and bring my skin back to normal.

I’ve had the generously sized samples sitting around for a while, but they just sat in my sample drawer.  I try so many products for the blog, that sometimes my skin gets super reactive and ‘burny.’ Desperate for relief  I reached for the these little guys and went for it.

Not expecting much, this moisturizer  instantly absorbed into my skin, which must have been super super dry. The fine lines I had been experiencing were greatly reduced, and in my very unscientific opinion something happened to my enlarged pores in a good way. They seemed to me at least, before I used the lotion, because my skin was super dry, very exacerbated and obvious, but with this moisturizer they really seemed to be minimized.

Overall, I was quite surprised by my experience with this face lotion, I really loved it. My face felt smoother, the burn I was experiencing was greatly reduced, and my face looked better. In my own head I look more rested and just generally hydrated. I just bought a new moisturizer for day, but I am and have been trying to rationalize a reason to purchase this full size. I really am obsessed, I can’t stop thinking about how great my face feels. Maybe when I finish my summer moisturizer I will restock with this, or at least I’ll wait until the temperature dips and I really need it.

Have you tried any other Malin + Goetz products, I would love to know what you think!

*Above image used without permission from HERE

Channel you inner tween and bust out the Lisa Frank

| Loni

Gud Natural Body Mist in Vanilla Flame

$6.00

More info HERE

When I was 12, I wore Kiehl’s Vanilla Essence (which incidentally, I just found out they discontinued along with the ever so wonderful Coriander  oh le sigh). Back then, I wanted to smell like candy, now I want to smell like some exotic traveler with wonderlust. This desire for many years manifested in wearing a serious dose of patchouli, which my friend Zoe would constantly make fun of me for. Apparently smelling like 1971 is a bad thing.

Nevertheless, these two scents are forever hardwired in my brain as being both nostalgic and also what I was drawn to fragrance wise before I was lulled into other fragrances by packaging, excellent marketing, or my most favorite way to buy a fragrance smelling it on my high school BFF (Hey Rachael!).

I happen to live between two amazing Mom & Pop pharmacies that sell the greatest body products, making late night excursions with my friend Sophia, not only easy but practically encouraged. So when I saw this little bottle sitting among so many others I was curious, I had not seen this before. I was drawn in because it was a body mist in the deodorant section–something I have never understood product placement wise–and it was by Burt’s Bees. The other great thing is that this is free of parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals, which is great because fragrance is one of the most suspect aspects of beauty ingredients out there, and something that I find really turns me off to a lot of body products. So I sprayed some around me, much to the dismay of no one, as it was likely late at night on a Saturday, and I was totally transported to some far off rustic village where all I have is a beat up leather duffel and an impeccably well curated outfit.

It smells sweet and rough. The vanilla rounds out the rice milk notes for a scent that is woodsy, not overly complex and not like anything you might find in my middle school locker or my college dorm room, but something very at home in a rugged leather carry on. Despite the childish packaging, this body mist, is a welcome addition to my fragrance rotation and Zoe will be happy that I can finally retire the patchouli.

*Above image used without permission from HERE

Goldenseal-Myrrh

| Loni

Mountain Rose Herbs, Goldenseal-Myrrh Compound

$5.85 & $ 8.00

More info HERE

I love Mountain Rose Herbs for purchasing my bulk herbs, but an unknown gem is that they sell the greatest stripped down beauty products.This Goldenseal-Myrrh Compound, is no exception, and it reminds me of something one would get at a magical forest emporium, or a dusty old shop staffed by some super eclectic ladies. This compound, or essentially salve, is a pretty much an easy to carry first aid kit. The salve uses goldenseal for its “anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.” It has very little scent, but if you happen to use it on your cuticles like I do, and occasionally bite your nails, the taste is a little weird, it’s very achem, discouraging, thus preventing you from biting your nails.

Bam! Moisture fix and nail-biting problem solved.

*Above image used without permission from HERE

It might as well be winter, dry skin hits early, and other tales.

| Loni

Weleda Calendula Line

$12.50 to $16.50

More info HERE

One of my favorite sources for products is the aisle in the drug store devoted to babies. Not only because these products are generally cheaper but because they are typically more gentle, super moisturizing and have the cleanest scents.

Enter Weleda baby products.

This line is amazing and has the most relaxing, calming, soft scent ever. I use the Calendula Oil, Calendula Diaper Care and Calendula Shampoo/Body Wash. Each product has that irresistible light scent and all of them soften really well without leaving a residue behind.

The Oil, is amazing. I don’t really use body lotion because its really just an extra step that I am not willing to do, especially not in the winter because my bathroom is SO cold. Enter oils. I slather these on at the end of my shower, and I don’t have to moisturize when I get out. The soft, clean scent lingers, but does not compete with whatever perfume I am wearing that day. I have only used this oil during the warmer months, so I can’t vouch for its its moisturizing properties during the winter, but during the summer at least, I was never left greasy or sticky, just perfectly moisturized.

The stand out of this bunch though is the Diaper Care. OMG. This is the most perfect hand cream ever. Whenever I complain about my cuticles being ragged or dry, it is because I am not using this.  Diaper Care, is super thick, almost like frosting. While it does not sink in immediately, the greasy hands aspect goes away quicker than most other really thick hand creams.  Diaper Care also has that scent I can’t get enough of, making this the most perfect hand cream for colder weather.

If having Diaper Care in your bag is not something you can get down with, then you can do what I do and put it into a travel jar. I like the travel jars from Whole Foods, they sell them in the Beauty section. They are a dark indigo blue and super sleek. I use these for everything, from face cleanser to toner, which I put in their blue mini spray bottles. Not only do you not have to carry around the Diaper Care tube, but the jar is much smaller than the tube and it is way more user friendly.

The Shampoo/Body Wash is also super moisturizing. But its really not a product that stands out as a body wash. The best part is that its great for travel when you want to carry less stuff, because the Body Wash is also a Shampoo. As a shampoo I like it more, it moisturizing enough without weighing my baby fine hair down and I don’t have to use conditioner.  I also use this a lot when I am at home and I am feeling lazy and know I am just going to let my hair air dry, its a nice balance and generally less work on my part.

If for no other reason, the scent of these products is pretty much perfection and enough of a reason to try them out, but if I had to pick just one, it would  be the Diaper Care.

*Above image used without permission from HERE

Whats in my bag Wednesday?

| Loni

What’s in my bag Wednesday, just a few of the things currently on my ‘I can’t leave home with out’ list

Dickinson’s Original Which Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes:

These wipes are perfect, because they provide the right kind of clean without leaving a residue. With one swipe your face  feels super clean and never tight. If you have to at the end of a long day be somewhere else and need to freshen up these are great, the which hazel is a fantastic pick me up the effect on your face is super cooling. The best part is that they are individually wrapped so your not carrying around a huge pack of something, just one little wipe.

I also use these when I travel for the end of my flight to freshen up, because seriously what is with that gross post flight feeling? I have been traveling a lot lately and I just can’t handle it. Well these wipes take care of that. You can probably use them anywhere not just your face, so they double as hand an body wipes if you are really in a pinch. As an added bonus these wipes are 100% natural and contain no nasty stuff. Pretty awesome.

Burt’s Bees Ultra Moisturizing Lip Treatment with Kokum Butter:

This is one of the best balms I have ever used. That is quite a statement considering that I have about 100, no joke. But this one is so awesome, that I immediately purchased a new one, not even before it was out, but when it was running low. When I was studying for the bar, I compulsively put this on (being indoors, the AC really took its toll, that and well malnutrition. Sorry Mom!). Super moisturizing, and not addictive it really delivers just pure moisture and leaves a nice sheen on your lips perfect for a low maintenance look.

EO Hand Sanitizer Spray:

In my last ‘What’s in my bag Wednesday’ I posted about hand sanitizer. I really do go through a ton. I like this one because it so slim and takes up little room in my bag, I carry a lot so this is huge selling point. What gets me with this one is the scent though. Its lavender, I use L’Occitane hand crem sometimes, and the scent is pretty much a dead ringer for L’Occitane but without the huge price tag. The scent is great to use whenever a gross situation on the Subway is happening, one little spray, and whatever weird smell is happening is instantly forgotten and I am instantly calmed, or at least, all I smell is this, which sometimes is exactly what you need on a crowded rush hour train.

Maybelline New York Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss in Color 150:

So, while this is decidedly not so green, its the perfect color, the perfect red. Its super bright, and lasts a while and leaves no unsightly marks on your glass or a weird red ring on your lips. The color is great and makes me look instantly like I have put effort into my appearance which is not always the case, but nevertheless its nice to look pulled together. I always have a red lipstick or gloss in my purse, and right now this is my go to. I tried my friend’s Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lip Stick in Fiery, and this one by Maybelline is a very close match in color, texture and function, for a fraction of the Stila price, even more reason to love this super dope stain gloss.