Take your Skin Beyond: La Mer

Get it? Beyond La Mer? Like "Beyond the Sea?" La mer = the sea in French? That was a vague play on words that probably amused only me. Anyway.


La Mer Eye Concentrate
My friend Chopin has lauded the ultrafab capabilities of La Mer's Eye Concentrate to me several times and now that I've tried it, I'm so with her. This new ultra-luxe cucumber-scented eye cream boasts three types of La Mer’s hyper-healing Miracle Broth™ (the original, a concentrated form, and a time-release form) and magnetized hermatite. This eye cream is deadly serious about lessening the look of fine lines and wrinkles, lightening dark circles, deflating puffiness, while increasing circulation, moisturization, and toning. The bad news? This divine potion does not come cheap, gals. It's $160 for .5 oz. But as Ferris Bueller says, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." Here's how to use it:
Dab a small amount and gently sweep onto eye area with its cute little applicator. Follow with moisturizer.


Speaking of moisturizer. J'aime beaucoup the oil-free liquid version of Crème de La Mer called The Oil Absorbing Lotion which offers the original concentration of the Miracle Broth™ in an oil-free formula to better navigate the needs of normal to oily skin. This is the stuff of dreams, dolls. All I ask is for a liquid moisturizer that still hydrates (lightly) that doesn't cause me to break out nor induce shine. I have an arsenal of SEVERAL moisturizers that do 2 of the 3 things I want. This one does all 3 and for that, the wildly expensive price of $185 for 1.7 oz is justified (for me.) I also use just a small amount at a time and I only use it in the morning. Its matte-finish formula acts as an all-day barricade, keeping any excess oil from emerging in your lifestyle. La crème de la crème, n'est pas?

Photo credit: cremedelamer.com

"Peelin'" Fine: Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel

TGIF. Longest week in HIST. So I was recently introduced to online beauty retailer Kaia House, and am impressed with their philosophy (from their website):

Unlike most traditional beauty stores, we believe in bringing only the best of each brand to our customers and only carry products that are both Safe and Effective, as well as Animal and Environmentally friendly. Your health and well-being is a serious matter, and for this reason, we consult the internationally recognized Environmental Working Group and their Cosmetics Safety Database to verify the safety of each ingredient in every single one of our products. From this database, we created our own safety guide for your reference called the “Most UN-wanted List”, an extensive list of synthetic chemicals found in everyday products to avoid.

I tried out Juice Beauty's Green Apple Peel (Full Strength - I don't mess around) and am so into it. It's a powerful hydroxy-acid complex of apple, lemon, grape juices, raw cane sugar and white willow bark that exfoliates skin for visibly improved skin tone and texture. Vitamin antioxidants and essential nutrients hydrate and nourish fresh skin for a healthy, beautiful complexion. I slather the stuff on twice a week with the same zeal I once reserved for flirting with rowers while I was in college. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse off with a damp warm washcloth for best results. My skin was absolutely radiant (though makeup-free) all day afterwards. $39.

Enjoy your much-deserved weekend!

Love ya, mean it,
F
P.S. I hesitate to admit I got a 50% on Facebook's Mean Girls Trivia quiz. Have you taken it? It was really hard! I'm so embarrassed.

Photo credit: kaiahouse.com

Blots of Fun

You know what's not funny? (obv not "This feeling insiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide"). Shiny face in PICTURES. I loathe that. I don't have especially oily skin, but in the summer, after a long day and then a longer night, I see photos of myself and you know. My face is shining like the top of the Chrysler Building. For that very reason, I tote Boscia Fresh Blotting Linens with me all summer long. They absorb excess oil without disturbing your makeup using finely woven linen made from 100% natural leaf fibers from the Abaca tree plant. Even better, they absorb just enough oil not to leave you looking… dusty. Bonus: they come in a package small enough for your tiniest clutch.