I’ve been reading a lot about Moroccan Oil in style and beauty magazines by folks who swear by the stuff. According to the website it’s supposed to revive hair by  strengthening and conditioning it.  Last weekend I discovered it on a whim at a local beauty supply store and decided to try it out.

At 16.95 for a small-ish bottle, I figured it was pricey but well-worth the experiment for my highlighted, overstyled and winter beaten hair.

Coincidentally enough, I had a hair cut scheduled for a few days later. I asked my gal about the right way to use the oil, knowing that if there’s a way to misuse it I’d probably be the person to do so!  She told me to use a bit after a shower at night–when the hair is still damp.

A little bit of the oil really does go a long way. I noticed that my hair didn’t become greasy at all. It looked shiny and felt much healthier. I love this stuff, and will definitely be incorporating it into my haircare routine this season!

I received this moisturizer as a gift last fall.  Since then, it’s become crucial as part of my nightly skin care ritual, especially during these dry winter months when my skin really takes a beating.

It moisturizes on a deep level and contains many other ingredients. The moisturizer includes stone crop to brighten and level pigmentation, corn germ oil to soften skin, and other goodies like Vitamin A, C Ester, E, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Coenzyme Q10 to combat free radicals while refining and toning your skin.

While I was thrilled to receive this as a gift, I wasn’t equally thrilled to discover the $65 price tag. It does come with a little spatula to aid in the products longevity. A little bit goes a long way.

This is definitely an upscale product that delivers on it’s results–if you’re up for the purchase.

Buy it from Amazon

Dior Addict Lip Glow

I’m someone who firmly believes that a good lip gloss is the perfect finish to a well-done and put together look.  I find myself applying and re-applying, constantly on the hunt for the perfect non-sticky, lasting, and natural-looking gloss.

Enter Lip Glow by Dior Addict. It makes the most of your natural tone by reacting to your body chemistry, producing a color uniquely your own.  It moisturizes your lips, and has a SPF of 10  to boot.

Lip Glow goes on smoothly and I can definitely feel that the moisture lasts – it definitely doesn’t kiss off right away. While at $28 it’s kind of pricey, the packaging is beautiful and you’ll feel just as amazing carrying it in your bag as you will putting it on.

Find it at Sephora.com

A few months ago I received a gift bag with samples from a company called Pixi Beauty. Eager to try any product, I flipped through the accompanying literature to see what they’re all about.  The company advertises as being “toxin free, skin and environment friendly”. This piqued my interest not only because of their toxin free and green policy but also because I love mineral makeup. It goes on smoother, blends well, and lasts much longer.

Cut to a few months later and I’m completely addicted. The sample I received contained mineral shadows (containing mica and Vitamin E), pink cheek creme (with shea butter) and lip colour (with beeswax). I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel with the cream blush (a beautiful pink that blends smoothly and looks natural) and the shadows aren’t too far behind.

I went online this morning to order more and discovered that they have stores in London, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi – but not stateside as of yet. D’oh!  I thought that it’s not very green, but maybe I’ll be having my makeup sent in from London….that’s how addicted I am to this stuff!

I checked Amazon on a whim. To my surprise and delight, they have a line available at Target!  Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think if you order some!

Pixi Beauty at Target

Amazon

their website

I’m noticing that people seem to be willing to spend money – buckets of it – in search of the latest and greatest skin care product or technology. I’m certainly one of these people; an addict to creams, treatments, and procedures, I’ll do anything to get rid of a blemish or erase a potential wrinkle (yet I still have mediocre skin!).  I don’t want to spend a ton of money – and you shouldn’t either – but I believe we both have the right to smooth and flawless skin. So what to do for a babe on a budget?

Go elemental.

I’ve been thinking about the elements we’ve been taught since we were little in living an ideal lifestyle. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink enough water, and get some exercise. Right? I’ve found that a few specific foods help in the pursuit of this and give you smooth, supple skin too. Below find a few of these to get you started.

Elements for Perfect Skin

•drink at least 8 glasses of water per day

•include fruits and veggies in your diet including lots of dark, leafy greens

•consume food items that are rich in protein like egg whites, beans, and seeds

•avoid overly-processed foods

• include garlic in your diet

• substitute coffee for green tea, a powerful antioxidant

• cook with oils like omega-3 (fish oil), flax, and olive oils (extra virgin)

• snack on almonds – they have vitamin E which is great for the skin

What has worked for you?  Post your feedback below!

-NC

I love this moisturizer. The sheer color is great in the summertime when you don’t feel like wearing foundation and it smooths the skin without leaving too much of a shiny glaze on my face. Plus it has an SPF of 15 which is required of a moisturizer by my book. There are two major downsides – the first is that I don’t really enjoy how the plastic tube dispenses the product as I can only get a small bit at a time. Which is probably a good thing leading to my second point – it’s kinda pricey.

My skin had started to break out on the side of my face so I naturally went looking for the culprit. That day I changed my pillowcases and minded what I ate and drank more water. But after noticing that I’ve had a few of my larger makeup brushes for quite some time, I figured they could be to blame for my breakout and decided they were due for a cleaning. I asked a makeup artist how to clean them properly without the brushes losing shape.

I discovered that very best way to clean them is with hand soap and warm water. Dry them off with a towel, lay them on their side on the towel so the brush hangs freely over the sink or counter. Try to reshape them when they are still wet. You don’t want to stand them up because the water will go into the brush part and loosen the glue. FYI- you clean paint brushes the same way! You’ll have them forever…unless they’re cheap!

One of the most important and oftentimes overlooked items to have handy is a great eye primer. I forgot about how essential this is until I re-discovered Benefit’s LemonAid in my drawer (don’t you hate it when you have so much stuff you forget that it exists?!).

The re-discovery reminded me of a product by Clinique called Touch Base for eyes that I used to swear by in college, when my roomate was working for them part-time at Macy’s and we lived off the gratis.

A few weeks ago on a trek through Sephora I picked one up and alas have already run out.

It comes in several shades (my favorite is ‘canvas’) and what I love most about it is the texture. It blends smoothly and provides adequate coverage without appearing cake-like or creamy. Check it out and let me know what you think!

9/10