Moisturizer

I’ve Been Holding Out On Y’all

Posted on April 11, 2008 by daneen in Dry Skin, Eczema, Holy Grail, Moisturizer, Rosacea | 5 Comments

I’ve been holding out on y’all. Not on purpose, though.

Just now, I was searching around the blog – taking inventory, if you will, of what products I’ve tested thus far. When I went looking for my glowing review of Atopalm’s MLE Cream, it was nowhere to be found.

I must have told so many people about this miraculous moisturizer that I tricked myself into thinking I had reviewed it on Spoiled Pretty. But, alas, I did not – so here’s the 411, without further ado.

There’s nothing special or sexy about the packaging, fragrance (it’s unscented), or name of this cream. But what I absolutely adore about this moisturizer is that Atopalm obviously put all of its resources into making a stellar product, rather than clever marketing.

Do you have dry skin? Do you suffer from dry flakes, no matter how much you moisturize? Is your skin extremely sensitive? Is rosacea your skin’s arch nemesis? Got a nasty case of eczema? Then you need to get this wonder cream!

Atopalm MLE Cream has plant-derived ingredients to aid in the replenishment of natural skin lipids to form a protective barrier against the elements. It also helps prevent the over evaporation of the skin’s own moisture. And it helps in restoring the skin barrier depleted by microdermabrasion, facial peels, and other harsh treatments. It can be used on both the face and the body, is suitable for adults and children, and is side-effect free!

MLE Cream is the only moisturizer that quenched my perpetually parched face this winter. It fully hydrated my skin without turning greasy, even hours later.

Atopalm products are available at Amazon.com, CVS.com, and SkinStore.com.

All Night Long: Prescriptives Is Good In Bed

Posted on April 2, 2008 by daneen in Moisturizer, Tan | 1 Comment

My new beloved beauty buy is Prescriptives Good In Bed Skin Restoring Night Moisturizer. All night long, this ingenious treatment nourishes and hydrates skin while subtle tanners work to enhance your natural color – so you wake up with a “morning after” glow!

I’ve been diligently applying this cream every night before I hit the sheets – and it does everything it promises. Plus, the soothing scent helps lull me to sleep.

Bottom line: Good In Bed is a dream come true.

Nighttime Is The Right Time

Posted on January 19, 2008 by daneen in Moisturizer, Skin Care | Leave a comment

While you sleep, your skin is hard at work repairing and renewing itself. Which is why it is so important to cleanse your face before your head hits the pillow. One more step you might want to consider is a night cream. According to experts, nighttime is the right time to hydrate and pamper your skin – because skin loses more water in the wee hours, and is also more receptive to active ingredients.

One of my new favorites is PCA Skin ReBalance, a nourishing and soothing treatment that helps to repair reddened, irritated or traumatized skin. It’s so gentle that it’s also recommended following chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and laser resurfacing procedures. ReBalance is ideal for use on the face, neck and chest, and safe for all skin types and conditions, including rosacea.

Used regularly, your face will look fresher and more awake!

Shiny, Unhappy People

Posted on January 3, 2008 by daneen in Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Face, Moisturizer, Oily Skin | Leave a comment

I thought I was done being Miss Greasy Face. In September, I waved goodbye to the oil slick that had summer vacationed on my t-zone. Little did I realize it would be home for the holidays.

I love the way super-rich winter moisturizers soothe my chapped, flaky face; my skin is so thirsty in the morning that it just drinks in the moisture. But by 10 am, I’m rummaging in my purse for my powder compact. And at the end of the day, I’m dabbing at my face with napkins left over from my Saladworks lunch.

If I could get away with the same gel moisturizer I use during warm months, I would; but as luck would have it, when I try wearing a lightweight moisturizer in the winter, I end up looking something like this…

crackinup 259 Shiny, Unhappy People
Well, thanks to Eve Lom Moisturiser SPF 15, the oil slick took another vacation – which I think will be a permanent one. Somehow it manages to pamper my parched skin, without any shine or greasy residue; I apply a liberal amount in the AM and I’m shine-free all day – and all night. I would recommend this moisturizer to anyone, regardless of skin type. It’s just that good.

Isn’t it time you learned all about Eve? Eve Lom products are available at Space NK and evelom.com.

Rocket Science

Posted on December 14, 2007 by daneen in Celebrities, Face, Holy Grail, Moisturizer | 1 Comment

“The folly of one man is the fortune of another; for no man prospers so suddenly as by others’ errors.” – Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

More than forty years ago, aerospace physicist Dr. Max Huber suffered a horrific accident. A routine experiment exploded in his face, covering him with severe chemical burns. Neither science nor medicine offered a treatment to minimize his scarring, so Huber decided to help himself. Twelve years and 6,000 experiments later, he perfected a product that has been dubbed “the miracle cream.” In the case of Crème de la Mer, the folly of one man is the fortune of thousands of women…and now I am one of them.

Typically, it takes a few weeks to see results from a new face treatment; but with Crème de la Mer, it only took me two days to notice a drastic improvement in the quality of my skin.

Concentrated ingredients – including sea kelp, essential vitamins and minerals, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa and sunflower – are combined into a ‘Miracle Broth’, distilled, and fermented for three to four months. Then this nutrient-rich mixture is then hand-poured into jars, as not to disturb it delicate balance.

I can honestly say that when it comes to Crème de la Mer, the myth is indeed reality. There is a reason why it has achieved cult status. I now understand why Jennifer Lopez uses it all over her body – and we thought that J.Lo glow was the result of makeup. Only now can I appreciate why Victoria Beckham says it’s the one beauty product she can’t live without.

What I love so much about the cream is that it provides instant gratification. To activate the broth and release its key ingredients, warm a small amount between your fingertips. As you pat onto clean, dry skin, you will instantly feel the soothing effects of the cream.

Crème de la Mer may appear thick in the jar, but it simply sinks into skin – leaving it soft and luxuriously hydrated, with a youthfully dewy finish. Using other facial moisturizers, I would need to reapply throughout the day to treat dry patches – or apply powder to offset excess shine. With Crème de la Mer, I don’t have those problems – in fact, I haven’t been wearing makeup the past few days because my skin looks so radiant without it. It’s like I’m walking around with special lighting. Apply it in the AM and PM – that’s all it takes. And, as a bonus, the soft fragrance helps to calm me as I fall asleep at night.

At $125 for an ounce (or $1,350 for 16.5 oz), the price tag is a little frightening. But I think I’m just going to have to bite the bullet – because the thought of going back to some ‘regular’ moisturizer is a much scarier thought.

Put this on your holiday wish list: La Mer’s Holiday 2007 Gifts of Beauty, exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

The Essential Collection gift set combines three of La Mer’s most coveted products, and is ideal for both newcomers and longtime La Mer devotees. The Connoisseur Collection include the Crème de La Mer and Eye Concentrate in two lacquered boxes. Looking for a stocking stuffer to spoil someone (or yourself) pretty? Look no further than The Lip Balm, which works on contact to soften and hydrate.

Bling Blang

Posted on November 27, 2007 by daneen in Lipstick, Moisturizer | Leave a comment

Got some extra room in your $18,000 Goyard/Lancome train case? Good news – La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Luxe Cream now comes in a refillable jar, be-dazzled with 2,400 handset Swarovski crystals. This dramatic firming treatment provides skin with vital nutrients, including a Caviar Firming Complex to hydrate, nourish and pamper skin. Only 610 pieces were produced worldwide – and one of those babies can be yours for the low, low price of $2,000.

Got some more disposable income – like $62,000 worth? Earlier this month, Guerlain introduced KissKiss Gold and Diamonds, a lipstick custom-designed in France, adorned with 18-carat yellow gold and paved with 199 diamonds, weighing in at 2.2 carats. Housed in a black lacquered wooden case, KissKiss Gold and Diamonds is refillable and accompanied by its own lip brush and protective black suede pouch. The gold encasing can be customized with a name or message engraving and the lipstick is available in 15 customizable shades hand selected by Guerlain’s Artistic Director, Olivier Echaudemaison.

If you’re thinking that $62,000 is a bit steep, but $56,808 is more up your alley, The New York Post has a great idea for pinching some pennies – have the store ship it to you for a $12.75 fee, and save $5,192.50 in sales tax. What a steal!

The KissKiss Gold and Diamonds lipstick is available at Guerlain Boutiques at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus San Francisco, The Breakers West Palm Beach and Epcot through private appointment only.

Breakup Makeup

Posted on November 27, 2007 by daneen in Cleanser, Eye Shadow, Lipgloss, Makeup Remover, Moisturizer, Nail Polish, Nails | 1 Comment

When we get our hearts broken, emotions run the gamut. We heal ourselves through tears, fill our iPods with sad love songs, and use Häagen-Dazs as an analgesic. But when things are going bad, sometimes the best revenge is looking good.

Newly single gals can paint the town (and their nails) red with Orly’s Divorcée 6-Pix. The collection includes 50/50, Pawn the Ring, It’s Not Me, It’s You, One Night Stand, See Yah, and Take Him To The Cleaners.

Got a friend going through a breakup? Buy her Hard Candy’s Mix Tape in Breakup Mix. It takes a lot less effort than making a real one, and she’ll look cute to boot. The palette feature three eye shadows and three lip glosses, so you can create a mix of color to match your mood. All the shades are made to coordinate, so it’s impossible to come up with a bad combination.

Benefit’s dear john lustrous facial cream is like a ‘moisture magnet’ for your skin. Use day or night to moisturize and put lustre back into your complexion. Voted “best face cream” by Elle magazine in 2006.

MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil from Boscia is a miraculously different and extremely gentle way to deep cleanse, by breaking up all makeup, dissolving impurities and refreshing congested skin without leaving an oily residue.