Tag Archives: CV Skinlabs

Travel Skincare Diaries

October 15, 2013

I love skincare minis for travel. Sometimes I’ll even order full-size from certain places just so I can get those minis (Spirit Beauty Lounge, you complete me). Anyone else hoarding minis in a bin under the sink? I find travel can be a great way to test products. Here’s the discoveries I made this past weekend in DC.

I started testing the S.W. Basics Cleanser last week and couldn’t bear to leave it at home for four days. I knew that it would save my skin from any travel breakouts. It’s actually sold in a 1 oz. version so you can bring it with you. The formula is so simple and effective, just three ingredients: organic rosewater, glycerin and tea tree oil. Shake it up, dab it on a cotton pad, spread it over your face and then rinse with warm water. It’s incredibly gentle and is really making me rethink how I cleanse my face.

I had a mini sample of Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Serum that I’d been saving for just the right trip. Two days would have been too short and I would have ended up throwing part of it away. There is surprisingly a lot of product in those tear away samples! Kahina’s Eye Serum is beyond — I need to upgrade to a full-size stat. It is lightweight, which is great for day and night, but seriously powerful. We’re talking peptides to restore collagen, argan oil and sodium hyaluronate to plump skin, alfalfa to soothe and a botanical complex to depuff and lighten up dark circles. It has a cooling effect on skin, too, which feels so good in the morning.

I just can’t with hotel body wash. I need that touch of home in the shower, so prefer to bring my own. I’m hooked on Molton Brown and the Patchouli & Saffron Body Wash smells insanely good. Intoxicatingly good. There’s a leather note in there that is so sexy. Plus, my husband could use it, too. The mini was cute, but how adorable is the full-size bottle?

I am a body oil convert, but they can be tricky to pack. Plus, I was excited to try the CV Skinlabs Body Repair lotion. I literally squeezed every last drop from the sample I packed. If you have any type of skin irritation—eczema, dry skin, etc. – this is for you. Every ingredient serves a healing purpose. The founder created this line when her dad was fighting cancer to help him with the side effects on his hair, skin and nails. It’s completely non-toxic and feels wonderful on skin. Dry hotel air did not get the best of me.

Up next? A long weekend in Minneapolis.

The List: October 2013

October 4, 2013

I think we’re all pretty jazzed that it’s October. I’ve seen this quote from the Anne of Green Gables author no fewer than a dozen times this week in my Instagram and Pinterest feeds. October is pretty magical, though. What’s not to love about the first real chill of fall and leaves changing colors? Here’s everything I’m loving for the month ahead!

Feminine fragrance. Once September wraps, it’s time to retire my summer scent. I’ve been looking for an ultra-feminine fragrance for fall, in part to balance out the “boyfriend” style wardrobe I love in the fall. Oversized everything is just so cozy! When I was previewing the new beauty floor at Macy’s a few weeks ago, I spritzed on the new Estee Lauder Modern Muse. The ladies at the counter explained to me how there are two different scent profiles that you may pick up, depending on your body chemistry. There’s the woodsy vanilla and amber musk side or jasmine and dewy citrus. The jasmine hit me right away and I’ve been wearing it every day since.

Glittery nails. I’m obsessed with the butter LONDON “Rock Your Colour” glitters for fall, especially Indigo Punk and the rust-colored Brown Sugar. Just look at this color! When the sun hits them, they glisten like crazy.

Balms, butters and more balms. With the cooler temps, I’m all in with balms. After a steamy bath, I slather my entire body in them. Ellovi Butter, rich in coconut, macadamia, marula, hemp and shea (those are the only five ingredients!), melts into skin like, well…butter. It’s not heavy at all, making it the perfect October balm. I’ve started to test the Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm and so far, it lives up to all the praise it has earned. And I’ve discovered the perfect alternative to Aquaphor with CV SkinLabs Restorative Balm. It’s packed with anti-histamine, -oxidants and -inflammatories so it actually heals and soothes!

Cherry lips. Just a tint of red is what you’ll get from Fresh Sugar Cherry. Add a messy bun and a chambray shirt and it’s like you walked out of a J. Crew catalog.

Exfoliation. My cleansing ritual is getting a major upgrade this month. I’ve started to use May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt, a blend of cleansing clays, spices and salts that you blend with water to activate. It’s like microderm at home but your skin is soft and plump afterward instead of “scrubbed.”

Boy shirts. I love men’s flannel shirts and am counting down the days until I can wear them on the regular. The more fem version from Madewell is majorly inspiring me. And, I spy a budget version of that skirt at Target. How cute would this outfit be with tights and boots?

Twas A Night For Green Beauty

September 6, 2013

I’m back from a quick 36-hour jaunt to NYC for A Night for Green Beauty. You know what happens when you bring together a group of fanatical beauty bloggers, makeup artists, editors, brands and juice-spiked cocktails? Really amazing discussions on things like, which natural deodorant did you wear to the party? For the record, the answers were really interesting – the Green Product Junkie even whipped out a roll-on tube of Milk of Magnesia on the spot. And the proof is in the pudding, ladies. Take a good look at the glowing skin of these green gurus and you will be an instant natural skincare convert. Lina Hanson is so beautiful you almost can’t look at her directly and I really just can’t EVEN with May Lindstrom. Stunning.

While breaking down an entire night of green beauty goodness will be tough, I’ll give it a go!

Pretty little Lurk fragrance oils

One of the stylists at James Corbett Salon sat me down in his chair for a much-needed refresh with Tela Organics hair care. I usually give the stank eye to stylists who come at me with a paste but I’m glad I was feeling risky or I never would have discovered the Tela Beach Hair. The oomph it gave to my roots was pure sexpot. I now know never to doubt when shea butter is involved. This won’t be the last you hear from me on this product!

ILIA’s Sasha Plavsic and me

ILIA Founder Sasha Plavsic shared some deets on new launches. Look out for a new gold highlighter to come this holiday and reformulated mascaras. Also, you need to try the ILIA Lipstick Crayon in Call Me. It’s the perfect girly pink I’ve been searching for like ever.

La Bella Figura is at it again with exotic travel-inspired fragrance oils. This time, they brought to scent their experiences from San Miguel, Istanbul and Positano. I’m partial to San Miguel, which Victoria will vividly paint the picture of how it came to be based on her experiences in the city during Dia De Los Muertos and how the streets smelled of fresh bread, cocoa, cinnamon, wildflowers and incense.

Lina Hanson is also working on taking the fresh grapefruit and vanilla aroma of her new Global Body Serum and turning it into a fragrance. And, for moms of wee ones, she is also launching a Baby Serum this fall.

I chatted with team Kjaer Weis, pressing for details on the new foundation coming and getting in some physical exercise by doing reps with the weighty compacts! I’d be one happy gal if my makeup bag was filled to the brim, even if it caused lower back pain! I need to get on the taupe eye shadow Wisdom stat.

Alexandra of Revolution Organics touching up Katie of the Green Product Junkie

Summer may be fleeting but bronzer is here to stay. Revolution Organics Co-founder Alexandra Zanella showed me how to use the Bronzed Freedom Glow to bring life to the face. A fun and easy trick that actually makes you look like you were in the sun? Blending ever so slightly a dab on the tip of your nose.

After standing in my four-inch booties for hours, I was feeling the burn and onset of blisters. First time in boots all season is killer! It was fate that at that very moment I struck a conversation with Britta Aragon, founder of CV Skinlabs, who spritzed me down with her Rescue + Relief Spray. Instant cooling effect. I can see myself getting a little trigger happy with this mist!

Gotta love how this event all started with my Chicago ladies of La Bella Figura! Thanks for being such wonderful hosts.