Mocha Rose Lip Balm = awesome

If you're still on the hunt for last minute holiday gifts or affordable stocking stuffers, you should consider giving goodies from the Rosebud Perfume Company. All Rosebud products are paraben, phthalate, and sulfate free. The simple packaging is very practical, and I love the vintage, old-timey feel of the cute little tins.


While sifting through the random contents of a Chicago fashion week swag bag, I found a Mocha Rose Lip Balm from Rosebud buried at the bottom. Rosebud Salve, already cult favorite of skin-care junkies, can be used as a healing moisturizer on chapped lips, dry hands, cuts, scrapes, or anywhere else your skin needs a little kick of TLC. It is often a staple in makeup artists kits, so it stands to reason that Rosebud's lip balms would be just as fantastic. 
I've been using the Mocha Rose ever since that night, and never leave the house without it anymore. Shea butter, vitamin E, and essential oils make this product a must-have for flaky winter lips. The formula is moist and soft, not greasy or sticky, and leaves your lips with a slightly dewy finish. My lips stay soft for hours after the shine is gone, and they haven't been chapped at all since the weather turned cold. The Mocha Rose scent is like rich cocoa, with a hint of coffee, but doesn't overpower. Although it does have a rosy pink color in the tin, it shows up colorless on the lips.

You can purchase the Rosebud Perfume Company Lip Balms at Blue Mercury or Sephora for about 7 dollars. However, you may as well pony up the 16 dollars for the Rosebud SET, which includes two full size lip balms and a full size of the multipurpose Rosebud Salve. This would make a great holiday gift for anyone.
 

smooth skin for the holidays

Don't waste your time buying bad presents that will be exchanged for a mediocre handbag. Avoid getting crappy makeup and a chintzy "gift-with-purchase" that will remain in your aunt's bathroom closet for the next two years. Gift-givers get sucked in by the fancy packaging and end up buying horrid cosmetics sets every holiday. This year, if you're going to spend money, buy presents that people will actually use. I've already wandered the stores to find the best skin care gifts and weed out the junk. The season's best holiday sets are running out quickly, and these are a few of my favorites so far:

• Clarisonic Mia is the perfect gift for the man or woman who is very serious about their skin care, already faithful to their favorite serums and potions, and looking to add a boost to their existing routine. Clarisonic Mia is one of the products that you may have heard beauty professionals rely for their own personal use. I know loads of people in this business who won't go on an overnight trip without it in their bag. Invented by the creators of the Sonicare toothbrush, this gentle buffer can be used with any facial cleanser for an even deeper cleaning with an extra boost of exfoliation. Clarisonic is 149 dollars, and available at Sephora or at most department stores.

• Kiehl's Ultimate Men's Set has an exfoliating body bar, daily face wash, healing hand lotion, brushless shaving cream, and the cult favorite Facial Fuel Moisturizer. This gift set is fantastic for men who already love the brand, but still simple enough for the guys who are new to the world of skin care. At 50 dollars, the price is so right. I saw one this while cruising the aisles at Saks Fifth Avenue, and Kiehl's is available nationwide in most fine department stores.

• I was really impressed by the Prevage Advanced Skin Care Set, which includes the anti-aging eye cream (a personal favorite of mine), daytime moisturizer with SPF 30, anti-aging body moisturizer, night cream, and the advanced serum. If you aren't familiar with Prevage, it was created by Allergan Dermatology. You may recognize that name, because they are the same laboratory responsible for Botox and Latisse. Rest assured that this powerful anti-aging cosmeceutical collection is well worth the 155 dollar price tag, because buying these items individually costs more than twice that much. This set is exclusive to Nordstrom stores only.

• Buying for someone when you don't really know their skin concerns can be extremely difficult. Giorgio Armani Skin Care has a self-adjusting universal formula that works well for ALL types of skin, whether it's aging, dry, sensitive, or acne-prone. (This philosophy is reflected in the company's motto, "One cream for a lifetime.") Giorgio Armani's Crema Nera gift set includes travel-friendly sizes of the entire skin care line, including the new Obsidian Mineral Firming Serum everyone is raving about. The 250 dollar price tag may sound steep for a gift set, but is a steal for a sampler of an entire luxury skin care line. The serum alone retails for that exact price. This is a wonderful gift for introducing someone to the line, or for anyone who travels frequently. Look for this one at Neiman Marcus and select Nordstrom locations.

new work

Annette has an unforgettable face. You may have seen it before if you've ever flipped through an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog.

Shooting with her is a dream, and hanging out with her is just as fun!

 

Side note: I just realized that I am now ONE degree of separation away from Bruce Weber. Freakin' cool.

photography: Escalante

everything else: me

DIY holiday beauty gifts

Last week, I was asked to post some more home-grown DIY skin care gift ideas for the holidays. You will  need some glass storage jars, a few minutes in the kitchen, and a quick trip to a craft store to pick up the art supplies you may need to personalize or decorate your gifts. Here are a few new recipes for you, and they perfectly compliment some of the recipes I posted last year.There are many different exfoliants right in your kitchen cabinet. Several body scrubs use sugar because it is so gentle on the skin, but some people prefer the coarser grains of a salt scrub.
Salt has been known for centuries for it's healing properties and time has proved it to be a relaxing way to soak sore and tired muscles. Creating your own therapeutic scented bath salt is easy. Use one tablespoon of baking soda for each cup of salt used, and add a few drops (usually 10 to 20, depending on the strength of the fragrance) of your favorite essential oil for scent. It doesn't matter whether you use epsom salt, rock salt, sea salt, or rock salt, and some formulas mix them all together.

This one makes an awesome scrub for dry and tired feet.

Peppermint Foot Scrub
*1 cup dead sea salt
*1/3 cup sunflower oil or other carrier oil of choice
*10 drops peppermint essential oil, 5 drops lavender. Mix well and store in an airtight jar. Stir again before using.
 
Coffee grounds also make a wonderful exfoliator and they are loaded with antioxidants.Caffeine also acts as a vasoconstrictor, reduces puffiness (this is why caffeine extract is often an ingredient in many cosmetic eye creams), and may also temporarily lessen the appearance of some varicose veins.


My personal favorite coffee recipe...

Vanilla Body Scrub
*1 teaspoon vanilla essential oil
*1 teaspoon cinnamon
*1 cup coffee grounds
*1/3 cup hazelnut oil or other carrier oil of choice
Mix ingredients in a glass bowl, store in an airtight jar, and stir well before using. You'll be baby-soft and smell like dessert.

Feel free to experiment with different variations on these recipes. Essential oils can be found at most local health food stores. Either combine them for their aromatherapy benefits or to create your own signature scent. Honey has natural healing and moisturizing properties, and can be added to almost anything. Your carrier oil is the base that holds all the ingredients together, and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. Choose an oil that doesn't go rancid very quickly, and these products may be stored and used for up to a year. Sunflower oil is a favorite because it absorbs so quickly and has a long shelf life. Nut oils (macadamia and hazelnut) are amazing for their sweet scent and hydration properties, but don't give a gift to someone without forgetting to ask if they have a nut allergy first.
Happy holidays!!!