My regimen is working: Jamaican-me 16!

Hello friends. Its been a bit. I apologize if you’ve been visiting and there’s been nothing freshly pressed for you. Alas, I was living up the island life in Jamaica. Which leads me to an important update. I really think my crazy skin care regimens are working! You can decide whether you agree with my evidence or not – and yes, it does relate to Jamaica.

As you know if you are reader, I am OB-SESSED with my skin and taking good care of it, and of course a slut for any good sounding  /smelling / feeling product. So, I have been testing all sorts of things on myself for a few months and I’ve decided that my Eye Hope (Philosophy) + general OCD of applying moisturizer is really paying off. Right now I am sticking with my Bliss (Click here for that post).

My evidence? Well, while in Jamaica, I was waiting at the bar to order some overly sugary frozen concoction when the bartender asked how old I was. I told him I was 29 and he said ” No mon, you look 16″. As my near and dear friends the Blumberg’s would say  (while they pump their fists) “Puh-POW”!. Score one for me! Take it as you will – but I took it as some good news.  For your viewing pleasure – a picture of our resort, and a picture of the evidence that my skin is looking silky smooth (yes, thats a Zohan reference).

On an un-related note, you will notice that I did decide to grow out the bangs. I am a hair chameleon! Thus far, happy with my decision (click here for previous bang debates!).

Next on my list

Ok so I’ve been in the mix with a few new regimines. #1 – Bliss Triple Oxygen + C Engergizing cream. Prognosis – LOVE IT! Love it love it love it. Regmine # 2- Cor silver soap. Prognosis – jury is out. Its luscious feeling but I am not sure about what its doing for my skin. I think its too soon to tell so more to come. Click here to read my post on these two products.

With a pretty solid arsenal going right now I felt a bit lost – so I needed to start obsessing about something new!  If you are a regular reader you will know that I have been having an internal struggle for months about my bangs. Well I have finally decided that I am growing them out. The problem is, I have fine lines on my forehead that I guess I just didn’t really notice for the past year because of my damn bangs. DRATS! I am only 29 and I will not believe that these are real wrinkles. I think I can fix this without botox. I just can’t go down that path. Not before my 35th birthday.

SO – this week I am finally going to pull the trigger on some high-end shizzzzz. I did test out some Dr Brandt Lineless Eyes that worked pretty well but I am going to bypass that in favor of a Peter Thomas Roth product. FIRMx Growth Factor Extreme Neuropeptide Serum. That is a mouthful for sure – but with all these big crazy words I feel like it has to work! Just kidding, that’s not why I think it will work. I think it will work because every review I’ve read says its magic. Its comes at a cost – $150. But you can’t put a price on great skin my friends.

Click here to read more about it on Sephora!

And now that I am thinking about it – I just may need to spring for some at home peel pads while I am at it!

Lotion in motion

BLOG BLASPHEMY! Its been days. I am stillllll sick. I am working horrendous hours. I need some gorgeous intervention b/c I look pretty much like I just walked out of a methadone clinic. It’s not good.  I am not being hard on myself though, because this is just a tough patch and soon enough its going to be full spring weather and I will be healthy and happ again.

Today’s post is again about skin care. How do you apply your facial moisturizer? I used to be pretty haphazard about it. Until I realized something. You know when you are getting a facial how the gals tend to put everything on your face in a circular motion? I just thought they were doing that because it feels good. Well apparently it’s because applying the lotion in circular motion stimulates circulation. AH HA! I feel kind of dumb for not realizing this, but nobody is perfect! So I figured I would share my findings in case you are in the dark too. And I just had the most divine facial a few weeks ago at Exhale in Boston…. sooooo worth it if you are in the area!

New products! Tested on Ambers, not animals

I had to steal that line from my sister. It’s pretty hilarious and absolutely true. If you are a Go Gorgeous regular you know I am on a quest to find the perfect moisturizer.  I am just about done with a month’s supply of Hope in a Jar by Philosophy. Even though this product gets rave reviews, I just found it to be average.  Nothing wrong with it but it didn’t make me jump for joy either.  I am REALLY digging the Philosophy Eye Hope though – this has DEFINITELY reduced fine lines around my eyes so I will keep this on the roster.

I was having pipe dreams this morning and even went so far as to add La Mer to my cart on Amazon. Keep dreaming honey.  I pulled myself back down off the cloud of denial  I was perched on and instead opted for Bliss Triple Oxygen + C energizing cream (Click here to get it on Amazon).

Since I’ve not yet tried this product, I’ve posted Amazon’s product description to give you a hint on what it’s all about:

” What it is: A lightweight gel-cream that hydrates, brightens, and instantly revives dull, stressed skin.

What it is formulated to do: Treat your skin to a revitalizing trio of oxygenating ingredients and an advanced form of vitamin C to revive fatigued, sallow skin and achieve fresh-from-the-shower, dewy glow. The perfect pairing of star ingredients (oxygen and vitamin C) helps the skin rebound from external and internal stresses. Like an at-home version of Bliss Spa’s Triple Oxygen Treatment Facial, it delivers a targeted burst of O2 to help support cell respiration, reinforce collagen synthesis, improve skin hydration, and breathe new life into a lackluster complexion. You will see results after a single use.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:- Parabens- Sulfates- Petrochemicals- Phthalates- GMOs- TriclosanWhat else you need to know:This treatment’s unique version of vitamin C is lipid-soluble meaning your skin absorbs it more readily. It also helps promote collagen synthesis while brightening and evening skintone, and is nonirritating to sensitive types.”

MMMM HMMMM. That sounds like a winner to me.  This my friends could be the one!

On a separate yet related note one of the reasons I love doing this blog is that friends and fellow product addicts turn me onto new brands I’ve never heard about before.  My friend, S.B. (I will keep it to initials because this is actually a nickname she may not want me to share) just told me about Cor – a skincare line made from nano-silver and silica – products used to speed cell recovery in burn victims. Pretty exotic and hard-core!

Of course I was intrigued by this.  I’ve read up on it a bit and I’ve seen some great reviews and some that say it’s too drying. Everyone’s skin is different so this isn’t surprising. But, being that I am OBSESSED with keeping my skin looking young, and that this product claims to work in two weeks, I went for it and purchased a trial size bar for $14 on Amazon. (Click here to get your own).

The orders are placed so hopefully these guys should be delivered this week. I will have to get back to you on the prognosis once I have a good handle on whether they are worth their weight in silver (mwah ha ha).

Look sweet for your sweet

I have slacked again, and for that I am so very sorry! Back to business though. I got home tonight and realized that its T minus 4 days till that oh so special holiday people fear and love in equal parts – Valentines Day. There are so very many dating situations people will encounter this weekend. Whether it be a much-needed date with your partner, an extra special night with a new love, bringing to fruition a hook-up in the making or just a little hanky panky with a stranger – you better be prepared!!!

My whole reason for posting today is that your glamification process should have commenced by now. Valentines Day could be a big night for you – don’t leave any product trials, appointments or preparations until the weekend if you can avoid it. You are just asking for disaster. I am doing a Mario Badescu enzyme mask on my face tonight. Just in case I get red face or I break out, I have a few days to let it return to normalcy. 

This is a hydrating and revitalization mask. You can get this at mariobadescu.com, Nordi’s AKA Nordstrom and of course my most fave local makeup haunt, Rouge Cosmetics in Salem MA.

The key takeaway here – Rome wasnt built in a day. Get out your scrubs, your lotions, your exfoliators, call your esthetician. Get your glam on now so that come Valentine’s day you are not running around like a crazy person getting yourself ready. That way by Sunday (or Saturday – that’s when I’m celebrating)  you are refreshed, confident, glowing and ready to GO GORGEOUS for your big  night out on the town! Get it now?  Ahhhhh its all coming together.

You can’t win ‘em all

As much as I looooove Bliss products, I did come across one that I wasn’t digging. I got a hefty sample of the Naked Body Butter Lite which I tried over the weekend and I’m not feeling it. The upside is its fragrance free and not greasy. But I didn’t like how it smelled and I didn’t find it to be very moisturizing.

Not to fret, I still LOVE my Fabulous Foaming Facewash, Lemon Sage Body Butter and Soapy Sap Body Wash. This is why its important to be brand-agnostic when it comes to your beauty staples as not all products are created equal! Find out what a brand does well and try that versus just taking all the products of that brand for face value. And really read up on what people say about the products & stay on top of bestseller lists! I think thats the best path to a good product investment.

This find will not deter me from continuing to try more Bliss products. I am particularly intrigued by the Blood Orange & White Pepper collection. Sounds funky but quite interesting!

Click the button below to check out more Bliss products at Sephora!

Don’t forget!

 I was thinking earlier today as I put on my moisturizer how very important it is to moisturize your neck. Insert rickety old lady voice, substituting “Don’t forget to moisturize your neck” in place of  ”Don’t forget to wash behind your ears! ”

 I may sound like a whack job, but I do not have a Madonna-sized plastic surgery budget to work with and right now it’s all about preventive measures! The last thing I want for me and for you gorgeous lasses is to have turkey necks when we are in our 40s and 50s. Or, even fine lines. Gravity is ultimately going to win, but we can stave it off by taking good care of ourselves now! So, if you are making the efforts to apply moisturizer once or twice daily, make sure you get your neck too. It’s sensitive skin and prone to the same effects of aging as your face. I am a paranoid freak when it comes to this stuff but I am hoping all of my ruthless lotion vigilantism pays off for me in the long run!

Dream creme

This is not a pervy post so take your mind right out of that gutter.  It’s all about an innocent and pure hand crème. Since it got cold I have gone crazy trying to find a hand crème. It sounds so simple but it’s really not. You want something that is super moisturizing but doesn’t leave your hands greasy. Unfortunately for me I have bought a few so far that have not worked. I will call out Body Shop because I am so annoyed by their Hemp hand crème. They say its one of their best products – LIES! It sucks – don’t do it!   It’s the very definition of greasy and really doesn’t moisturize at all. I really am unsure what it does to be honest.

I will leave off the other lotions & cremes that didn’t meet the mark because they really didn’t offend me as much as the Body Shop and will focus on the hand crème of my dreams – Arbonne FC5 Ultra-hydrating hand crème.  I was turned onto Arbonne only a short time ago – the products are organic and high quality based on what I’ve tried so far (check out my post on the Awaken Salt scrub).

Anyway, I just started using the hand crème and I cannot get enough of it. It smells great, not too potent and the scent is soft and clean. It certainly does the job in the moisture department- my hands feel like baby skin, no lie. AND it’s not greasy at all. It has a matte feeling quality, if that is even possible. It dries so quickly, right after I put it on I can type away at my desk or driving and my hands aren’t slipping all over the place. I can also touch my hair without making it look like a mangy mess by the end of the day (yep, I am a hair-fusser, I can’t help it, its like a nervous tick).

Anyway – this is guaranteed to please and very much worth a try. They do sell smaller sample sizes if you aren’t ready for the full commitment.  Boston gals- hit me up if you are  interested, I can hook you up with a local consultant. If you aren’t local, you can get it on Amazon too!

Muddy indulgence or muddy mess?

I’ve had an exceptionally rough couple of days. My first instinct is to drink my face off but that will only add to the misery – see, look how much I’ve grown up in just one year! Plus, I already feel like I’ve put on my “winter coat” (the few pounds most people add when the weather gets chilly and you become a shut in) and I don’t need drinking bloat face on top of the winter coat when I am working so hard to shed it!

So, I decided that I would be constructive and do something that would maybe make me feel better and also take my mind off things. What did I decide to do you ask? I am gearing up to try an AHAVA Dead Sea Mineral Mud body mask. That was a mouthful…                                                  

Here is the description, plagiarized from AHAVA’s website, because I am too lazy to come up with a witty description at this moment:

” Rich, black mineral mud, harvested from the banks of the Dead Sea, is comprised of layer upon layer of sedimentary clay formed over thousands of years. Captured within is an extremely high concentration of minerals, scientifically proven to be essential in maintaining healthy skin. Ahava Black Mineral Mud works deep to clean, purify and restore the skin’s natural moisture balance, leaving it smooth, radiant and revitalized.”

If this doesn’t sound like the most luscious, exotic treatment you can do at home I would love to hear what you are doing in your spare time!

My muddy inspiration? I had whole body mud mask treatment when I stayed at Canyon Ranch a few summers ago and I was amazed at how soft and silky my skin felt. It was one of the craziest experiences – someone actually painted it onto me and then covered me in plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Intense! The disappointing part is that I am not a celebrity and I cannot afford to steal away to Canyon Ranch when I have a bad day . The light at the end of the tunnel is that I can certainly swing a four pack of these baiches (read – bitches…long story) for $28!

Just holding the little satchel it comes in relaxes me, it feels very squishy and cool. For all you athletes out there - this is meant to treat sore muscles too, you just heat it up instead of applying it as is.

The only problem with my master plan - I am assuming this will be a messy and complicated application. I don’t even think my bathroom is big enough for me to maneuver this.  BUT I am going to go for it anyway. I will look like a muddy monster in there for about 15 minutes but I am sure my husband has seen scarier things (lets hope so anyway).  I do have a feeling it will be well worth my efforts, and I will report back with my findings tomorrow!

Find it at Amazon ~ $25 for a four-pack

My grown-up Christmas list

I listened to so many GD christmas songs this year I only think in christmas lyrics, hence the blog title. If you’ve read the blog you will know that I had a lot of products on my list this year. I ended up with two things – one of my tried & true’s and a newbie – my Bliss Fabulous foaming face wash AND Philosophy Eye Hope - YIPPEEEE! My husband was “smaaaht” (Boston-speak for smart) enough to get me the industrial sized face wash. I am also SOO very excited for my Eye Hope. I only started using it Christmas morning so the jury is still out BUT I am going to do it twice a day and see what’s what in a few weeks.

I also had Philosophy Hope in A Jar on my list, but I didn’t get it. I am A-OK with that though, because as a Sephora Beauty Insider, I just got a fatty sample of Clarins Extra Firming Day Creme. 

Shopping for others at Sephora.com is the gift that keeps on giving if you are a Beauty Insider.  For example, the Clarins sample I got was little over an ounce of day creme. 1.7 Oz. retails for $78… so do the math. That’s about $40 bucks worth of high-end face creme for all my hard work shopping for me and my lovely lady friends!

So far, I really like the Clarins face creme.  It’s technically for women over 40 – which I am about a decade away from.  I don’t see the harm in using it at this stage. I will have to ask my esthetician next time I go. If it reduces the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and its free – it’s for me!

So back to my christmas scores – my sister got me Benefit Sugar Bomb. It’s a really pretty blush that combines four different colors.  My skin is quite pale right now and it gives me just a little hint of peachy-rosiness.  Note to gals who are looking for a very aggressive blush/bronzer - this isn’t it. It’s very sheer – so I do a bit of bronzer on cheek bones, forehead, chin, under chin for contour and forehead and then dust this on the apples of my cheeks and along my cheekbones. Perfection! My love for Benefit is a well established fact at this point.

AND THEN – it only gets better! One of the gals on my team got me Arbonne’s Awaken Sea Salt Scrub.

I automatically liked it because it smells like sugary-citrus. That is my favorite bath/shower scent because its sweet and fresh.  I have used the scrub twice so far and my face feels great afterward. I figure a few times a week will be plenty, and it will make the product last longer! I am so smart.

Finally – I also scored a $50 Sephora gift card, which I obviously ALREADY used. It was burning a hole in my pocket! I was tempted to grab Philosophy Hope in a Jar but I was all out of my most favorite product, Benefit That Gal. I am also running low on my YSL mascara so I decided to use it to stock up on my staples.

All in all – a VERY successful holiday as it relates to furthering my beautification.   My skin better look hottsie tottsie after all these products and treatments! There is one little leftover product I have been pining away for since October that I am going to have to pick up in the next few days – Trish McEvoy Blackberry & Vanilla fragrance. Luckily I have a little bit of Pink Sugar left to carry me through. Even though its my signature scent I am going to go off the grid and rock some Trish for a bit and see how I like it!