Category Archives: natural beauty

tata harper aromatic treatments

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tata harper aromatic treatments

lately i find myself in a state of entrepreneurial mania. as an independent sales representative working with two national brands and one budding fragrance company, a blogger and brand ambassador times two, it’s easy to feel like my head is spinning in many different directions at any given moment. i’m also getting ready to launch another exciting project next month and while i am beyond thrilled with everything i have going on, it can start to feel like a bit too much on one plate. i know this feeling is not unique to me so i had to share just one of the ways that i’m keeping calm and carrying on.

tata harper is a 100% natural organic and nontoxic anti-aging skincare company. rooted in the belief that stress is one of the leading causes of premature aging, the line is complete with an aromatherapy line of mood treatments that promote wellness, stability, and vitality. their trio of essential botanical oils help to maintain a sense of calm, balance, and wellness.  when applied to the pulse points on the insides of your wrists, behind your ears, and on the sides of your neck, they work to help you relax, reduce irritability, and de-stress.

bedtime treatment: mandarin (calms the mind and acts as a mild sedative), melissa oils (inner contentment), clary sage (deep relaxation), lavender (soothes, relaxes, calms)

irritability treatment: roman chamomile (comforts, calms), bergamot (relieves irritation and anger), patchouli (stabilizes and grounds)

stress treatment: linden blossom (calms), rose otto (alleviates anxiety), fresh neroli (uplifts and soothes nerves), frankincense (deepens breathing)

i haven’t always been the biggest holistic healing believer, but i will say that whether it’s truly psychological or a bunch of hooey, taking thirty seconds to calm down and center myself daily is an essential part of my beauty routine. tata harper’s aromatic treatments come in perfectly portable glass rollerball bottles that look beautiful on my bedside table and are a cinch to pack up and take on the road. i can’t recommend them highly enough.

shop tata harper aromatherapy ($60 each) >

vapour aura multi-use blush

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vapour

i’ve decided that i like the youthful lit-from-within glow that i get from a cream blush. even though my skin gets shiny, i feel like powder blush can be aging on me and i don’t love that. the problem with cream blushes is that they sit on your skin so if you touch your cheeks, you can feel a stickiness. worse, if you’re married to a portuguese man and you have to double cheek-kiss all of your in laws upon arrival and departure you will literally stamp your cream blush on to the cheeks of everyone you greet. ugh, it’s a disaster.

so, happy am i to discover aura multi-use blush from vapour organic beauty. the slim stick houses a beautiful blush that can be easily applied to cheeks and lips, or even used as a highlighter on the bridge of your nose, brow bone, etc. i’m sweet on the ‘radiant’ formula which has a touch of sophisticated shimmer. my shade is whisper, an orgasm-esque warm pink with gold shimmer. it’s perfect for layering over bronzer and can be worn all year-round. best of all, it dries to a smooth finish giving me the bright and refreshed look i love, without the stickiness.

on top of the prettiness it provides, i delight in knowing aura’s organic ingredients, minerals, and vitamins are infusing my skin with calming antioxidants. the packaging makes it a dream to travel with and very easy to keep handy for touch ups.

if you’re looking for a natural dewy sheen this winter, this is your new best friend. vapour aura multi-use blush is available here for $28.

rms beauty un cover-up

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i’m always looking for that perfect allover concealer: one workhorse formula to cover under eye circles and mask imperfections. it’s tough to find one that isn’t too thick, too heavy, too dry, and finding the right shade? can be damn near impossible.

the beauty of rms un cover-up is that it’s packed with natural moisturizers and disappears onto skin. it blends flawlessly and melts in, brightening the bags and buffing away my post-acne discolorations. it also wears like a dream, feeling featherweight as it lasts all day.

i’d recommend this pot of gold to anyone. if your skin is in mostly good shape with a few problem areas, you could use this to hide them, and set with translucent powder for a very fresh-faced look. if you’ve got lots to cover, pair this under your favorite foundation. while i haven’t tried it yet, it can also be used as a light foundation all on its own.

if you’ve got stuff to “un” cover, you can find rms online at spirit beauty lounge.

sheswai nail lacquer + my sunday to do list:

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sheswai nail lacquer + the half moon manicure

(left image via)

all cozied up with my coffee, two bottles of sheswai, and a pack of super classy reinforcement labels to take a crack at this flipped french mani. what do you think? i’ve been doing more research into the tricks behind nail art and was floored to find how achievable some of it is – even for someone as untalented with a polish bottle as i.

sheswai is my new lacquer or choice, and not just because the bottles are the cutest thing you’ve ever seen – but that certainly doesn’t hurt. for starters, the color run is chic and playful with names like yowza, fersure, totally, and stoned, but the fun continues far past the beautiful shades. sheswai’s formula is free of the bad stuff (formaldehyde, toluene, dbp’s) and it goes on beautifully with the very first coat. i have the shakiest nail polishing hand on the planet, and this polish looks better after one wobbly coat than any other brand does after two. i’m not kidding when i say that it almost feels like my nails are painting themselves because the finished look is so smooth and glossy. shades are true to their appearance in the bottle and for the look above, i’m running with pretty orchid pink sugar kiss (it’s got a little sparkle!) and oh-so-perfect honeyfox, a cherry red with a touch of orange. at $16, these beautiful bottles are not cheap, but some things are worth the splurge.

if your nails (and your vanity) are longing to be dressed up, you can find sheswai online, at spirit beauty lounge and anthropologie.

pattern body wash

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in 2012, i am really trying to be more aware of the ingredients in the products that i use on my face and body. i noticed a remarkable difference when i stopped using hair products that contained sulfates and it led me to wonder if there are other things with fewer chemicals that work better than what’s currently in my shower. i have been looking for a new body wash forever, so when pattern offered to send me a sample of theirs, i jumped at the chance to give it a test.

now, for a $20 bath product you’ve got to have a lot going for you to get my attention, but the cucumber moisturizing body wash from pattern provides benefits way above my current dove. my biggest gripe with body washes is that the ones that really clean well are too drying and those that are moisturizing don’t leave me feeling clean. well, pattern has changed all of that with their line of antioxidant packed washes with yummy scents and incredibly effective formulas. plant extracts break through even the worst post-power yoga sweat and essential oils leave my skin feeling supremely pampered, so soft (like, can’t stop touching my arms and legs soft) and insanely hydrated. i finally found the best of both body wash worlds and i am super pumped.

as a side note, i have been working with beauty brands for two and a half years now and this is the first time that a founder himself reached out to me regarding his product. jim’s industry experience has created a thriving brand based on direct communication with his customer (along with an impressive 100% satisfaction, no questions asked, money back guarantee) and my inner business of beauty geek is very impressed.

pattern’s line of washes come in six scents – citrus moisturizing, cucumber moisturizing, the very couple friendly black pepper, eucalyptus, nutmeg moisturizing, and sage. you can try all six and their sage body lotion for $95 and free shipping with code FS71111. but if you’re not prepared for that kind of commitment, you can also shop the single scents online for twenty bucks apiece. i think your skin (and your husbands, significant others, roommates, overnight guests, and other strangers who might also be using your shower) will thank you!

bare escentuals skincare giveaway!

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good morning, sunshines! i am so excited to announce the glossarie’s first giveaway (it only took me two years, right?). two lucky readers will win a pair of products from bare escentuals’ new skincare line – deep cleansing foam + purely nourishing moisturizer.

as we discussed on monday, deep cleansing foam is a rich deep cleanser that gets the job done well without stripping your skin of all its moisture. a tiny pearl-sized amount will do the trick and the amazing lather will leave your complexion soft and smooth.

purely nourishing moisturizer is a lightweight hydrator perfect for all skin types. its “smart” electrolyte delivery system keeps your skin totally balanced – dry spots are moisturized and oily spots stay matte. it provides a really nice palette for makeup as well, actually helping it to go on smoother. overall, this stuff makes your skin look and feel amazing.

quite the dynamic duo, wouldn’t you say? if you want your piece of the bare escentuals skincare action, leave a comment below to win both products (valued at $48)! for an extra entry, tweet about the contest and be sure to mention @theglossarie so that i can keep track.

winners will be chosen at random on wednesday, march 30th at 12:00 p.m. winners will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. open to residents of the u.s. with a valid street address.

new! bare escentuals purifying facial cleanser + deep cleansing foam

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my combination skin is always on the hunt for a gentle, yet effective facewash and i am recently impressed with two cleansers from bare escentuals. part of their new skincare line designed to deliver smoother and brighter skin, both of these “cleansers with benefits” earn top marks from me.

first up, purifying facial cleanser is a total upgrade from my favorite cetaphil. its lotion-style strips off makeup (including pesky liner and mascara) and impurities but leaves skin feeling hydrated. if you’re looking for a grown up face wash to add to your evening routine, this is it. now, if you’re having trouble justifying the $20 pricetag (as opposed to cetaphil’s pocket-friendly $9) all i can tell you is that cleanser actually gives something back to your skin, improving it over time. you’ll feel a difference – i promise.

i know not everyone loves a lotion cleanser, so those looking for a deeper clean will love deep cleansing foam. a pearl-sized drop of this stuff explodes into rich lather and gives pores a deep clean without leaving skin tight and dry. it’s definitely not as gentle as purifying facial cleanser (i would not recommend getting this one in your eyes!) but those who need a heavier duty facewash will be very pleased. bonus: the “little goes a long way” dosage means this tube will last for-ever making the $20 totally worth your while.

are you in the market for a new cleanser? think you’ll give one of these a spin?

l’occitane one minute hand scrub

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there is nothing better than the polished perfection of hands that have been whipped into shape by a pro. manicures may be a girl’s best friend but i don’t have the time or funds to settle in at the spa nearly as often as i’d like. thank goodness for the sweet people at l’occitane who have brought back their shea butter one minute hand scrub. it truly brings the best parts of getting a mani into my own bathroom. this two phase formula (meaning that the grains and oil are separate and need to be stirred together) is part organic sugar, part shea oil, and all expert exfoliation in one little tub. when applied to dry hands, the two ingredients work together to nourish dry skin, neaten nails, and clean cuticles in one fell swoop. i’ve been pairing it with my favorite shea butter hand cream (also by l’occitane) and voila! salon-style softness at-home.

l’occitane’s one minute hand scrub is, like all good things, a limited edition. you can find it in stores and online for $22.

happy hostessing with lucia soap

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happy sunday! it’s pouring buckets around here today so we’re knocking out some small projects and getting organized. in the midst of all the spring cleaning excitement, i stumbled upon my the small collection of hostess gifts that i keep on hand so that i’ve always got something at the ready. the latest addition to my bag of tricks are these sweet soaps by lucia and i thought they would be appropriate to share here because, well, they are perfectly pretty.

lucia soaps are handmade with shea butter to be deliciously hydrating and protecting so that they can actually be used as soap and not just left in drawers as sachets (though they work fine for that, too). i purchased this set of 8 smalls for $18 which includes wild ginger & fresh fig, thyme flower & coriander, goat milk & linseed, mandarin & tomato flower, pomegranate & redcurrant, sea watercress & chai tea, tea leaf & wild honey (my favorite!), and olive oil & laurel leaf. the packaging is amazingly chic and makes for the perfect aromatic present.

do you stock up on hostess gifts? got a fab go-to? share!

meet megan miller

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the design of this line of environmentally friendly nail polish from megan miller is killing me with its cuteness. the cork top? the raffia ribbon? the round bulb of a bottle? all absolutely gorgeous. but these varnishes aren’t just for show and tell, beyond their aesthetic adorableness they will also look great on your nails and last for an impressively long time.

the colors:

  • framboise - rich, elegant wine
  • caribbean - bold turquoise
  • champagne - shimmering neutral
  • crem de la crem - versatile french white
  • roja - gorgeous, true red
  • latte - simple, creamy natural greige

megan miller is available online at anthropologie in roja and crem de la crem for the semi steep price of $14 but you can also buy all six shades directly through megan miller for the slightly more stomachable $12.

it’s pay day and my nails need caribbean. will you invest in these charming little lacquers?