mario badescu a.h.a. botanical body soap

mario badescu body soap

some days it seems like my face gets all the love. with a multi-step routine and all of the painstaking ways that i pamper the skin above my chin, it often dawns on me that my trunk and limbs get the short end of the stick. on the search for some serious skincare for my body, i stumbled upon mario badescu’s a.h.a botanical body soap. adding this simply packaged, no-frills product to my shower scene has made a major impact on clarity and glow – especially on my arms and chest. (thank goodness – because when sleeveless season comes creeping up on me, i start to get a touch self conscious about the skin that’s been hiding in sweaters all winter.)

this alpha hydroxy formula has polished my skin to perfection, ridding it of dry spots and the tiny red bumps that can crop up when it’s cold. it deeply cleanses and exfoliates, breaking down dead skin cells, and making an instantly noticeable difference in softness. the natural scent is rejuvenating in the morning or after a run, but the thing i like best about this bottle is that it has cleared up the problem areas on my back and shoulders. (later, bacne!) it sudses up in a major way, but washes away clean with no soapy residue.

normally not one to get too excited about a product that washes down the drain,  i feel such a huge difference in my skin from before i get into the shower to the time when i’m toweling off, that i can’t help but be impressed. this one has really won me over with its chemical exfoliation that’s leaving my skin ready for sundresses.

mario badescu a.h.a. botanical body soap, $8 – $14

pantene pro-v ultimate 10 bb crème giveaway!

Pantene Pro-V - BB Crème

it’s probably no surprise that i like to keep it pretty simple when it comes to my hair. i’ve been rockin’ a lob for a long while now and (thankfully) it doesn’t require too much maintenance – because my hair can’t handle a lot of product. the main gripe i have with hair products is that in order to serve a purpose like smoothing, de-frizzing, heat protecting, etc. they often take vital nutrients from my hair. they make things look great in the short run, but they’re not really doing my hair any long-term favors – sometimes leaving it dry and damaged (plus, the blow dryer and flat iron don’t help matters).

i’ve been wanting to get my hands on pantene’s bb crème for hair for, well, ever, so when their camp reached out to me about testing it, i couldn’t send them my address fast enough. i’ve been using the product for over a week now and let me just say that i’ve been enjoying some seriously good hair. the serum-like formula leaves my hair silky and smooth with beautiful shine. while it works to tame frizz and protect from heat, it also repairs rough/dry hair and strengthens it to better protect against damage. i am already noticing a big difference in how my hair behaves and i love how light this product is! it feels like i’ve got nothing in my hair at all, yet the finished product is way above average. if you blow dry and straighten your hair, you’ll notice that it actually speeds the process along and makes me feel like i’m “fighting” my hair far less. i can straighten it more quickly and the results are more polished. not only does my hair look incredible, but it feels healthy.

it suffices to say that i’m in love.

so in love in fact, that i want you to share in my happy hair. i am giving away one full size bottle of pantene pro-v ultimate 10 bb crème! this contest is open to readers in the u.s. – please enter using the link below. good luck to you and your lovely locks :)

enter the pantene pro-v ultimate 10 bb creme giveaway here!

tie dye beauty

tie dye beauty

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i’m obsessed with all things multicolored and have been delighted by the gorgeous options on the beauty market. just a few of the pretty possibilities:

one: clarisonic surf mia2, $159 (and 20% off!)

two: lorac lips with benefits, $18

three: stila countless color pigments, $22

four: victoria’s secret sunset kiss, $3.99

five: mane message the boho package, $10.50

six: stephanie johnson fiona dome cosmetic in tucson desert, $35

fresh sugar shine lip treatment

fresh sugar shine

a non-sticky, hydrating lipgloss from the creator of everyone’s favorite lip treatment? (of which there are eight shades/varieties now, by the way.) sign me up! this new tube from fresh claims to brighten your natural lip color with the shine of a gloss and the nourishing moisture of a balm. if it’s anything like fresh’s current line up, i know i’m going to love it. so, please excuse me while i cut this post short and go straight to sephora…

fresh sugar shine lip treatment, $18.50

another video! 3 simple favorites

lip crayon love

lip crayon love
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i love a good lip crayon. super easy to carry, a cinch to apply without a mirror and thanks to the narrower point, you get beautifully defined lips along with gorgeous color. pigment is often richer and more true to the product than with traditional lipstick, too. basically, it’s the ultimate in fuss-free beauty so it’s no wonder that i’ve got them coming out of my ears in all shades and brand names. but, something wonderful has happened to the lip crayon lately: it’s gone glossy! now my favorite way to apply lip color comes in a slicker, shiny finish that adds an element of sophistication to the plain old lip crayon. i’ve been stocking up on them and i’ve currently got five on constant rotation:

mark. color me in lip crayon in punchline, $12
a gorgeous fruit punch shade that lasts all day and leaves a soft stain behind

ilia lipstick crayon in karma chameleon, $24
a fiery coral packed with healing oils

topshop lip crayon in secret party, $14
a vivid raspberry with a touch of shimmer – such a unique color

nars satin lip in rikugien, $25
a super moisturizing rose pink, love the way this one feels

trish mcevoy essential balm in gorgeous pink, $38
an ultra light formula in girlie pink that brightens up my whole complexion

burberry summer

burberry summer

like lara, my signature winter scent is burberry body. it stays on heavy rotation during the chilly months, along with kate spade’s twirl (which is now discontinued, boo! although a gal pal of mine recently snatched up a bottle on e-bay if you’re willing to put in that kind of work…) and stella mccartney’s stella (a subtle scent with hints of rose, amber and mandarin – the $20 rollerball version lasts forever, and i always have one stashed in my purse).

but with the summer-like spring days we’ve been having here in dc, i’m reverting back to a favorite discovered late in the warm season last year: the appropriately named burberry summer. floral and fruity top notes keep this perfume light and fresh enough for the hot days, while cedarwood and musk undertones guarantee that it lasts morning to night. i love how the scent lingers long after application, and the way the pink bottle is brightening up my dresser doesn’t hurt either!

so, all this chatter has us dying to know: what’s your favorite warm weather scent?

fashion to beauty: royal blues

jessica alba

i love everything about jessica alba here (from 2011) – the orange lip, the playful braids, the simple diamond studs, and holy lashes! but it’s that royal blue dress that’s got me so inspired. i had to work it into my routine immediately and i think i might have squealed after laying eyes on butter london’s scouse, a royal blue glitter. i can’t wait to get a fresh coat of paint on to my nails and sport the shade all season long.

beautiful bare legs

bare legs

bare leg season is upon us and that means it’s time for me to up my game when it comes to shaving and smoothing. nothing makes me more self conscious about my legs than the first few weeks of sundress/sandal season and while it’s easy to give my toes a pedicure to shape them up for summer, getting my legs ready is a little less simple. i think it all comes down to a super close (non-irritating) shave and the perfect body lotion.

i was recently introduced to the schick hydro silk after claiming that i would never, ever stray from my venus embrace. i am totally eating my words because the schick has totally won me over! there’s something about the shape of the head that doesn’t miss a single knee hair and the extra wide razor surface means that it takes fewer strokes to get the job done. there is no razor burn or red bumps when i’m done and maybe it’s all in my head, but i swear that the shave lasts longer. i’m a very happy convert.

my new body lotion obsession is from vmv hypoallergenics. their essence hand + body smoother is seriously a wonder product. the texture of the lotion is the lightest i’ve ever found in a body product, but the ”whose legs are these?!” softness that it delivers is in a category all its own. i am in love with the way that it soaks right in, leaving no stickiness or grease behind and the way that it smooths and softens. it’s one of those products you’ll want to rub all over your entire body and its lightness has me questioning whether or not i can put it on my face! (but i don’t think i’ll risk it.)

these two products are keeping my legs in check until i can get them just the teensiest bit tanned. (come on, memorial day pool opening!) what are your secrets for soft and smooth legs?

blinc mascara amplified

blinc mascara amplified

anyone with watery eyes will tell you that finding a good smudgeproof mascara is no easy task. sure there are waterproof formulas out there that won’t budge an inch, but they’re a bear to remove and i don’t like the way that they feel on my lashes – kind of spidery and dry. blinc’s original tubing mascara is the only one that i’ve found to be virtually smudgeproof – you can put it on the morning and guarantee that it won’t wander or fade throughout the day.  the only problem is that i like a really full, lush lash and while it provides darkening and some length, the oomph factor is just kind of “eh.” when i heard that blinc. had upped their game (and their brush!) in their new amplified version, i couldn’t get to sephora fast enough.

blinc’s mascara amplified has all of the things that i love about the original formula (thick, glossy black lashes, great length and definition) but this one adds serious volume, too! it holds curl like a dream without weighing lashes down and you won’t feel like you’re wearing mascara so there’s no urge to tug at your lashes (i know you know what i’m talking about). i tested it on an ultra long day that looked like this: up at 5 am, 7:30 train from DC to NY, full day in the city, 9:30 train home to DC, walked in my door at 2 am. when i went to wash my face, the rest of my makeup had long wandered away, but my eyes still looked perfect!

i desperately wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but it was 2 am, so i held back…