This time of year is already hustling and bustling on its own; it's time for you to take some personal pampering time. I wanted to share some of my favorite beauty pampering products for 2013. Let's face it, it's hard to make it to the spa let alone spend the money before the holidays, but you can still take that 30-60 minutes at home and feel perfectly pampered all on your own. Many of the product's sites are offering free shipping and/or gifts along with your purchase so now is a good time to try a new product or stock up on the ones that you really like.
If you love taking hot baths, it feels wonderful to add bath salts. Sometimes they can be overpowering in scent so I really love the Ahava products. Ahava makes a natural scent of
Bath Salts, but their other scents are really light and make the soak really tranquil. If you want to feel energized I would recommend the Eucalyptus, but my favorite bedtime soak is in Lavender. You get a good amount for the price as well. It's only $22 for the 32 OZ jar. These natural Dead Sea mineral salts help to create the perfect calming bath after a long day.
I love to follow up with
Clarins Relax Body Treatment Oil and it is incredibly hydrating during the winter months. I love to use these after both baths and showers. It really locks in the moisture. They recommend warming the oil in your hands and smoothing it on your skin from the ankles up. It is very relaxing so again, whether you are looking for that pamper time at home or you want to de-stress before leaving for the day, this is a great alternative to a rich cream. I don't find it to be greasy as it absorbs pretty quickly. This oil is made of 100% pure plant extracts and is beautifully scented with Geranium, Petit Grain, Camomile and Basil. It sounds a bit odd of a combination, but it smells great! If you are unsure about the scent, check it out at a Clarins counter before purchase as it is $56. I love all the Clarin's products.
My favorite lip balm again in 2013 is
Dior's Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm. This
smoothing, plumping and hydrating balm is pricey at $27, but it lasts for a really long time. It does
all that is says and comes in Dior's classic white packaging. It has the most subtle rose scent so it is perfect for night time, but it also has an SPF of 10 so you can wear it with multiple benefits. It is not your everyday Chapstick, but it earns its price with an anti-aging complex of Rose of Damas essential oil, Vitamins A&E, Smoothing Shea Butter and the SPF10. It is definitely a lip treat.
One of my new pampering favorites this year comes from Hourglass. It's called
No. 28 Primer Serum. Here is the interesting thing about this product - I bought it as a primer and it does a beautiful job doing just that, but I love it for that extra moisture my face needs. You can wear it under makeup, alone or under your favorite face moisture. This primer/serum is richly concentrated with 14 essential oils, 10 lipid-plant oils and four vitamins (hence the No. 28). And with all of that, it has an amazing scent. It is hard to believe this silky serum contains all these wonderful ingredients and it smooths the skin wonderfully. If you don't like to wear a lot of makeup or any at all, this is the perfect veil of nutrients. I tried the .33 oz pump to start and loved it so much I bought the 1 oz. when I ran out. It is pricey at $65, but it serves a dual-purpose of priming and nourishing so it is really worth the price. I have never used any of their products, but I definitely will now.
Even though we tend to take better care of our toes/feet in the summer when they are exposed regularly, it really helps to keep them hydrated during these colder months. My pedicurist recommended this foot cream and I have never used another since. It is called
Nordic Care Foot Care Cream (Swedish Formula) and it is amazing! It is a really rich treatment for a pretty inexpensive price. It keeps your feet super moisturized, manages any cracking on the heels and leaves them super soft. I love slathering this on before bed and wear socks over top to keep the moisture in. You will
wake up with the softest feet. Its key ingredients are urea which attracts and retains moisture, glycerin which has water-binding properties, lactic acid which is a component of the skin's own natural moisturizing factor as well as exfoliant and eucalyptus which is known for its natural antiseptic, antibacterial and blood circulating properties. It comes in three sizes - 2 oz., 6 oz. and 32 oz. If you want to try it first to see if you like it, the 2 oz. size is only $8.95. It's wonderful!
My favorite luxe product is
Chanel No. 5's After Bath Powder. It is $65, but it lasts for months! This is one of those products that I really love to use when I need that extra pamper. It is silky and I adore the No. 5 scent. If you are not familiar with the Chanel fragrances it is a good idea to visit the counter at a higher end department store. It leaves your skin feeling super soft and it contains Vitamin E and essential amino acids which are great protectors against free radicals and environmental damage. I still have the same glass container that I purchased six months ago so you don't feel like you are spending so much money for something that gets used up quickly. This is pretty much the only body powder that I love to use, but I also adore the No.5 scent. They also make the bar soap which is an extra treat. It smells so fresh and when you layer it has that extra staying power as a fragrance.
I apologize for the lapse in blogging. I have been actively pursuing new job opportunities which as many know can seem like a full-time job, but I'm hopeful. It has been a rough couple of years. I still consider myself pretty young, but I also had both of my knees replaced last August. I had old sports injuries mixed with arthritis so it was one of those necessary things I had to get done.
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