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Lemon zest, jasmine, crushed mint leaves, brown sugar? Yum, but it’s not edible, it’s Georgio Armani’s new scent Acqua di Gioia.
This was slated to be released in June, but we’re still waiting… hopefully it will be out soon!
Here’s the full description: “There is a charming sense of jubilation from the very first vegetal notes which are carried along in a deliciously heady current of crushed Mint, with a zest of Italian Limone Primo Fiore Femminelle, harvested from the first spring blossoms in Calabria.
This emotion transforms into an aquatic renaissance with a delicate and crystalline nature derived from the scent of Water Jasmine, giving the perfume sophisticated and unexpected facets. At its base, ACQUA DI GIOIA bears the signature of water rooted in the Earth, revealed by luscious Cedar sprinkled with sensuous Brown Sugar and Labdanum, which is one the rare plants to possess animal notes.”
The name is rather confusingly similar the existing Armani fragrance: Acqua di Gio (fresh notes of melon and pear with an armful of hyacinth, jasmine, rose and lily).
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I have to confess that I’ve always been really bad at eye make-up. Eye shadow is pretty much beyond me, but I love the idea of a smoky eye. I’ve noticed that Cover Girl is advertising a lot lately their Smoky Shadowblast product that makes it easy to create a bold, smoky eye. And, it has won InStyle Beauty and CEW awards.
Here’s how it works:
Since it is a creamy based product, it is best to use it with an eyelid primer to help avoid creasing. It comes in 6 color options.
Ulta sells it for $7.99, and Drugstore.com has it right now on sale for $6.79.
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Exclusively at Chanel.com, Chanel is giving an early preview of their new Inimitable Intense collection: Ombres Contraste Duo and Inimitable Intense Mascara.
The Ombres Contraste Duo is a foolproof pairing of complementary shades — in two unique textures — housed in one convenient compact. The softly shimmering light shade is a creamy powder, which can be worn alone for a luminous effect, or as a base to extend the wear of the accompanying deep-toned shadow. The dark shade has intense micronized pigments for true colour application, and a matte finish to create depth and contour. Two applicators are included: a foam-tip to apply the shadows and a brush to blend. Available in six essential shade harmonies designed to take the guesswork out of harmonizing and applying eyeshadow. The preview shade duo is: Gris – Subtil. ($42) The five other shades will be released soon. I am anxious to see them because I think the gris-subtil is a bit too dark for me.
The Inimitable Intense Mascara offers a technologically advanced formula that builds on the success of the original mascara, delivering dramatic effects with a unique brush. The result is a more intense lash look, with the same easy application. Lashes appear longer, thicker and more curled, yet each lash, even the finest, is still precisely separated – without clumping, spiking or flaking. The preview shade is: noir. ($30)
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Ricky’s New York has introduced a series of new combs that have olive baked into them! This serves to to add natural shine (without an oily feeling), reduce static and eliminate frizz! They come in five different styles and they are all $5.99 each.
Check them out here.
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Yesterday I was out and had few minutes of time to kill so I was perusing the cosmetics section at CVS. I ran across Neutrogena’s Healthy Volume Mascara in black/brown ($7.49 – $8.99 depending where you buy it) and thought it might be an okay alternative to my standard of many years, Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Brown ($14).
The Neutrogena product has olive oil in it and claims no clumps, flaking or smudging. The brush looks really full, like it would work really well…
The verdict, in my opinion, in this case you do get what you pay for. The Neutrogena did not work nearly as well as the Clinique. I found that it did clump and the formula is too thick and goopy. I am super picky about not having any eyelashes stuck together, so they look really natural… and something about the formula and the brush of the Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara does this. I have never found another mascara that worked as well. So I guess I wasted $8.99. I do love a lot of Neutrogena’s products though, usually buying them is a great way to save money…
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Every once in a while Caudalie offers 20% off all of their products! That’s great news since they are pretty expensive… one of these sales is coming up this week! Starting Thursday June 17 and going through Monday the 21st! Use code SUMMERSALE at caudalie-usa.com.
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You know how your hair can feel after using cheap product for a while? Dry, hay-like perhaps? (that’s how mine feels) Well, you can do your hair a favor and take a hair diagnosis test at Klorane.com. Try it here. Klorane products are all based on plant extracts. Klorane labs have studied virtually every plant extract to discover if it could be useful in their products. Their “herbarium” of beneficial plant extracts includes: almond, calendula, chamomile, chinese peony, mango, olive, pomegranate, olive…. etc, etc.
My hair is in need of Chamomile Shampoo, $18 for a big 13.4 oz container
and Conditoning Cream with Chamomile, $14 for 5.07 oz.
Ariva.com carries the full line of Klorane products, here.
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I know it’s silly, living in NYC surrounded by nail salons on every block that are cheap and convenient, I still prefer to do my own nails! I keep them pretty short, slightly squared off and usually with a nude tone barely-there looking polish, or I’ll put on some crazy Chanel color once in a while…
Anyway, I don’t know about you, but I just don’t have the time or even the inclination to do base coat, color and top coat. So when I was browsing through a magazine the other day and came across an ad for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure (base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, color, top coat all in one) I thought it was brilliant!
I like Pink Slip Sheer, Peachy Keen Sheer, and Commander in Chic (show below left to right).
Drugstore.com is offering buy 1 ($6.99), get 1 at 50% off right now!
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Exfoliating is a must to keep your skin in top condition. Here are a few exfoliators that I’ve tried, and like. It’s always a treat to use a really expensive product, but it’s not a must – I find that the cheaper ones actually work just as well… although perhaps the ingredients aren’t as natural or special, but if you’re on a budget then I think it’s okay. Better to care for your skin than go without because you can’t afford a $60 exfoliator!
Fresh make this wonderful Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant, it’s the $60 one though (for 3.4 oz or $17.65/oz)! Eek! Expensive, but it’s loaded with great ingredients like: pomegranate seeds, bamboo, citrus fruit acids, apple seed oil, strawberry and plum seed oils, evening primrose butter and mulberry root. The product gently sweep away dry, dull skin, leaving the complexion glowing and renewed. The various ingredients nourish and protect, enhance cell turnover, help to brighten and even skin tone and revitalize and softening the skin.
Also in the luxury range is Caudalie’s Gentle Buffing Cream. It is $35 for 2 oz or $18.50/oz. (smaller bottle, but actually more expensive than the Fresh, double Eek!) It is also loaded with great natural ingredients: grape-seed oil, jojoba microbeads, honey, plant cellulose, liquorice, essential oils of sweet lime and sandal wood, extracts of coriander, limette, lemon, guaiac wood, sweet orange, vetiver, sandal wood and lavandin… etc. etc. This rich scrub eliminates impurities, dead skin cells and excess oil while stimulating cellular renewal. Your complexion’s radiance is gently restored and your skin is soft and clean.
Among the bargain options are St. Ives Daily Microdermabrasion and Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Scrub.
The St. Ives Daily Microdermabrasion ($7.99 for 4 oz or $1.99/oz) contains key ingredients of minerals, chamomile, silica and vitamin E. It exfoliates to reveal younger-looking, refined skin and is an Allure Editor’s Choice Award Winner.
Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Scrub is $7.99 for 4.2 oz or $1.90/oz. It’s key ingredients are salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acid and hydrating microbeads. It is the first 2-in-1 scrub to fight blemishes and the signs of aging for clearer, younger-looking skin. After use, skin is clearer, softer and smoother. Fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced.
Exfoliating is even more important in the Summer if you use self tanning products. They will go on much better and look more even.
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I kind of hate traveling now since I have to check my bag so I can bring my boatload of skincare products. So I was really happy to run across 3FLOZ.com a website that specializes in mini sizes (TSA approved). They carry some good premium brands: Dr. Hauschka, DDF, Malin + Goetz, Molton Brown, Phyto, and more. And you don’t even have to worry about the sizes, because everything they sell is in a TSA approved size.
I’m most picky about what I put on my face. They have a few great kits that make it easy to have everything ready to go!
Ole Henriksen Starter Kit, $68. It includes a cleanser, face tonic, day creme with spf, night cream, a mask and a scrub… talk about complete, that’s everything you need!
Dr. Hauschka Daily Face Care Kit, $30. It comes with cleansing cream, cleansing milk, toner, 3 types of day cream.
The Malin + Goetz Essential Kit, $30 is good because it contains of couple of skincare items and hair and body items. If you can get away with just a couple of products for your face, it’s great. It has face cleanser, face moisturizer, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.
If you want a kit just for your hair, the Ted Gibson Travel Essentials, $25 comes with shampoo, conditioner, hair spray and hair styling sheets.
Or, if you want to make up your own kit, mixing different brands and products you can buy individual items that are sold separately and customize your own travel kit! The two founders of the company reveal their favorite products and you can buy those as kits too: Alexi’s Kit, $200 and Kate’s Kit, $81.
Oh, and these are brilliant even when you’re not traveling: Herban Essentials Hand Sanitizing Towelettes, $15 for a packet of 20.
Here’s to some good summer travels!