Stop and Smell the Roses with; Weleda, The Body Shop, and Sanitas

I think it's time to take a moment to stop and smell the roes, one of my favorite scents and best loved ingredients with benefits too vast to list. Here are a few products containing this flower of love that smell as great as they work.


Weleda slowly became an obsession, drawing me in with their slick natural-chic packaging, I'd pick something up every now and again shopping at Whole Foods and Vitamin Cottage and found their line to be consistently good. Some natural lines don't pack a moisturizing punch, but their Wild Rose Night Cream nourishes skin overnight with intense moisture and organic rosehip seed oil giving it a beautifully light true rose scent and a visible radiance you'll wake up loving.

1oz, $30, Natural Markets and Drugstores Nationwide

Rose scented makeup might sound a little hokey, but the Roseflower line from The Body Shop has some real winners. First, their Radiance Stick is a fantastic highlighter for eyes, lips, cheeks, and declote since its non-greasy (almost powdery) formula gives it such versatility with a subtle rose scent. The blush and shadows (also scented) are velvety to the touch with pretty feminine colors and a generous amount of product in each clear (so you can see the rose imprint) compact.

Radiance Stick $11, Eye Colors $7

Sanitas Skincare's Rose Facial Scrub combines tiny silica crystals (rounded so they don't hurt the skin) inside of a thick, pink, rose scented creamy cleanser meant to soothe and sweep away dull skin. It's gentle enough for most skin types and is one of the few exfoliants that doesn't leave my skin the least bit red or irritated afterward.

5oz, $30, Sold in Spas and Salons Nationwide

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Bridal Makeup; Lainy

Every wedding I'm a part of is a big deal, I'm in charge of the bride's face- the most important (in my humble opinion) part of the day that will be gazed upon by all, and photographed to death. It has to be right. Here, even a beautiful vineyard backdrop can't detract from the bride being the focal point- which is just how it should be.

I created a 'day smokey' look for Lainy so her eyes would really pop without looking like they were smothered in shadow. I used black liner to rim her entire eye adding a false lash strip, and filled in her brows. I used a lipstick shade just a touch darker than her natural lip color for a pinky nude lip with a flash of gloss over top.

The result-a gorgeous glow that was romantic both in the day, and when the sun fell.

Photos were taken in May 09' by the very talented Amy Wellenkamp.

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Prescriptives Photochrome Light-Adjusting Compact Makeup SPF 15

Maybe I have a magic mirror placed upon my bathroom wall. This must be the case since my bathroom mirror reflects a makeup job well done- after all it is my profession to apply makeup on the face in a way that maximizes the best and minimizes troubled areas. At work, I mix together highlighters, primers, moisturizers, and various shades and formulas of foundations to get the girl's skin just right. For myself, I just want what you want- something fast that lasts all day. My magic mirror tells me my skin looks great, but the reflections I catch myself in throughout the day are less magical since my foundation sometimes falls away revealing redness and imperfections I thought I'd erased.

Photochrome is exactly what I need on those days when my skin isn't cooperating, or if I just need a little more coverage. It's a cream to powder oil-free formula with a weightless look that can't be predicted by its appearance. Light reflecting particles scatter light upon the skin giving it a diffused look that's pretty even in direct sunlight. Use the rounded triangle shaped sponge to apply it to even your most difficult areas to reach like corners of your nose and under your eyes. Build up the coverage where you need it most and prepare for every mirror in town throughout the day to reflect back perfectly even skin.

12 Shades, Department Stores Everywhere, $35

Prescriptives Photochrome Light-Adjusting Compact Makeup SPF 15

Also worth checking out is their Flawless Face Primer which I used with Photochrome on day two. I found it made application and blending even easier and it kept a freshness about the makeup until well after dinner.

1oz, $27

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Murad Intensive Resurfacing Peel

When making changes to your skin, there's always a hierarchy of treatment options you should follow;

- Improved skincare that contain ingredients necessary for your desired outcome

- Seeing a qualified esthetician to help improve your overall skin condition

- Going to a dermatologist for a prescription like Retin A etc

- Super over the counter cosmeceuticals

- Lasers, chemical peels etc


I would say that seeing a derm and the cosmeceuticals are interchangeable since not everyone has insurance, and even when you do, Retin A can be $100+. At that point, it's all about getting some products behind you with a little more umph to make a visible correction in your skin.

Murad Intensive Resurfacing Peel is in the super cosmeceuticals category tackling fine lines and wrinkles along with overall skin dullness and texture. About 10 minutes 3 times a week will make your skin look more alive and less wrinkled. I would compare the results to microdermabrasion or a light chemical peel- but for less than you'd spend doing either.

12 bottles 0.17oz each $165

Murad Intensive Resurfacing

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Tip(s) of the Day

- If you're polishing your own nails and don't have a ton of dry time, always choose a lighter shade so if there are smudges, the lighter color is more forgiving.

- If you haven't mastered the art of blending and your makeup sometimes looks too heavy, buy products with a little shimmer. Flat formulas are less forgiving.

- Don't worry about precision. I created the coolest smudgy eye today for a girl in just minutes by drawing a messy line and then blending it out.

- Powder containing talc will give you that halo white faced look when using flash photography. Opt for something free of talc and SPF when cameras are in play.

- DIY beauty isn't my thing, but for years I've been known to rub table sugar and olive oil together to give my hands a softness that lasts for days.

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Lamas Beauty Citrus-C Facial Cleanser

Maybe by now you've figured out the 2 traits in a product that earn bonus points with me; natural based, and multi-functional. When a product can do both, it kinda makes my day.

Citrus-C Cleanser from Lamas Beauty is the cleanser I carry around in my professional kit for the women who say they've washed their face before the makeup application, but are still obviously wearing it because they're embarrassed to admit they'd never walk around without makeup. It happens a lot. So I send them washing.

Being a 3-in-1 product that removes makeup, cleanses, and tones with an ingredient listing that's safe and gentle for all skin types makes it the perfect selection for the wide range of women I see. It foams up and smells citrusy fresh, but I really love that it contains the real deal in vitamin c, L-Ascorbic Acid- the only version of vitamin c you should be using if you're really interested in its benefits. Your skin will be fresh and glowing in the morning and makeup free at night,

Lamas Beauty Citrus-C Facial Cleanser

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Trina Cosmetic Bags at Nordstrom

So now that we're fully stocked up on our beauty basics, where do we put it all? In a Trina bag of course, or at least you would if you were Kimora Lee Simmons- one of many A-Listers who trust their beauty best in these trendy travel bags.

Nab one at Nordstrom during the first 2 weeks of their legendary Anniversary Sale (starting July 17th) for a 40% discount on all Trina bags.

I'll be in line for one too since my cosmetic travel bag is just about shot and these are so spacious and sturdy that you'll arrive on the other side without any leaks or damaged bottles.

Pricing varies $24-$58 (before 40% discount)

Trina

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Noah's Naturals Stress Relief Massage Oil

Sometimes the lotion I use post shower has a time limit before my skin is ready for another round. When summer comes, I often upgrade to a massage oil since they're meant to stay in the skin longer than lotions. It's odd, but the feeling of a lotion or cream feels heavy to me when it's hot out whereas an oil feels lighter on the skin- you'd think it would be the other way around.

I've been a fan of Noah's Naturals for a while now, their natural and organic lines churn out great smelling, hardworking products that rival those that charge twice as much. Their Massage Oil contains organic jojoba, almond, and safflower oils, vitamins A & E, then topped off with eucalyptus and basil- an odd combination that smells perfectly fresh and a little zen all at the same time.

Also worth checking out is their Rosemary Mint Shampoo and Conditioner which leave your scalp feeling cool and fresh for much less than you'd pay for the same professional experience.

Drugstore.com, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Longs Drugs

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L'Oreal HIP Color Presso

When it comes to L'Oreal and their line of high intensity pigments- that's HIP to you and me- you can pretty much guarantee a home run.

10 gloss duos rest in separate chambers waiting to be squeezed out of this cleverly packaged lip system and applied either blended together or separately. You'll find the color combinations perfectly complimented- if you like one, you'll love the other. The gloss feel is silky and creamy and they smell like vanilla cake- any gloss lovers dream.

2 Shades $13, Drugstore.com, Most Drugstores Nationwide

L'Oreal HIP Color Presso

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Peter Thomas Roth VIZ-1000

Hyaluronic acid is a big time hydrating ingredient that holds 1000 times its own weight in moisture- so basically it's great at delivering moisture without over-hydrating or drenching the skin.

Peter Thomas Roth's VIZ-1000 takes 75% hyaluronic acid and spins it into a feather-light serum for all skins. A few drops under your moisturizer will eliminate tightness and those lines in your face caused by dryness. Makeup will settle into your skin looking more natural, and you'll get a much better result from your moisturizer.

Even normal, combination, and slightly oily skins can use it on its own without a moisturizer over top for a perfectly hydrated feeling that's comfortable without turning into shine.

1oz $65, Sephora, Drugstore.com, Select Department Stores Nationwide

Peter Thomas Roth VIZ-1000

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