Posts

Manomai: Skin Care Based on Your Blood Type

Image
Did you know it only takes 26 seconds for your blood stream to absorb what you apply topically?  That is why it is important to think about what ingredients are in your skin care and other beauty products you apply topically.  I came across Manomai  when I first started beauty blogging, and truly became fascinated with their approach to skin care. I reached out to them, and they kindly agreed to send me a press sample to review for you guys.  Manomai's founder is a believer in Dr. Peter D'Adamo 's Blood-type Diet, which basically c onsists of eating the right foods for your blood type, in turn making you healthier and lose weight. She wanted a moisturizer that aligned with her beliefs in the Blood Type Diet, but also met her strict guidelines:  pareben-free,   mineral oil-free,  fragrance free,  cruelty-free, and  artificial color free. So, she developed 4 moisturizers with 4 special blends to uniquely match each of the  blood types  -- the Around-the-Clock

Celeb Beauty Picks for Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

Image
When you are a celebrity, money and accessibility to the latest and greatest beauty products and treatments are not a problem -- the world is your medicine cabinet. So what do A-listers choose as their go-to holy grail products? I did a little research, and matched up four major super stars in their 20s, 30s, and 40s and their choice beauty products.

Serum 101 & Neocell's Radiance Serum Review

Image
Serums, to me, are an absolute necessity -- like taking your daily multivitamin. Essentially, serums are multi-vitamins for your face, and trust me, your face needs all the nutrients it can get after being exposed to the sun and pollution. So, when I look for a serum, I make sure that it has at least Vitamin C and E, and any other antioxidants or anti-aging ingredients are a plus.  Vitamin C and E are important anti-aging antioxidants that prevent and reduce oxidative damage from UV exposure, pollutants, and intrinsic aging.  Serums are powerful and quick to absorb because they are extremely concentrated. More specifically, serums leave out emulsifiers and hydrating-agents that most moisturizers include. Thus, you only need a small pea-sized amount, but keep in mind, that serums must be applied before moisturizing so that it has the best chance to absorb. Now, while serums are powerful with all their super ingredients, religious topical application will not give you

#MasqueSundays: Neocell Collagen Moisturizing Treatment Masque

Image
My mother-in-law introduced me to Neocell a little over a year ago when she began using the  Super Collagen Type 1 and 3 Powder . She drinks it everyday and raves about it (along with a bunch of other beauty bloggers). So when, Neocell reached out to me to test some of their beauty products, I was super stoked! The summer heat has been drying out my skin like crazy. So for a recent #MasqueSundays, I applied Neocell's Collagen Moisturizing Treatment Masque. Now, I know that this mask is called a "Collagen" mask, because it does contain collagen an other skin reviltalizers that have short-term skin firming and plumping benefits (ingesting collagen will probably get you more noticeable results), but the really obvious results I got from applying this mask was smoother, brighter, and more hydrated skin. As you can tell in the pictures, the formula is a creamy, and rich. The consistency kind of reminds me of a thick cocoa butter, especially, because it is super opaque and

Warming Up to Oils with Arya Essentials

Image
Confession: I've been too big of a sissy to try face oils. I am acne-prone, and have combo skin, so initially I believed using face oils would cause me to become overly oily in my t-zone and cause pimples. BUT then, Arya Essentials sent me this delightful little box, and I could not resist playing with those vials filled with their face and body oils! You can smell both the face and body oils without even having to open the vials, and let me tell you, your first whiff is absolute decadence. The Face Oil harmoniously blends Vitamin 'E' and  over 10 essential oils, including, argan oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, gotu-kola oil, rose hip seed oil, sandalwood oil, indian gooseberry oil, holy basil oil, neem oil, ylang-ylang seed oil, and rose geranium oil. I love rose hips and argan oil for their hydrating features, and neem  for its anti-bacterial principles! The Body Oil is packed with a bunch of heavenly essential oils, as well, like sesame oil, coconut oil, bit

#BarefacedWednesdays: Ms. HealthyFace

Image
Happy #barefacedwednesdays! Today, well lately, because it's so hot I've been going makeupless! My skin has been feelin great, and it reminds me of my high school days when all I had in my makeup arsenal was one @wetnwildbeauty eyeliner pencil! How are you guys dealing with heat?

Organic Fiji Nourishing Massage Lotion

Image
This following is a guest post from my massage therapist. Yasuko Kawasmura 's blog, Bliss Squared Massage . She is currently a therapist at the renowned Burke Williams day spa in Orange County, CA. She also teaches couples massage classes. Download her free eBook, "You Knead Me: How to Massage Your Partner from Head to Toe in 10 Moves" on her website. When I massage I use Biotone’s Pure Touch Organic Massage Cream. I love this product because it glides well, little bit goes a long way, it’s gentle, and it’s a good moisturizer for both me and my clients. Recently I went on a quest to find a scented massage lotion. My criteria was 1) organic 2) as natural as possible without harsh chemicals and 3) smells good of course but not over powering. And I fell in love with Organic Fiji. Their nourishing lotion is made with certified organic virgin coconut oil. No Parabens. No GMOs which is a bonus point for me, No PEGs or Polyethylene glycol.  When I massage with this it g