Getting Ready for Summer series, Part II: Favorite Fragrances for Summer

Ah, summer is finally coming upon us...unless you're like me and have been prepping for summertime since it ended last year...anyway, to continue with the Getting Ready For Summer series of posts here, I thought I'd end it on a very lovely, fragrant note. These fragrances wisp me away to a lush, sunny landscape on an island or dewy, colorful garden in the English countryside.

The first one is by candle connoisseur's Diptyque, with their L'Ombre dans l'Eau toilette (125ml pictured). This is my first personal fragrance from the brand and let me tell you, WOW. This scent is absolutely outstanding, and even more so for the summertime because it takes you to a beautiful English garden in a sunny, dewy atmosphere. It settles in beautifully and you only need about 1-2 spirtz to have a scent last for hours (its quite overpowering at first). Even after its faded throughout the day, I still catch little wiffs of it on me & its just oh-so pleasant and calming. This will not leave my side this summer!

My other favorite fragrance for summer is not a perfume or toilette, but a hair mist! I have dry, color-treated hair that I wash every few days, so by day 2 or 3 (before I wash) I like to spray this hair mist by Fekkai, the L'Air de St. Barths Hair Fragrance Mist as a hair refresher. This one takes you to a beautifully, sun kissed island getaway without ever having to hop on a plane (though who doesn't want to take a rendezvous to St. Barths?!). This light, citrus scent smells delightful without being overpowering, with giving a subtle shine & taming of the frizz. I don't combine the two scents together, yet if you aren't in a perfume wearing mood, this is a great, lighter option. I never used hair mists before this, because I would just spray a bit of my perfume but, this adds extra hair benefits that suit well with the summer weather & something I'll be reaching for on those beach days.

What are some of your favorite scents for the summer season?  Let me know in the comments!

Where to Purchase

• Diptyque L'Ombre dans l'Eau toilette
• Fekkai L'Air de St. Barths Hair Fragrance Mist, $20 (receive 15% OFF w/email subscription)

Getting Ready for Summer series, Part I: A Very Clarins Summer

If you have been following my instagram for a while, you know I am a Clarins girl through and through. From their skincare, bodycare and makeup, they always (for the most part) get the nail on the head. And when it comes to sun protection & enhancement, its no different.

With summer comes the dreadful rays & heat, we need to protect our skin from that (everyday though folks, not just during the summer!). With my Getting Ready for Summer series, this first part is going to get into what I use to stay protected from the sun, getting that summer glow,  and ending with 2 little figure-boosting lotions to help define and contour the silhouette for the bikini season ahead. 

The most important step to prep for summer is some good SPF protection. Clarins has a different variety of ways to protect yourself this summer, depending on your own personal preference, with a lotion or oil; and they are known and widely popular for having some of the best suncare products out on the market today. In lotion form, I love to use their Sunscreen Care Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($36) option. It smells lovely and doesn't leave any greasy or oily residue; it dries into the skin nicely. What I really love about this, its targeted and recommended for sensitive skin types, so even the most sensitive will stay protected with no irritations whilst promoting a more evened tan, on top of being water resistant. Another option if you're not a fan of lotions, they have a sunscreen oil spray, with the Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 ($36). This is great for both body and hair, while not making you an oil-slick on either areas. This also helps get an even tan, while being water and sweat resistant. Also, don't forget that you always have to reapply sunscreen (after 80 minutes for the lotion and 40 minutes for the spray, respectfully).

*Non-Clarins sun-protection notable mentions: I have loved the Korres Red Vine Year-Round Hair Sun Protection for a few years now & it continues to be my staple year-round when it comes to hair sun-protection. This is strictly for use on the hair only, wet or dry, and can be used everyday if desired. It doesn't weight the hair down and smells divine. This one is a bit harder to find in the states; I managed to find one from feelunique.com for $16 here. NOTE: UK shipping to the US takes longer and times vary from state to state. Another notable mention is by La Roche-Posay with their Anthelios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Fluid. Another brand for having top-notch suncare, this sunscreen for the face is absolutely outstanding. I am on my second bottle of the stuff; with its slight-matte, non-oily finish...on-top of having an SPF of 60 thats works great for sensitive skins, its worth the $29.99 tag. The packaging and size is also so convenient for travel. You can find LPR and their sun-range numerous places in the states, such as Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens to name a few.

If you're not a big fan of messy spray tans or laying out for time on end to get that natural, tanned glow to the skin, than you're in luck!! The Golden Glow Booster's for face ($30) & body ($45) are probably the most easiest way to get that 'natural', sun-kissed glow to the skin that I've found on the market. All you need to do is take a few drops (number of drops vary for face & body) of the glow booster and mix it into your moisturizer(s) (it doesn't have to be Clarins-brand) and apply as you normally would with your day cream and/or body cream. NOTE: you can not use this alone. you must use a moisturizer with this; they advise this on the packaging and online. After one use of this, my skin has this 'natural', light glow to it; you can also build it up with everyday use to your desired tan-level, the more you use, the more glow & tan you get. I like to use it about 2 days straight, just to add a slight touch of color to my skin, and I absolutely love how it comes out. No streaking, no funny smells, no orange-skin, and you really can't mess up with this one. You can't get much easier when it comes to self-tanning! The sizes are small & great for travel as well.

SPF? Check! 
Tan? Check! 
Now, just a little lift and contouring of the figure...

With continued use, the Super Restorative Redefining Body Care ($94) & Body Lift Cellulite Control ($70-$99) will help redefine your 'silhouette' as well as help correct and prevent cellulite in troubled spots. Whether these actually do their full purpose, I can't say 100% that I have seen turnaround results, yet these feel great on the skin nonetheless. I feel more of a difference with continued use of the Redefining lotion, but love the consistency of the Cellulite Control; at the end of the day I do love both, and it doesn't hurt to apply a little extra help where needed (it gives me that little extra boost of confidence, don't judge!). 

I'm all set and ready for summer! 

What are some of your favorite, summer-time must-have products that weren't mentioned? Or any of these that you tried and loved as well? Share your products and experiences below in the comments!

***disclaimer: i was not sponsored or paid for by Clarins (though would love to be :x) or any other brands mentioned in this post. i bought all of these products on my own.***

Friday Fail: Perricone MD Nutritive Cleanser

It's only fair to not treat all beauty products the same...as it also comes with the territory of a beauty blogger, you can't love every product you try, which is why I created the 'Friday Fail'...my first 'fail' is the Perricone MD Nutritive Cleanser. I really enjoyed this cleanser in the beginning, maybe because I never tried it before, breaking myself into the Perricone world...than with continued use I just started to dislike it, now at the very last drop of the bottle I am just eager to finish it up and toss it already.

According to Perricone's website description:

...Nutritive Cleanser provides anti-aging benefits and reveals brighter and smoother skin, leaving it looking radiant and perfectly prepared for treatment.

Not worrying too much about the anti-aging benefits (with no wrinkles its hard to notice any change w/that), I didn't feel that my skin was 'radiant' looking after I washed it off it just felt, clean. Not stripped cleaned though, it may be for some skin types because it is a 'light' foaming formula, just regular, basic drug-store bought cleanser- clean; and it smells like baby powder?? Its light and powdery scent first threw me off, but just continued to do so with every use, though not unbearable, it wasn't my favorite.

Honestly, this cleanser did nothing for my skin. It didn't harm it but, it did no good for it either. Obviously, this is my personal opinion but $39 for a very basic cleanser such as this is not worth the hype or the price tag, to be completely honest. This doesn't steer me away from the brand but, this will not be a repurchase for me.

An Inside Look at my Beauté Cabinet

I posted a picture of whats inside my bathroom beauté cabinet  some time ago on my instagram page, though I failed to list what exactly is inside it...than again, characters are limited on instagram just as twitter (expect with a bit more wiggle room), so I couldn't list every single bit. Well, today's post was a spontaneous one, but thought since I have some extra free time to knock out a post today, thought this would be a good one to do. This has changed and been updated a bit since and I won't be going into any descriptions or reviews of these products on this specific post, but I will try my best to direct link every product mentioned with where you can purchase. If you guys would like a post with more in-depth detail(s)/reviews/etc on everything here, leave a comment below on this post or send me a message on instagram or twitter!

Now, let's get on to it...I will be starting from the bottom to top, left to right.

1st shelf: Cleansers/Mists (& 1 eye cream)

• Emma Hardie: Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, (200g, $78.40)
• Diptyque: Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay, ($65)
• Clarins: Extra Comfort Cleansing Cream (discontinued, bummer)
• Mario Badescu: Chamomile Eye Cream, ($18)
• Institut Esthederm: Osomoclean Hydra-Replenishing Cleansing Milk, (on sale for $25.50)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser (not available in the U.S.)
• Tata Harper: Purifying Cleanser, ($58)
• Clarins: One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract, ($35)
• Boscia: Clear Complexion Tonic, ($24)
• Caudalie: Grape Water, ($18)

2nd shelf: Makeup Removers, Tonics, Moisturizers/Creams

• Institut Esthederm: Osmoclean Osmopure Face and Eyes Cleansing Water, (on sale for $32.10)
• Vichy: Purete Thermale 3-in-1 Calming Cleansing Solution, ($17)
• L'Oreal: Clean Artiste Waterproof & Long-Wearing Eye Makeup Remover, ($6.99)
• Sephora Dispense Pump Bottle: Bioderma Sensibio H20, (prices vary)
• Bobbi Brown: Lathering Tube Soap, ($29)
• Pixi: Glow Tonic, ($29)
• Clarins: Toning Lotion with Camomile, ($24)
• Clinique: Mild Clarifying Lotion, ($13.50)
• Institut Esthederm: Osmoclean Hydra-Replenishing Fresh Lotion, (on sale for $25.50)
• Embryolisse: Lait-Crème Concentré, (2.6 oz, $28)
• La Roche-Posay: Toleraine Soothing Protective Skincare, ($28.99)
• Clarins: HydraQuench Cream-Gel, ($49.50)
• Antipodes: Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream, ($36.70)

3rd shelf: Oils, Serums, Masks, Treatments

• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil, (not available in the U.S.)
• Bella Mechelle Cosmetics: Citrus Boost Oil Serum, ($10.99; get 15% OFF your first order with promo code 'JBEAUTE', ends 6/20/15)
• Klorane: Smoothing and Relaxing Patches w/Soothing Cornflower, ($21)
• Antipodes: Divine Face Oil, ($27)
• Clarins: Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, ($53)
• Sephora: Pomegranate Eye Mask, ($5)
• Freeman Beauty: Pineapple Enzyme Mask and Facial Clay Mask with Avocado & Oatmeal, ($4.29 each)
• Kypris: Antioxidant Dew, ($67)
• Decléor: Aroma Cleanse Clay & Herbal Cleansing Mask, ($42)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask, (not available in the U.S.)
• Charlotte Tilbury: Goddess Skin Clay Mask, ($70)
• La Roche-Posay: Effaclar Duo Acne Treatment, ($36.95)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Vitamin C+ Brighten Glow Boost Skin Serum, (not available in the U.S.)
• Bite Beauty: 5 Night Fix For Lips, ($15)
• Sheyn Skin Co. : Breakout Control Mask & Spot Treatment (sample, full size is $53)

Monday Must-Have: Bobbi Brown's 'Lathering Tube Soap'

Hey beauté's! Yet again, I am back to being awful at this blogging thing...when life gets chaotic, I lose all sense of well, everything! Sorry about that...anyway, I want to try something new during the week: my 'must-haves' every Monday & 'fails' every Friday...seems like if I can at least get 2 blog posts up a week, it can get me more into the habit of being able to update it more 'frequently' so-to-speak, let me know what you think! I may not have both up during the week because some weeks I just want to rave till the end of time about how much I love a product more than I disliked any, and vise versa. Like I said, this will be a work in progress but let's get into things while you're here...

Bobbi Brown's Lathering Tube Soap

I get a bit on the hesitant side when brands that are highly known for their makeup come out with skincare products...I don't know why, I just feel like well, why fix something if it isn't broke? Thats not the case for my Monday 'must-have' this week, Bobbi Brown's Lathering Tube Soap. The word 'lathering' in this title scared me, why I decided to go ahead and get it anyway is still unknown to me, but the reviews were raving all across the broad, so I took the plunge...so glad I did! 

I use this as a 'pre-cleanse', meaning I use this as my first step of my skincare routine to get off all the makeup and grime of the day. I have used this as a 2nd cleanse though, personal preference is the latter.  On Bobbi Brown's website, the description for this reads:

               A coconut extract derivative cleanses deeply, yet gently, while a blend of apricot, sweet almond and wheat germ oils hydrate and cushion skin for an incredibly clean, soft, and refreshed feeling. Shea butter immediately provides maximum moisture.

Very eloquently put Bobbi but, it's not untrue. This is a relatively thick formulation (swatch of it above) so you need a TINY bit, literally, you need such a small bit because this lathers and spreads across the face quite evenly (even smaller than whats pictured). Like I said previously, I was afraid of the word 'lathering'; lathering, foaming, the like dries out the skin; naturally I try my best to stay away from any and all of these types of cleansers yet, something went off in my head  that was like 'you'll thank me later, Jewels'. It lathers into a thick, white formulation across the face without stripping or drying out the skin, thanks to the hydrating properties she put into this cleanser. 

This removes makeup like a dream! You'll want to full-stop on the awful make-up wipes & substitute this for them instead (well, you shouldn't be using those germ-spreading things anyway!). This lifts & removes EVERYTHING off your face, prepping it for the rest of your routine. Trying to find what skin types would be best suited to use this vary; Brown's site saids oily/normal, & other sites have said combination or all skin types; so it depends. Personally, I do find this more suited towards Oily/Combo(thats more on the oily side)/Normal skin types yet, it really just depends (read the list on ingredients if you're unsure).

Since a little goes a long way, this will last you for months...and months...and possibly a few more months after that. The packaging is sleek and looks lovely on the bathroom vanity. I'm a very simple gal, so I appreciate the simplicity of it all. But as a product, it's a definite repurchase. I've experienced no irritation, dryness, breakouts while using this, though it recommends to NOT use it on/around the eye area so, you've been warned! I have not made this slip-up but, I am sure it's on the tube for a reason folks...

I love having this 'permanently' apart of my skincare arsenal now and that's why its this Monday's 'must-have' of the week!

You can find it & purchase it on Bobbi Brown's website here, for $29. First-time e-mail subscribers can get 15% off their first purchase as well when they sign-up!