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September 2nd, 2010

The Body Shop Aloe Vera Lip Treatment

by Nicolas

Ever since my lips became allergic to Petroleum Jelly, I had to find organic or natural lip products specially developed for sensitive skin. My default was the fantastic Dr. Hauschka Lip Balm. I so happened to be in The Body Shop a couple of weeks ago with the intention to take full advantage of their body butter promo when I came across this new lip balm. It was good timing – I was almost out of the Dr.Hauschka Lip Balm and so I decided to give this one a shot.

The first thing to note is that this is part of the sensitive range of products meaning all-natural, preservatives-free products for sensitive skin needs. It also means no petroleum jelly. The texture is slightly thick and gooey but it spreads well on lips and the thick texture works great in sealing in moisture and providing faster relief to chapped lips.

Besides the aloe vera ingredient, this moisturizing lip treatment has organic beeswax, shea butter, soy oil, Vitamin E, Bisabolol to sooth, hydrate and protect sensitive lips. And it does a good job at that. Because of the thick texture, I save this for before bed where my lips can get really dry from all the air-conditioning. That said, this will be great for frequent fliers and the coming cold months.

Get this The Body Shop Aloe Vera Lip Treatment for US$9.50 at The Body Shop.

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August 29th, 2010

Groom Like Marc Jacobs

by Nicolas

Marc Jacobs shared with Details his grooming routine, his painful hair transplant and his favorite products. So if you’ve ever wanted to groom like Marc Jacobs, do check out the whole interview. Here are some excerpts:

Face. Instead of “any bar of soap from the supermarket,” Jacobs uses face wash (Joëlle Ciocco Lotion Lactee), toner (Joëlle Ciocco Skin Defensive), under-eye cream (Dr. Brandt Time Arrest Eye Serum), serum (Dr. Brandt Time Arrest Face Fluid), and moisturizer (Joëlle Ciocco Creme Riche). He camouflages dark circles under his eyes with Yves Saint Laurent Teint Parfait Complexion Enhancer #7, occasionally darkens his eyebrows with a makeup pencil, and blots out shine with Shiseido Men Anti-Shine Refresher Gel.

Teeth. Once a year he gets his teeth whitened. He goes to his own dentist, rather than to a teeth-whitening spa, because “I feel like my teeth belong to him,” Jacobs says. He also uses a Rembrandt toothpaste formulated for smokers and a non-alcohol-based mouthwash.

Body. Jacobs applies the moisturizer he uses on his face—Joëlle Ciocco Creme Riche—all over his body. He thins his chest hair using a Philips Norelco beard trimmer with the adjusting blade removed. “When I started to take an interest in grooming, trimming my body hair became part of that ritual,” he says. Despite his highly specific regimen, he still heads to the supermarket for certain staples. “I go through phases where I buy only Speed Stick and Axe,” he says. “And Noxzema shaving cream.”

Read the whole interview at Details.

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August 27th, 2010

Perfective Ceuticals Anti-imperfection Eye Therapy Cream

by Nicolas

I had great results with Perfective Ceuticals’ Divine Age Guardian Serum With Growth Factor and so I was excited to try their anti-imperfection eye therapy cream. My eyes always show how much sleep I’ve got and they don’t lie. So put days of endless consumption of wine and the lack of sleep together and the combination required a serious product.

The wonderful thing about this eye cream is that it is rich so a little goes a long way. A tube will last you months and that is always great in my book. The rich formula makes this perfect for nighttime use – it instantly soothes and hydrates leaving a very subtle silky glow that you will appreciate if this is used in the morning.

I don’t have wrinkles yet so in order to properly review this, I brought in a ‘test subject’ – someone in the late 40s with wrinkles and lines. After about 3 weeks of daily use, my test subject’s wrinkles were lessened and his eye area looked noticeably smoother and firmer with an overall improvement that didn’t go unnoticed.

As for me, this helped hide the signs of late nights and hard drinking. My eyes looked brighter – it helped keep dark circles at bay. There was a firmness that I really appreciate since this meant that my skin’s collagen levels increased. My eyes also felt very moisturized each morning so I could skip my usual application of Vaseline (a superb way to reduce lines and increase hydration as you sleep) around my eyes.

This hard-worker is a keeper and this will be great treat for your eyes when the weather turns cold. Get this Perfective Ceuticals Anti-imperfection Eye Therapy Cream for US$72 at Perfective Ceuticals.

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August 20th, 2010

Palmer’s Sunless Tanner & Instant Bronzer SPF 15

by Nicolas

I used to derive a lot of joy from spending hours under the hot sun working on my tan. Now that I am older and smarter, I find that I can’t spend hours under the sun, it’s too cumbersome. But I dig a good tan so I cheat and turn to self-tanners to get me that fresh-from-Bali tan I so desire.

I bought a bunch of self-tanners recently (yes, I buy most of my products. If you think I get them all for free, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. When companies and PR firms send me products for review, it’s only 1 tube/bottle) and this one from Palmer’s was one of them. The SPF 15 factor was the main draw. It saves me the trouble of bothering with extra sunblock during the day.

This contains an instant bronzer so you do get a hint of instant color. It’s not a deep shade but you do get some color. Another plus is the moisturizing factor – this is from Palmer’s so naturally this contains cocoa butter and Vitamin E (which provides antioxidant protection so more points for this).

The color obtained is natural and very complimentary. I’ve had a few comments about my tan and they are all good. The wallet-friendly price tag makes this one I will keep buying.

Get this Palmer’s Sunless Tanner & Instant Bronzer SPF 15 for US$8.99 at Drugstore.com.

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August 11th, 2010

Thrifty Flavors: Avon Clearskin® Blackhead Eliminating Deep Treatment Mask

by Nicolas

Blackheads are the bane of my complexion’s existence. No matter how hard or often I try, I can’t ever seem to get rid of them myself. The only time I ever was blackhead free was after a facial at Skin City 5.5 (awesome facials) and my therapist took at least 15 minutes to remove all my blackheads. She heaved a sigh of relief when it was all done – I told her I totally understand. But that was weeks ago and since I’m not in Shanghai anymore, I can’t just pop into Skin City 5.5 and ask for a facial.

So I have to rely on masks and this is the latest mask in my blackhead-fighting arsenal. It’s simple. Wash your face, dry it and simply slap on the mask on problematic areas. The green mask will turn white when it is ready to be washed so you get a visual cue and that is always neat.

My blackheads were lessened which is always a good thing. Of course it doesn’t get rid of all my blackheads and I haven’t found a product that does so. But this does clear some blackheads and with 2-3 times usage a week, look forward to a clearer T-Zone.

The super-friendly price-tag makes this a must-try! You really have nothing to lose. Except your blackheads. Get this Avon Clearskin® Blackhead Eliminating Deep Treatment Mask for US$5.29 at Avon.

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August 10th, 2010

Scott Barnes Hydrating Mask

by Nicolas

I’m always on the look-out for good deals and when I find them, I write about them and let you guys know. I found this pretty sweet deal the other day and I had to jump at it.

Slapping on a facial mask is one of the ways I try to chill the fuck out. So needless to say, I have a mask for every kind of skin concern. I have a rule when it comes to the refrigerator in my apartment – my refrigerator will never run out of ice-cream, alcohol and facial masks (in no particular order). Yeah, I know my priorities.

This hydrating mask is great for replenishing moisture to dehydrated skin and adding softness to stressed-out skin. It’s super easy to use – store this in the fridge (for an extra hit of freshness) and slap one on weekly or whenever you feel like it. Skin is left feeling moist and refreshed. I take this on long flights and I slap one on before I snooze on the influence of Xanax and champagne.

It helps combat the extremely dehydrating cabin air and keeps my skin feeling super comfortable. Because it’s so fuss free, such tissue masks are one of my favorite things to do. This is now going for US$15 for a box of 5 masks! That is US$3 per mask (or less if you have a loyalty discount with Strawberrynet). At such a steal, you cannot not take advantage of this (offers ends end of August)!

Get this Scott Barnes Hydrating Mask (5 Sheets) for ~~US$38~~ US$15 at Strawberrynet.com.

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August 1st, 2010

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque

by Nicolas

I began to realize that my skin is slowly shifting from very oily to oily with combination tendencies. My nose area remains very oily but my cheeks have been asking for a lot of moisture lately which signaled a change in my skin type.

In my ongoing goal of making my skin happy, I add products to my grooming routine depending on how my skin is feeling. This ultra hydrating masque from Dermalogica is what I have been using to help satiate my drier skin and inject much-needed moisture after the dehydrating flights I had to take the past couple of weeks.

This creamy mask goes on very easily so you don’t need to apply a lot – it has a pretty thick texture so a tube will last you quite a while. I like how this not only hydrates but also freshen up my complexion with its circulation-stimulating ingredients like Ginkgo Biloba. Its moisturizing properties infuse moisture while purifying pores – my skin felt clean and soft with my pores looking refined.

This is great for all year round use – I will definitely bring this with me to Europe come December and will also take this when I head to Bali. Spending time in the sun does dehydrate my skin and this quickly and instantly boosts moisture levels. A great travel companion.

Get this Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque 75ml/2.5oz for US$45 at Strawberrynet.com.

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