YSL Parisienne?

The new YSL Parisienne scent has to be the most disappointing perfume on the market. Not that it doesn't smell good. It just has nothing to do with the image it's trying to convey. The ads are sexy and sensuous but the perfume is not! It can be described as lovely and soft but this is not what we're going for. I usually love perfumes that have blackberry, rose and sandalwood as notes but something is missing in this mixture. It's missing the musk!
It's missing all the sex (musk) portrayed in the ad. Kate Moss is effortlessly sexy in this ad (very French). I want to be her; I want to smell like leather, roses and morning after sex with a French man. Unfortunately if you also want to smell this way, you will have to reach for a different bottle of perfume.
But let the ad inspire us.

Ms. Lynn

At A Duane Reade Near You.

Many of New York City Duane Reade's have gotten major face lifts. Now that logo colors have changed from dreadful red and blue to very cool purple, white and black, you no longer need to feel ashamed of walking around with their shopping bags. Not that you were but these bags will not completely cramp your style. Anyways.
I visited the store located in Herald Square, not only do they carry my European favorites like Vichy and Lierac but also tons of new additions. Now you can buy This Works and Rilastil products while picking up a box of tampons. That's exactly what I did today. It is  so New York ! I love it!
Walking into a Duane Reade will never feel the same again and that makes me really happy.
I snapped a few pics while in the store to give you an idea but still can't figure out how to upload from my phone to my blog. Yes, I'm technologically challenged but I have better qualities.

Bisou.

Ms. Lynn

Good Grease!!!

Whenever I'm shopping for a new body moisturiser (which is always), I scour the aisles and labels for words like balm, butter and essential oils. This girl loves her lotion greasy! The oilier the better! Now that winter is fast approaching, I'm on a mission to stay more greased up than your Thanksgiving turkey. When I take off my leggings or my jeans in the evening, I don't want to see dry skin flaking off into the ether.
I know you know what I'm talking about.
But before you reach over for that bottle of Crisco (which is not such a bad idea) here's what to look for.
A good formulation should contain a combo of oils (coconut, almond, sesame, kukui); humectants (honey, hyaluronic acid, urea and or glycerin) and something containing natural butters like shea, cocoa or illipe will provide long lasting goody moisture.

Here is my good grease list:

Lancome Nutrix Royal Body Cream

Lierac Long Lasting Moisturising Body Lotion

Origins Precipitation Extra

Origins A Perfect World Body Cream

LaRoche Posay Lipikar Body Balm

Avène Cold Cream body Lotion

Bath and Body Works Lay It On Thick

 

Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

Biotherm Baume Corps

La Mer the Body Cream

More grease to you all!

Ms. Lynn

Upgrade Me

Although, I have loved regular pharmacy brand products like L'Oréal, Nivea and Revlon. A time came when I felt the need to venture outside the regular $5.99 jar of moisturizer. Growing up in suburban Canada I cannot say that we lacked product variety. I didn't grow up with Sally Beauty emporiums or these mega huge beauty supply stores where you can find anything from hair extensions to rubbing alcohol. I believe as a French Canadian, I received a far better education in beauty. My local pharmacy was stacked with high end brands like Lancôme and Estée Lauder and a "panoplie" of French super brands like Biotherm, Avène and Renée Garraud.

Initially, my 12 year old self could not affored to purchase a $30 plus tube of cream. I started saving my allowance and any monetary gifts to buy whatever I wanted. I insisted on getting samples and made them last.

By junior high I was saving my lunch money and packing my lunch everyday. Definitely not the cool thing to do. But when you're a crimson lipped 14 year old, such details cannot tarnish ones popularity.

By senior year of high school, I was working for $9.50 per hour and spending nearly every dollar on my beauty obsession. I had a fixation on Clinique lipgloss in Air Kiss, Lancôme mascaras and the just launched Juicy Tubes.

After my initiation there was no turning back. This also reinforced my love for some mass market brands (remember they are often produced by the same company).

What's not to love with a high end brand: the advertising campaigns are  absolutely gorge, the scents, the texture and the packaging. I'm a sucker for great packaging. My products are always on display.

If you're still using generic products then it's time that you upgrade.

Upgrade with anything from Yves Saint-Laurent but you can start with:

                         
                                  1.  YSL Touche Eclat

2.  YSL Mascara Effet Faux Cils

3.  YSL Nail Polish

The gold packaging always makes a statement.

4. Crème De La Mer body Cream

Most people would shell ot for the face cream (which you should) but I decided    that my face can have the leftovers of my body. The best $200 I've ever spent.

5.  Lancôme Mascaras
That's right, they're all great!

6. Guerlain anything.

I mean, the ads speak for themselves.

7. Chanel, Chanel, Chanel !

Fall Beauty Closet

Summer has officially left us and now that we have settled into fall it's time to clear out your beauty closet.The drop in moisture and temperature can leave your skin drier than the Sahaara dessert. To prevent your skin from feeling like an emery board, throw away that almost empty tube of lightweight moisturizer that kept your skin semi-matte on the beaches of East Hampton. Along with your moisturizer, get rid of all extra oil absorbing products: extra foaming cleansers, foaming scrubs. Stop treating your skin like you would your dishes. All that foaming action is not the best thing for your skin in this climate. Unless you have oily or acne prone skin, you are allowed to keep a product that will control excessive oil production.

You want products that will keep your skin moist and supple through the increasingly dry and cold weather. Also, indoor heat is a major factor in dehydrated skin.

Find a cleanser that thoroughly cleanses without stripping your skin. The more you strip, the more oil skin produces to compensate. Products containing salicilyc acid will help rid the skin of dead skin cells and any bacteria trapped in pores. Next, exfoliate with a scrub to really stimulate and prepare your skin for any treatment that will follow. Do not overscrub and don't apply any pressure. You should be using the tips of your fingers and let the exfoliating beads to their job. I see women do this all the time, just rubbing and rubbing... Ouch! Just don't.

It's very useful to have a mask or two on hand to use once a week. Depending on your skin type, one should be hydrating, purifying or clarifying. This should be performed after the exfoliating step. The last step is very important. Actually, the first and the last steps are crucial. The first sets the tone (literally) to your routine. Before anything else happens, skin has to be squeaky clean. The last, is where anti-aging, anti-oxidizing, anti-glycating can happen. This is when your skin receives all the necessary nourishment and protection it craves and needs. Look for a moisturizer that contains anti-oxidants like vitamins A, C and E. If you can find a moisturizer that contains all three then you're in good shape. Other ingredients to look for are natural oils and humectants like shea butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, honey extract, stearic acid and glycolic acid. Obviously, what you choose will depend on your skin type and it's needs.

Here are a few options for each skin type.

Oily/Acneic skin

• Clinique Wash Away Gel Cleanser
• Avene Cleanance Soap Free Gel Cleancser
• Bliss Steep Clean Pore Purifying Mask
• Clinique exfoliating Scrub
• Peter Thomas Roth Oil Free Moisturizer
• Vichy Normaderm Anti-Imperfection  Hydrating Care

Normal/Combination skin

•  Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser With Cottonseed
•  Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash
•  Clinique 7 Day Scrub
•  Lierac Exfotonic Scrub
•  Lierac Masque Clarte
•  Vichy Aqualia Thermal Cream Fortifying & Soothing 24hr Care

Dry/Dehydrated skin

• Clarins Pure Melt Gel
• Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser
• L'Occitane Shea Butter Gentle Face Buff
• Vichy Detoxifying Exfoliating Cream
• Vichy Aqualia Thermal Mineral Balm
• Bliss The Youth As We Know It

xxx

Ms. Lynn

The Beauty Products That Set It Off!

Here are some of the products that contributed to my beauty obsession. Many of these, I use to date but some alas have been reformulated or my skin no longer tolerates them.

• Revlon Nail Enamel : The color selection is great. I have loved nearly every shade but Vixen is my favorite.
• Pond's Cold Cream : Classic and inexpensive
• Nivea : Every product I have used from this brand was not just good but great. One of the best quality/price ratios on the market. It is no surprise that it's a staple of every European woman you will ever meet. I loved their original body lotion with almond oil but I have now fallen in love with Smooth Sensation body lotion. Smells divine, has great texture and really moisturises. I take moisturising quite seriously and this brand rarely disappoints.
• Noxzema Original Cream Jar : The creaminess and tingle drove my teenage senses crazy. I would slather on, rinse and repeat until I actually lost a shade in skin tone. I just loved the way it made my skin feel and look. The camphor in the cleanser provides the tingling sensation and increases circulation resulting in rosy skin. The succeeding step was exfoliating with
• St-Ives Apricot Scrub : This product has many devotees and I used to be one of them. Exfoliating several times a day daily! At the time, the results were great. I could not keep compliments or palms away from my face. Now, with the damage I may have caused from overexfoliation I would undoubtedly flare up.  Not  a good look!

Finally

• Dove : Anything and everything from Dove will do. The soap is not drying as most non vegetable based soaps are and the body washes are fantastic! Not overly perfumed which can be very drying for the epidermis.

Later Divas.

Ms. Lynn

In The Beginning

"You're a product slut!", this is what my then co-worker exclaimed as I handed her my newest hand cream. Stunned at the initial statement, I couldn't deny the truth: I am a product slut! I am. Absolutely obsessed! From the aisles of Duane Reade to the counters of Bergdorf Goodman I want it all! I have sampled an insane amount of beauty booty! At times, suffering from allergic reactions as a result of all the experimentation. Each tube, bottle, jar feels like a new opportunity.

So, how did this all begin...

My astrological chart reveals that my moon is in scorpio. Apparently, this placement can make you intense and prone to addiction. A quality I share with many serial killers, stalkers and the psychologically disturbed. As you can see I got really lucky.

I can recall the moment that set me on my never ending search for the ultimate beauty find. It was a warm summer day in the early 90's. I must have been 12 years old. At the time, too many hours were spent watching soap operas and music videos. All that shine and gloss!!! I too wanted to be one of these lacquered beauties. I couldn't wait to be all grown up and have red nails with matching lips (of course), dewy skin and long thick black lashes. I eventually stopped envying these glowing creatures and decided to take matters into my own hands. Armed with a whole dollar I walked across the street to The Dollar Store. I was determined to find something to make me feel beautiful. And there it was staring at me, Sally Hansen nail polish in sandalwood: a dark brown with a hint of taupe. This color was too sophisticated for a 12 year old, I wasn't very concerned though. My glamour puss mother disapproved of my choice only to later start wearing it herself. Confirming that I had an eye. I spent the rest of that summer sporting a different nail polish color every single day!

But this was only the beginning.

Ms.Lynn