New Year, New Beauty Resolutions

Each year I make resolutions that I (you guessed it )break. This year will be different, this year my beauty resolutions will be a new way of being. It is to my utmost benefit. In twenty years, my skin will say thank you for treating her like a bff.
Here's the plan:

1. Cut back on caffeine
It dries out skin due to it's diuretic properties but it's also a great antioxidant.
So controversial!

2. Finally join a gym
Preferably one with a steam room and sauna. Better blood circulation equals better skin.

3. Be beautiful from the inside out
It's time for me to improve my eating habits. I will drink plenty of water and pure fruit juices.
Maybe I'll even get a juicer. I'll eat all my fatty's! Fish, nuts, olive oil will all be on the menu.

4. Don't be lazy!
Take off make up every night! Yes, even it was the wildest party ever and now I'm exhausted from all of the evenings activities. My pillowcase and my pores will be thankful.

5. Be diligent about eye care
Another year on the calendar means another year for your skin cells.

6. Discover greener alternatives.
After noticing the benefits of more natural products, this year I'll try to be as green as possible. The goal is finding natural or organic products that are effective and provide a pleasurable sensory experience.

7. Catch my zzz's
I'm not 18 nor am I 21. Without enough sleep, cells can't fully regenerate and I want mine to get all the help they can get.

8. Do the yoga thing
Mind, soul and body are all connected. Better mental health and less stress leads to better looks. You know I will try everything.

9. Finish what I start
I will finish all purchased products. Challenging but it must be done.

10. Be grateful.
It's easy to forget that we're blessed. Beauty, health, laughter and joy are all gifts that should be cherished.

I have a whole year to a better me.


Ms. Lynn

Best Products Of 2009

As we're speeding towards 2010 (in less than two days to be exact) I was contemplating on the best beauty products and happenings of 2009.

Let's start with

L'Oréal H.I.P Jelly Balms and L'Oréal H.I.P Presso Lip Glosses.
How many times should I name drop L'oréal? Sorry, they're just that good.
The balm delivers enough color to be worn just like a gloss and keeps lips sexily moist. I honestly love all the shades. The Presso collects two compatible shades of gloss that can be combined at your liking. Perfect if you can't decide which shade to wear.

St-Ives In-Shower Body Polishes
It comes in Moisturizing, Renewing and Smoothing. Inexpensive,foams like a shower gel and exfoliates like a real scrub.

Rimmel London Glameyes Mascara
No hype! This mascara gives me long,thick and curved lashes.Compliments guaranteed.
And it's official, if you want a product to sell Kate Moss is the spokesmodel to hire.

François Nars 15 Year Career Celebration
What better way to celebrate 15 years of creative genius? If you're François Nars you assemble you favorite celebrities for an eyegasmic photoshoot.

Shu Uemura Art Of Hair
This line has every styling product necessary to turn your ordinary 'do into art. From the texture spray to the hair serum all products are created to be mixed or used alone. After styling, hair remains pliable and can be restyled without having to rewash. Heaven!
And I'm not a hair product overload kind of girl. If you're low maintenance or like to believe that you are, you must try the Satin Design White Tea Polishing Milk, the Silk Oil and The sheer Lacquer Finishing Spray.

My other hair must this year was

M Moroccan oil
Yes, argan oil has been showing up in many beauty products over the last year and with good reason. It is lightweight but very nourishing and contains vitamin e and essential fatty acids. amazing on all hair types and textures. I can't stop appplying it to my hair. My mane is now glossy and super soft, just like a Moroccan.

Dolce & Gabbana Tarot Perfumes
I always had the idea to pair a scent with a tarot card. Too late, this duo had the brilliance to take the most powerful tarot cards and not only associate each card with a scent but with a Supermodel. An original Supermodel.

Green Beauty at Whole Body(Whole Foods)
While most assemble their carts with organic produce my basket is filled with organic lotions,scrubs,incense and an occasional bottle of antioxidant rich fruit smoothie. The year 2009 was the year I saw myself consider going all green. Thank you Whole Foods for opening my eyes to green beauty. From Dr.Hauschka to Ren the possibilities are now endless.

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