The Olympics are about to get started in London, so why not celebrate with some of our favorite British beauty finds? Each of these luxurious products has a signature English touch that we can't get enough of. On Kirbie: H&M. Makeup by Beau Nelson.
It's an oldie, but a goodie: Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser ($25). Besides, it's actually kind of fun to use. The two-step treatment begins by washing the face with the creamy, cooling cleanser, rubbing it in with circular motions to release dirt and makeup. The second step involves polishing the skin with a muslin cloth that's included as part of the kit. Once you rinse off the cloth and check out your mug in the mirror, skin feels smoothed and softened, and looks clearer and brighter.
This rich cleanser contains cocoa butter to hydrate, hops extract to tone, and rosemary essential oil to invigorate. Eucalyptus helps to decongest clogged skin, and gives that cooling, tingly sensation. But the best part? The oddly exciting and strangely addictive moment when you see makeup melting into the cloth — including the stubborn kind of mascara that almost requires grabbing a chisel to remove.
When your hair suffers from chemical and environmental damage, you can help restore vitality by applying a hot oil treatment. Well, when your face becomes dry from the Winter or even from too much sun, I find that applying a facial oil is a helpful solution for replacing moisture loss and for filling in fine lines and wrinkles. I've found this terrific plumping facial oil recipe from Liz Earle that I think you'll love — the smell alone will send you over the moon! You'll need:
For step-by-step instructions on how to make your own facial oil, read more
I'm a hand cream junkie, so it is with great pleasure and conviction that I present my top five favorites to you. Over the past year, I've tested many a cream in search of my favorite, and I have two. The first is June Jacobs Green Tea and Cucumber Hand Cream ($46) because of its quick rate of absorbency, non-greasy feeling and soothing scent.
The second is L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($25) because of its rich, thick texture and unparalleled soothing results. If there's one thing I've learned from my experiences, it's that the key to a good hand cream is shea butter, and the higher the content, the better. Below are three runners-up that I use regularly to soothe dry, chapped hands. What's your all-time favorite hand cream?
If you haven't noticed, I have an affinity for hand creams. Every time I discover a new one, it feels like Christmas morning. I find some of them to be creamy perfection while others are far too greasy or strong-scented. Up until now, I thought I had just about experienced all of the good ones, but then I tested out Liz Earle Hand Repair.
Last week I overheard some girls talking about their beauty buys in a coffee shop and they pulled out a pump from their shopping bag. I of course immediately checked it out and fell in love with the results.
The texture is light, smooth and it penetrates those deep, dry layers of your skin without feeling the least bit oily. You only need a dime-sized amount for both hands and it works well to soften your cuticles too. The best part of all is the smell. It has that incredible spa, good-for-you aroma since it is made from a blend of essential oils, bergamot, chamomile, lavender and orange.
Prices range from $8 to $28.50 depending on the size you buy. Even a small tube should last you well over a month. As you can tell, I'm totally hooked — are you interested in testing it out?
Welcome back to my series on firming beauty products. Today's topic is body creams. Before we go any further, you need to know that no cream can actually remove cellulite. By following a healthy lifestyle you can shrink lipids, but topical creams will only work to stimulate your skin and temporarily help smooth the appearance of cellulite. Below are three that I've tried.
Benefit Jiggle Gel ($26) is a toning, firming, and hydrating moisturizer for your hips, thighs, tummy, arms, and booty. It claims to act as an "invisible girdle." I can't attest to it being quite that effective, but the mental image definitely worked to help me feel firmer. Simply smooth it onto your body and allow it to dry. I just read that it's also recommended to help reduce swelling after long flights, so it might be good for frequent fliers.
For two more body firming creams, read more
I can understand why the thought of applying oil directly to your face might seem a little bit scary. After all, we've been told that oil-free products work best to keep your pores clear and to help keep oily skin matte. But try to strike this information from the record for a moment so that you can learn a little bit about a few non-comedogenic facial oils. These nighttime treatments are a great way to help replenish the moisture level of your skin during these dehydrating winter months.
A little while back I talked to you about Darphin's Tangerine Aromatic Care Oil. I've been using it religiously and the stuff is so amazing that I wish I could drink it! Here are a few more facial oils that are suitable for all skin types. While they are especially fab for those of you with dry skin, they won't make oily skin greasier. They work to hydrate the deeper levels of your skin with brilliant results.
Ole Henriksen Black Currant Complexion Oil ($32) helps calm red/irritated skin as well as shield skin from the drying effects of cold weather and wind. It contains vitamin E to moisturize; lemon, cypress and clary sage to energize; and tea tree oil to fight off bacteria that can lead to blemishes.
To use, cleanse and tone skin and then apply a light layer to the face and neck in the evening before bed. Massage into your skin and follow with a lotion of your choice.
For two more re-balancing and rejuvenating facial oils, read more
Last year I posted a series called wiping the slate clean, which was all about clarifying facial cleansers. This year, I thought we could talk a little more frankly about detox — detoxing our skin that is. I've been on planes, trains, and cars throughout the holiday season and let's just say that I've had a few too many late nights (New Year's Eve included) trying to make up for lost time with friends and family.
But now that the party's over, my skin's seen better days. If you're still suffering the effects of overdoing it during the holidays, here are some helpful hints from skincare expert Liz Earle to get your once radiant skin back in check. And this detox program is so easy, you can do it over the course of a weekend.
For three more helpful skin detox tips, read more
Part four of my five-part series on gold makeup is all about gilded lips. Whether you apply a lipstick, a lip balm or lip gloss, gold lips are a perfect way to add a little bit of punch to your pout. Here are three lip products you won't want to miss this party season!
Liz Earle Sheer Gold Lip Shimmer ($9.75) is a barely-there lip balm that contains gold flecks to add a touch of subtle shine and shimmer to your lips. It's also deeply conditioning and moisturizing, so it protects your lips from chapping and drying during the Winter months.
For two more golden lip products, read more
Liz Earle calls this product Superbalm because it comes to the rescue in a million different ways — much like Superman! This salve is a great remedy for dry cuticles, chapped lips, scaly heels, rough elbows and hands, frizzy hair, and as a barrier cream against extreme weather conditions. It is made from 100-percent pure plant oils and waxes, echinacea, vitamin E, soothing lavender, softening rose hip, and moisturizing avocado. Now you can understand where its amazing and calming aroma comes from!
Using Superbalm is easy: Just massage a little bit into your hands and spread it on your body. Be warned that a little goes a long way, so if you plan to use it on your lips, you really won't need much. Consider Superbalm your new and improved version of that jar of Vaseline that's been sitting on your bathroom shelf for ages. The formula is less greasy and even the big tub is light to tote around. Superbalm is available in a 1-oz. jar for $26.50 and in a .1-oz. mini container for $8. I can't wait to hear what you think!
