The wonderful Kip from CUSP wanted to give all of us the scoop on the biggest sale of the season. Shop either the Georgetown or Tyson's Corner store from November 2nd-10th (I'll be in Georgetown Sunday) and get major savings on the most covetable clothes...plus, they even sell make-up(!!) Have fun shopping - and post what you get.
The Beauty Department at Lucky Magazine, run by Jean Godfrey-June, is my favorite for checking out new products (Allure - you might do the best articles, but Lucky beats you on products). Two of my favorite columns are Jean's Beauty Closet - her personal picks, and Secret Ingredient - you get an intro to a cool ingredient, what it does, and a slew of products to find it in. For November its the Kukai Nut aka Candlenut - a super-duty moisturizer. The product that really got me was the Lauren Hutton Green Coffee Body Scrub (part of a trio). Lucky said "The scrub in this exfoliating treatment kit is phenomenal: spiked with coffee and brown sugar, it's wildly invigorating." I bought the $35 kit(scrub, massaging soap bar, and body serum) from HSN.com.
So Thursday night when I got home from the gym, I hopped in the shower to scrub up. There were some pretty specific instructions, and I did them as follows:
1. Use the scrub ankle to shoulders - rinse.
2. Use the flat side of the soap to lather (it exfoliates, too) ankle to shoulders.
3. Turn the bar and use the massaging nubby side knees to hips (more exfoliation)
4. Turn the bar again and use the contoured side on torso and arms (exfoliation again)
5. Rinse.
6. Out of shower - apply body serum to calves, thighs, buttocks, hips, abdomen, and upper arms.
The kit is supposed to be a firming treatment, and my skin definitely felt super smooth after I ex foliated it three times, but the products weren't great, and you can get the same results from more enjoyable products.
My thoughts:
Scrub - what a waste!!! The 4oz. jar is all but gone after one full body use. I have enough left to do one area of my body, and then it's totally gone. The scent reminded me of the Origins Modern Friction face scrub that made me gag. And the "wildly invigorating" claim from Lucky - I don't know what they were talking about. This is the product that made me want to try this kit and it is the worst of the bunch.
Try Instead: Caudalie Merlot Friction Scrub - feels awesome, smooths sooo good, and the light mint essential oils are the perfect amount of tingle. The 3oz mini in the trio will last you 3-5 uses depending on how big of an area you scrub. The full size jar is 8.8oz so you can definitely get your money's worth.
Soap - There was nothing bad about this bar, but it isn't available on it's own.
Try Instead: Bliss Serious Seaweed Cellulite Soap - I haven't tried this yet, but bliss usually does not disappoint. L'Occitane also makes a Grape Exfoliating Body Soap - it doesn't have massage nubbies, but it is awesome none the less.
Serum - OOOeeee. This stuff is so mentholated that skin felt like it was going to tingle right off. I like some tingle, but this was too intense. Maybe I used too much? Unlike the scrub, I do have enough of this left to try it again and see if I like it better.
Try Instead: This is the first body treatment product I have tried so I don't have any alternatives. The three brands listed above all have their own alternatives, so check those out.
But first - Life often brings about some unexpected changes. Here are my Top 3:
1. Work - I always had peaks of busy times and slumps of nothing to do. What started out as a peak last month doesn't have an end in sight. I think the cycles of my job are done. I am now entering "not just a job" territory, and I don't have the time I used to for my hobbies.
2. Shopping Habits - The cosmetic binge of last year is subsiding. After getting all that craziness out of my system, I still like to see whats out there, but I don't have the same urge to buy every single new thing. This is also leaving me with less topics I want to write about.
3. My Body - Sometime back in June, I mentioned that I was starting to work with a Trainer. Well, we still meet twice a week, and I am pleased to announce that I have hit the half-way mark of my 60lb. goal. I am doing the Trifecta of weight-loss: diet, exercise, and diet pills (all natural - for appetite control and motivation). I feel and look so much better. I know the second half will be harder to get off since I no longer have all that excess to just melt away. This first half took about 4 months, and I am giving myself 6 months to reach my goal weight. My birthday is my deadline.
When I was in my teens, I couldn't see myself getting fat until after having kids. I also didn't appreciate the body I had. (but what teen girl does - or can by society's standards?) I had this notion that 24 was the perfect age. A real adult, fully developed and still youthful. I thought 24 was the age when you reached maximum beauty, and if there was some kind of Death Becomes Her style potion, I would use it to be 24 forever. By 19, I was full-out chubby and things only got worse. I cursed myself for wishing for 24, when 16 was the best I ever had. I'll be 24 in six months. Reaching my goal weight by then would be so amazing. I could prove my 16 year old self right and my 19 year old self wrong wrong at the same time. Someone said to me that maybe I waited all this time to lose the weight in order to do it for my 24th, which would mean something extra special to me. Maybe she is right. Could my little thoughts have been a personal prophecy? Did I unknowingly lead myself into making 24 the monumental age I thought it would be? Anything is possible, right?
I also promised a Review last time I posted, so here it is:
Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream ($34). I use this twice a week in the shower. The scrub is nice, light, and effective. There is no fragrance in it, so the scent comes from the ingredients, and whatever they are, it smells like Coppertone to me. I definitely recommend this product, along with every other Caudalie product I have tried. They have never irritated my skin, or left me with a side effect result. They have only taken me closer to having amazing skin.
In addition to this, I also use Sauvignon Scrub($35) once a week at night. This product contains the same scrubbing beads as the gentle buffing cream, but in a much higher concentration. My skin has never felt as insanely soft and smooth then it does after I use this. I followed this with a spray of the Grape Water ($8 or $13) before I put on moisturizer.
I think using a combo of both scrubs is best, but if you only get one - make it the Sauvignon Scrub. The results are more dramatic, and while I haven't tried it, you could take a small amount of it mixed with regular cleanser, and get a lighter treatment.
My other suggestion is to buy the Scrub Trio instead of the big tub. The trio is available at Sephora and is the same price as the tub. The sauvignon mini will last a while, and you also get the try the merlot and cabernet scrubs which are for the body. I like the merlot texture and scent better, but they are meant for different parts of the body, and that cabernet scrub does for my thighs what the sauvignon does for my face.
If you are comfortable with the price point of this line, start using it!!!
