Tag: luxury

beauty

Review: Dr. Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel

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Hey friends! I’m in the midst of a very  busy – but fun – week, so I wanted to make a quick post about a product that I absolutely adore.

I started using Dr. Gross products last year, when I got serious about improving and perfecting my skin. The salesperson at my local Sephora directed me to the brand’s Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel for sensitive skin, since I was experiencing a bout of sensitivity and I was unsure how my skin would react to the product.

The price of the product – $88 for a 30 day supply – was not for the faint of heart, but desperate times call for desperate measures and believe me, I was DESPERATE. I held out hope that the product would improve my skin’s texture and clarity.

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The description of the product on Sephora’s website is as follows:

A daily peel in pre-soaked pads that contains three gentle acids, anti-agers, and soothing botanicals to exfoliate and nourish sensitive skin and combat the three most common signs of aging.

Lactic acid, mandelic acid, and willow bark extract all work together to exfoliate the skin, refine the texture and clear the pores gently. The product is easy to use: each peel consists of two wipes, conveniently attached in a connected dual-pouch configuration. You gently wipe your face with Wipe 1, until the wipe feels dry to the touch. Then you wait for two minutes, and follow up with wiping your face with Wipe 2. Wipe 1 is the exfoliating chemicals, and Wipe 2 neutralizes the chemicals (so you don’t accidentally burn your skin).

But the question is, how well did it work?

Well, Dr. Gross didn’t disappoint. After 30 days, my skin look transformed! In fact, my skin was looking better after one week, and continued use just made it look even better. By the time I got through the box, I was running to Sephora to get another one! I noticed that some of my scars were starting to fade, and my pores looked smaller. I looked like I may have even gotten a professional chemical peel!

I wish I had taken photos: the difference was noticeable. The results were so good, I plan to purchase another box and start up on another round of exfoliation: I’d like to ring in the new year with my skin looking extra flawless!

I have an upcoming post, describing how I’m winterproofing my skin. I have some other product recommendations that I think you all will enjoy. I’ll talk to you all soon!

art · luxury

Classical Art Sale at Sotheby’s London

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Sotheby’s is having an Old Masters Sale on December 7th, and I must admit, I would love to own one of these incredible works. After attending the Drawing Salon at the National Gallery of Art, I discovered a new level of appreciation for classical works. As a result, I am always interested in the Old Masters and all manner of classical art.

I love all art with Black faces, especially classic art. So I was delighted to see this one, even if the Black woman depicted is a servant. I’m amused that the Princess of Zanzibar (an archipelago of Tanzania, an African country) is a European woman. I would think that the princess of any African country or region would be a woman of color, but I digress.

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(Portrait of The Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant by Walter Frier)
During the drawing salon that I attended, we studied the significance of the Madonna paintings. So I’m partial to any rendition of the Virgin and Child.
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(Virgin and Child with a Pear by the Workshop of Joos van Cleve)
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(The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist by Antonio del Ceraiuolo)
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(Madonna and Child by School of Bruges, second half of the 16th Century)
These paintings are expected to fetch between 10,000 and 90,000 GBP (approximately $13,000 and $121,000 USD). It’ll be interesting to see how well these sell in a couple of days!
The sale will be held at Sotheby’s London. Oh how I’d love to be there when this sale occurs!
style

I Finally Found the Perfect Earring

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I’m an August baby, and it’s taken me a long time to learn to love my birthstone. For years, I hated peridot, the bright green, “semi” precious gemstone assigned to my month.

But something changed when I became an adult. I realized how beautiful this bright green is, and how unusual it is to see people wearing it. I loved the uniqueness, so I started liking – and eventually loving – peridot.

So I started my hunt for the perfect peridot earring. I already have peridot rings and necklaces, but I don’t wear those items daily. However, I do wear earrings every day, so it only made sense that I would want a pair in peridot.

Finding my dream earring, however, proved to be a challenge.

I was pretty specific: I wanted peridot hoop earrings, similar to diamond hoops. I wanted a medium-to-large hoop, with lots of tiny peridot outlining the outer edge, preferably in the “inside out” style (where the inside of the hoop is also lined with gemstones). I wanted them in silver or white gold, and under $150.

I initially looked for earrings on Amazon, because Amazon has everything (normally). But, after looking high and low through their offerings, I realized my dream earrings weren’t there. I then took my search to Google. And I found a picture with my dream earrings, clicked on it, and was led to the godsend that it Overstock.

Here is the pair I selected:

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(photo courtesy of Overstock)

This beautiful pair of earrings was less than $30. I’m so excited! They should arrive in the next couple of weeks: I can’t wait to share them with you all!

beauty

Review: Yours True Lovely Waist Beads

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Full disclosure: I’m fascinated with anything that connects me to my feminine energy. I’m so into it, I regularly cross the lines of “woo-woo”. Yes, I get a bit geeky about it.

Crystals, aromatherapy, belly dancing, multi-step beauty routines – you name it. All of it is done for the sake of fortifying my feminine energy, because I find that this world tends to deplete that energy constantly.

As part of my continual journey into the wide world of femininity, I researched waist beads. A common accessory in many African countries, waist beads are worn under the clothes to help shape the body, help women stay in touch with their femininity, and even to seduce lovers (I found all of this info here).

Uhm, I want body shaping, contact with my femininity and the magical powers of seduction. So I bought some beads.

I ordered from Yours TrueLovely on Instagram. The owner of this handcrafted jewelry company is Alexis. I didn’t find her store randomly; I actually met Alexis a little less than 30 years ago – our moms used to work together and were pregnant with us at the same time LOL! Coincidentally (or maybe not so coincidentally) she began offering waist beads right around the time that I started researching them. So I placed my order and waited patiently.

She produces such high quality pieces, and the beads were ready in no time. Here are some photos of the finished product:

 

My waist bead is pale pink and gold. I ordered it a little larger than my natural waist size, because I misread the measuring tape (it’s been a while since I measured myself). When I order my next waist chain, I’ll make sure it’s smaller, so I can wear it under my clothes and it will have a snug fit on my natural waist. Here’s a closeup of the jewelry:

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If you want to tap into your feminine essence, I highly recommend that you contact Alexis for your own customized waist beads. You’ll love it!

beauty

Review: Life of a Bombshell Brush Set

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Happy Tuesday, beloveds! I’ve got another beauty review for you all.

I bought these rose gold makeup brushes back when I did my big beauty haul in August. These came from Life of a Bombshell, the company responsible for my Bronze Bombshell palette (I’ll be reviewing that soon!). My order arrived quickly and I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of the products I received.

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I selected these brushes because I love anything in rose gold. The set has ten brushes and, while I didn’t get a guide naming the function for each brush, I’m comfortable outlining the brush types based on my own experiences with certain brush shapes and sizes. Here’s what I *think* these brushes are for (from left to right):

  • Large powder brush
  • Concealer brush
  • Blending brush
  • Angled liner brush
  • Contour brush
  • Eyeliner brush
  • Crease brush
  • Highlighter brush
  • Flat eyeshadow brush
  • Blush brush

Closeup of the blush brush

 

But, being “pretty” doesn’t matter if the brushes don’t perform well. The real test is how well the brushes work when using them to apply makeup.

So, how did these brushes work?

I was VERY impressed with how well these brushes worked! These picked up product and applied with ease. The brushes are soft and the bristles are tightly packed, allowing for an even application. The bristles didn’t shed during product application and they didn’t absorb too much of my liquid products (a bit of a problem when using sponges and other absorbent tools).

These brushes also cleaned easily. I used baby shampoo and hand soap for cleansing. Even when the brushes were brown, black and pink from my foundation, eyeshadow and blush, I easily got the bristles back to white and pink again.

The set was $19, and I feel it was well worth the price! I plan to get another set as backup brushes. If you’re so inclined, check them out!

 

style

Tracee Ellis Ross’s New Clothing Line

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During one of my marathon chat sessions with a friend, I found out that one of my favorite actresses, Tracee Ellis Ross, is coming out out with her first fashion line. Tracee has been one of my favorite actresses for many years: I love her sweet, silly but fiercely loyal personality. She seems just as delightful offscreen as she does in front of the camera. That kind of genuine demeanor quickly endeared her to me.

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She is collaborating with JCPenney to offer some limited edition statement piece that are bold, unique, and distinctly Tracee. Funny enough, I like the pieces but I’m still undecided about whether I will purchase any of them. I love how Tracee is styled for the red carpet and her day-to-day life, but I’m not sure how I feel about the pieces in her line. Each item looks well-suited for her taste, but not like the fashions I usually gravitate toward.

But then again, who knows? Maybe the pieces are the kind that “come alive” when you actually put them on your body. The Glorious dress (see the photo below) is my most likely purchase, especially if it looks good on my body. I do like the colors and pattern, so I may give it a try.

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The pieces will be available starting November 12, so check them out and see if there’s anything that interests you. If you like Tracee’s quirky but cute style, you may find your next favorite signature piece within her line.

food

Review: For the Love of Chocolate

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During my last Carytown excursion, I went to Xtras Cafe and tried the delicious crabcake entree. However, the trip wasn’t just for the sake of trying a new meal. I wanted to also get some candy from my favorite chocolate shop, For the Love of Chocolate.

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The shop is small but packed with delicious options. I’m always impressed with the variety of chocolates and high quality service. The only downside of the shop is that they don’t have online shopping capabilities.

This trip, I focused on truffles. And boy were they delicious!

When I get a little more time, I’ll do a more in-depth review of specific truffles and other chocolates available there. In the meantime, check out the mint chocolate truffle that I enjoyed.

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Have any of you been to this chocolate shop? If not, it’s worth a trip! It’s located at 3136 West Cary Street, in Richmond, VA. I’ll see you there!

beauty

Review: The Ordinary’s Argireline Solution

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Happy Friday, beloveds! We made it through another week!

As part of my ongoing review of the products I’ve purchased from The Ordinary, I will be sharing my experience with the company’s Argireline Solution. Much like the squalane oil, I’d never heard of argireline until I started shopping with The Ordinary.

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Argireline is a trademarked solution that works on facial lines, reducing the depth and improving the overall appearance of wrinkled skin. According to The Ordinary’s website,

“[…] Argireline improves the appearance of facial areas prone to developing dynamic folds, including around the eyes and in the forehead area. “

With those kinds of promises, I was eager to give it a try. I don’t have any deep wrinkling but, as with any skin issues, it’s better to be proactive than reactive. That being said, I bought a bottle and tried it out.

The directions for use are as follows:

Apply a few drops on the forehead and around the eyes twice daily before heavier treatments.

I applied the solution under my eyes, on my forehead, and my nose-to-mouth lines. I made the mistake of applying the solution liberally: it was runny like water. It’s definitely a “solution”: it doesn’t have the consistency of a serum. The product is clear, odorless, non-greasy and lightweight. It absorbed into my skin easily and wasn’t sticky.

I used it for a few days and saw a difference within a week. My forehead – which I’m known for frowning up – was noticeably smoother. I didn’t see much difference in my eyes and nose-to-mouth lines,  other than just general softness and feeling more moisturized.

I used up the entire bottle, and I intend to purchase again! I wish I’d taken before-and-after photos, so that you all can see the difference. But you don’t have to take my word for it: try it for yourself! It’s only $7.90 per bottle. I think it is well worth the investment!

beauty

Review: The Ordinary’s Squalane Oil

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Earlier this year, I started using The Ordinary’s skincare products, along with my main skincare line (Mary Kay Timewise collection). I had listened to Wayne Goss’s review of The Ordinary’s primers, and decided to give them a try. After liking how well the primers worked, I started experimenting with the Argiriline solution, the Alpha Arbutin, and the Niacinamide . Today’s review is on the 100% Plant-Derived Squalane Oil.

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If you have never heard of squalane, join the club. I had no idea what it was, and I only purchased out of curiosity. After receiving the product, I looked up squalane and found out that it is an olive oil derivative. The Ordinary’s website mentions that the product is for “surface hydration”, which I take it means that the product locks in moisture.

Even though I have oily skin, I enjoy using a very lightweight oil during the wintertime, after doing my evening skincare routine. A little oil on top of all of my products seems to keep my skin from looking too weather-beaten. And, since the air is drier in the winter, a noncomedogenic oil acts as a great buffer against indoor heating (especially since I don’t normally use a humidifier). I also thought that testing oils now, before the chilly season arrives, would be particularly proactive of me. All in all, I figured squalane oil could be a good option, since “surface hydration” is what I desire, and testing the oil now seemed like a sound idea.

The directions for use are as follows:

“Apply a few drops daily or as needed to entire face ideally after water-based treatments.”

So, the evening after I received the oil, I gave it a try. The product comes in a dark bottle (I assume that it’s light-sensitive) with an eyedropper to dispense the product. I got a dropper full of product and placed it in my palm. I noted the very thin, lightweight consistency and I was excited: I hate heavy oils on my face. However, the oil was so lightweight that my hands (which were squeaky clean and ever so slightly damp) soaked it right up! I had to get another dropper full in order for any of the product to make it to my face. But at this point, I’m still excited because the oil doesn’t feel greasy (another one of my oil “peeves”).

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I applied the squalane oil after cleansing, exfoliating, and using two of my serums. That was a BIG mistake: the squalane made my serums clump on my face. I wasn’t expecting the oil to make my serums pill, so I stopped massaging it into my face and opted to pat it on. When patting, I noticed that the product didn’t seem to adhere to the surface of my skin at all. It did, however, make my eyebrows look very lustrous.

The next day, I tried squalane oil in the morning (when I use only one serum). The pilling occurred again. As a result, I decided that squalane may not be the oil for me. My serums aren’t oil-based, but they aren’t watery enough to prevent the squalane oil from making them clump. I can just as easily find another lightweight oil that doesn’t interfere with the absorption of my serums and solutions.

So here are my squalane oil takeaways:

– The oil is odorless and colorless and, as previously mentioned, very lightweight.

–  The product absorbs easily into product-free skin.

– The product can be applied over other products, but patting is the best application method (massaging will make the previously applied products clump on the skin’s surface)

– The oil is not greasy.

I am still using the oil, but I keep it at my desk and apply it to my hands only. It is great as a hand moisturizer because it’s not greasy (no oil stains on the papers I handle!), odorless (no offending my officemates with strong fragrances) and the eyedropper dispenser makes it easy to apply the oil precisely where you need it (for me, usually the skin between my fingers). If you have dry skin on your face, this would be a great final step for locking in the moisture before applying a heavier moisturizing product.

The Ordinary’s Squalane Oil retails for $7.90, so I think it’s a great price for a good product. If you want to learn more about squalane oil, check out this article. Try it and let me know what you think!

 

(all photos from The Ordinary’s website)

 

 

beauty

More Reviews Coming!

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theordinary

Did I mention to you all that I have been using The Ordinary’s products for the past several months?

I didn’t?

Well, I have, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t review them? I’ve used 10 (TEN!) of their products so far, and I’ve got opinions on everything I’ve tried.

I’m most impressed with their skincare products, though I’ve tried their cosmetics as well. I am a fan of how the company makes high quality products at such affordable prices.

I’m thinking that a review (or two) every week should take me through the month of November, since I’m going to be out of the loop for most of that month (more details on that later).

Don’t worry: being out of the loop doesn’t mean that there won’t be posts. In fact, I plan on pre-writing quite a few posts, so I maintain my current post-a-day schedule.

Talk to you all tomorrow!