skin care

LaVanila Body Butter review

 in Beauty  tagged body cream / lavanila / reviews / skin care / vanilla by

lavanila body butter review

Pictured: body butter c/o LaVanila. Review of LaVanila Body Butter in fresh vanilla lemon

One of my favorite perfumes is LaVanila. When I found out they also made a body butter, I was thrilled! The fabulous thing about LaVanila’s products isn’t just the amazing scent offerings, it is the fact that their products are made from organic ingredients, and not harsh chemicals. Love that!

As a Mother of three, I care a little bit about what I put on my skin, but it is the skin of my children I care A LOT about. This means that I need to be extra careful with their skin since they are young, and what I do to their skin now will last a lifetime.

Summer is upon us, and living in Northern California means my kids will have plenty of outdoor time now, and throughout the summer months. Their skin will take a beating from sun, sticky sunblocks, chlorinated pools, the beach, and more. After they take a bath or shower, I want to be able to nourish their skin, and mine, with something free of harsh chemicals, and made from organic ingredients. I am so happy to be able to use LaVanila Body Butter on their skin!

Not only is the LaVanila Body Butter made from organic ingredients free of harsh chemicals, it actually works to hydrate skin; love that! We all end up with well-nourished skin after using it; especially after a day in the sun or the pool when our skin gets visibly dry.

I am quickly going through my LaVanila Body Butter in fresh vanilla lemon, so when I replace it, I want to try out one of the other scents. They all sound so good! I think vanilla coconut is calling my name to try next; doesn’t it sound perfect for summer!!

You can find LaVanila Body Butter online here. Which scent do you plan to get?

Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask review

 in Beauty  tagged perricone md / reviews / skin care by

perricone md cocoa moisture mask review

Pictured: Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask c/o / Perricone MD Chloro Plasma c/o

The Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask is just what my skin needed! Let’s roll back a minute to a time before I had three children. Back then, it was easy for me to go to the spa and get my monthly facial; just like Mom taught me to do. After I had my first child, I was able to go to the spa sometimes, but not monthly like before I had my first baby. Once my second daughter was born, that was it! No more time for facials. Sigh.

Since I cannot make it to the spa on a regular basis, or shall we say more then once per decade, I need to take care of my skin at home when I can squeeze out some time. A mask is ideal for me since it can cleanse and firm my skin; which is what happens in a regular facial. The Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask is so special. Not only is it Phthalate-free, sulfate-free, and paraben-free, it is made right here in the USA. Love that!

My skin is considered combination skin. I have oily skin, but I also have dry skin. This can pose a challenge in my skin care routine! Thankfully the Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask is deeply hydrating while it firms my skin. In addition, it cleanses my skin, which helps with blemishes. Love that!

In addition to needing to use a mask, my skin has some large pores. I have larger pores around my nose and on my cheeks. I have to admit, it does not look very nice! So I was very thankful to see Perricone MD include their fabulous Chloro Plasma mask in the box containing the mask. This is just what my pores needed! How did they know?

The Perricone MD Chloro Plasma mask is a great mask to use in conjunction with the Cocoa Moisture Mask. I don’t use them on the same day, I alternate weeks. I love Perricone MD’s Chloro Plasma mask because it has successfully minimized my pores around my nose, and on my cheeks. In addition, it leaves my skin squeaky clean. Love that!

So if you are looking for some at-home spa time, these two masks by Perricone MD are fabulous! You can find Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask online here, and the Perricone MD Chloro Plasma mask can be found online here. Love!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair skin care collection review

 in Beauty  tagged estee lauder / reviews / skin care by

estee lauder night repair skin care review

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair collection c/o Estee Lauder from left: Advanced Night Repair mask / Advanced Eye Repair eye mask / Advanced Night Repair eye / Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II / Advanced Night Micro-Cleansing Balm / Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Foam / Advanced Night Repair Intense Recovery Ampoules

Estee Lauder skin care is something I grew up with. As a small child, I have fond memories of my Mother bringing me to the Estee Lauder counter to purchase cosmetics and skin care. It was always her favorite beauty brand; and decades later, it still is! When I opened the box containing the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair collection, she gasped and asked if she could have it. Sorry Mom, this collection is for me!

I am an extremely busy Mother of three energetic, and involved children. My kids play music, sports and are active in scouting. In addition to managing my children’s schedules and activities, I have my own work and activities to manage. It can be a bit much. The activities and overall stress I face each day take a huge toll on my skin. We really do wear our stress on our faces. When Estee Lauder sent me their fabulous Advanced Night Repair skin care system, I was extremely thrilled. This is exactly what my stressed-out face needs!

There are several amazing products in the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair skin care collection. Each product works in it’s own special way to cleanse, and repair skin while we sleep. The Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Foam is ideal to use on a nightly basis to wash off makeup, and all the pollution, and dirt our skin captures during the day. I love how soft and clean my skin is after using it.

The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Micro-Cleansing Balm is also a fabulous way to clean skin at night. I have been using it when I wear foundation, or feel like I need a little extra cleansing that night. Both cleansers are perfect for everyday use, the difference I noticed was in the consistency. I tend to prefer a foam cleanser, which is why I have found myself reaching for the foam nightly, but if you prefer a silkier consistency in your cleanser, then the balm will be your go-to nighttime cleanser from the collection.

After cleaning my skin, I have been using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair eye and the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II on my skin nightly. These two products have really made a difference in brightening up my skin and overall complexion. Love!

When it comes to masks, I don’t have a lot of time, so I have used the masks once every other week. They do a fabulous job of refining my skin and smoothing it out.  I have been using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Recovery Ampoules twice per week, and have enjoyed excellent results.

I have been using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair skin care system for one month now, and I have noticed a huge difference in my overall skin tone. My skin is cleaner, more clear, softer, and fresher. The stress I feel is no longer showing in my skin. Love that!

The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair skin care system is absolutely amazing! I highly recommend integrating these products into your night skin care routine. You can find the collection online here.

*thank you Estee Lauder for partnering on this post. all thoughts and opinions are my own