No matter how busy, tired, or preoccupied I am from everything going on at work, I always make time for one of the most important parts of my day: skincare. As a beauty blogger and skincare enthusiast, I’ve had my fair share of hits and misses when it comes to products.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after years of working with several beauty and skincare brands, it is the importance of using medical grade skincare products that are truly effective. So when I discovered Honor MD, I felt like I hit the jackpot.
The Honor Code promises only clinically proven results from clean and natural products, doing away with harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates. There was so much thought put into each formulation, and even their packaging had the environment in mind!
The Wild Rose Cleanser should be a mainstay in your bathroom countertops. It gently removes dirt and impurities, with moisturizing and regenerative properties thanks to Red Seaweed and Vitamins C and E. It’s almost as if you emerge a brand new person after every wash – that’s how refreshing it is!
If you’re a fan of multi-purpose skincare products, you’re going to love the Tropical Mist pH Balancing Toner. You can use this after cleansing to tone your face, on top of makeup to set it, or throughout the day as a facial mist.
Get your glow on with Genetically Blessed Super Antioxidant Serum! Just a little bit of product goes a long way, giving you that perpetually radiant and healthy-looking skin that will keep everyone guessing your real age.
Last but definitely not the least is my personal favorite, the H(ope)2O Moisturizing Serum. I have naturally oily skin but this moisturizer hydrates without clogging my pores. I even use it on other breakout-prone areas such as my chest area every once in a while.
They also have original line available in Dr. Diaz’s office, such as another product I swear by – their Treat Exfoliating Pads. My skin is really oily and using these 2-3 times a week has been so helpful in making sure my skin looks smooth and even.
This blog post is created in partnership with Olay. However, all thoughts and opinion are my own (as always.)
I am not a cold-weather person for many reasons. In fact years ago when deciding on the next steps in my career development, the term “Good Weather” is right up there, even above essentials like “Great fashion stores” and “Amazing culture and people.”
So I moved to Los Angeles. But even in LA - renowned for beautiful weather all year around, I am not immune to dry weather woes. It’s no secret that cold weather sucks the moisture out of the skin, which often results in a dry and flaky complexion. So when temperatures plummet in LA—and as I type this I am bundled up in the thickest wool sweater ever—my winter moisturizers is always no farther than an arm-reach away.
Get winter ready - dress warm … and moisturize well
The thing is not all moisturizers are equal and so many claim to soften and hydrate our skin during winter, when in truth they just make us feel greasy. And greasy does not always mean it’s working. In fact, if it’s only sitting on top of the skin, then your skin isn’t absorbing the moisturizer well. And I can’t stress how much I hate greasy moisturizers - my skin is very oily by nature and anything greasy makes my skin look like an oil slick.
The texture is super-light yet it gives great hydration effectively.
The Olay Regenerist Whip tends to be different. Blended with Amino-Peptide Complex II to regenerate collagen and reduce wrinkles, this moisturizer absorbs quickly and makes my skin feel firm and smooth to the touch. It’s all thanks to the Active Rush Technology used in Olay Whips, which makes the Regenerist (and other Whips) pack a powerful hydration punch in such a lightweight formulation. Releasing 1000x its weight in hydration, Whips instantly absorbs into the skin. Again, just because your moisturizer feels heavy or greasy does not mean your skin is getting the moisture it needs.
Diminish fine lines and wrinkles by moisturizing daily and consistently.
Lightweight and heavily hydrating, Regenerist is a rare find—Olay calls it the unicorn of all moisturizers, and I think it fits! In fact, I’m eager to use this all the way through to summer—and you know the product is awesome when you look forward to using it.
With all that, I’m curious about your skincare regimen. What are your winter skin problems? Have you tried an Olay Whips product yet and what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
Living in Los Angeles, I know that one of the secrets to youthful good looks is maintenance. I’ve seen 45 year-olds who look half their age thanks to being diligent about good skincare habits and I’ve seen 30 year-olds who look 45 because they don’t have good skin habits. In fact, a good friend of mine is a Hollywood dermatologist to the stars and has the most flawless skin I’ve ever seen and whenever asked what her secret is, she likes to whisper, “maintenance.”
I have started to see some fine lines underneath my eyes, mouth and neck area and aside from great skincare and religiously applying sunblock daily – I simply have no time for anything else. So when I heard about the Kinetic Skin Toning System – I was intrigued.
I have not had a facial or seen a dermatologist in months (because you know – life gets in the way) but I do have 10-20 minutes each day.
Am I doing work … or watching cat videos? You’ll never know but I am definitely getting my skin maintenance on with Conture.
It’s a noninvasive device that redefines your skin and is designed to be used daily when you have some spare time. I tend to use it while watching tv or while on a conference call. It uses a low-frequency vibration that does not hurt at all and it’s super easy to use.
The Conture system has been created after 250,000 hour of research, development and testing.
When you first start out with Conture – the kit comes with the Toning device, Kinetic Skin Toning Serum, Kinetic AM Ignition Lotion, Kinetic PM Recovery Crème, a charger and a manual.
The Conture Kinetic Treatment Serum is made of Retinol, Inylone, and Antarcticine that reduce wrinkles. I used the Conture Kinetic AM Ignition as my daily moisturizing and anti-aging lotion which helps reduce moisture loss. And I love the fact that the Conture Kinetic PM Recovery Crème helps repair my skin while I sleep.
PS: Much as I want to follow the instructions, I have to admit things get so busy that I use it before going to bed. But it is preferable to use it twice a day.
1. Start with a clean face. I think all beauty regimens should start with this step, no?
2.Then, I put a pea-sized amount of Kinetic Treatment Serum on the area I’m about to treat — my cheek, forehead or neck, for example. Remember not to rub the serum into your skin, as it’ll make it more difficult to glide the device across the skin.
3. Switch it on (the power button is right at the back of the device’s head) and hold the toning device firmly on your face to create a vacuum seal. As the toning device releases your skin, you’ll notice a little bit of redness, but don’t worry that’s just how it works. The redness simply means increase blood flow. Glide the device to another skin zone after 2 to 3 pulses. The whole process is painless and easy.
4. I use it on my neck, too. I set the device on neck setting. Just a reminder though, use the appropriate setting of your application. Use the face setting on your forehead, jawline, chin and upper lip areas. Use the neck setting on your neck and décolleté areas, and the mild setting on a sensitive area like the under eye.
5. Make sure to clean the toning device every after use to make sure that it lasts a long time and continues to work well.
6. Once done with the toning device apply either the Kinetic AM Ignition Crème or Kinetic PM Recovery Crème every day. You can also use it with your current skincare products or regiment.
Make sure to press the tool firmly against your skin to create a vacuum effect.
I’ve been using it for a little more than a month and I definitely feel a difference in skin radiance and firmness. According to Conture’s website:
When used twice daily and correctly as per this video, an independent, 8-week clinical test demonstrated improvements in:
Skin Radiance and Luminosity (91%)
Smoothness and Evenness (84%)
Lifting of Facial Skin
Crow’s Feet, Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Facial Firmness
So if you’re in your 30s or beyond and are looking for an easy way to kickstart your skin – try out Conture. In fact – they stand behind their product so much they are offering a 60-day money back guarantee.
From now till Dec 14 2017, you can purchase the Conture device (and anything on the website) for 25% off. Just use the promo code Ambitionista25
This blog post is created in partnership with Conture Skincare. However, all thoughts and
opinion are my own (as always.)
Traditionally in fall, the leaves on trees change color. I live in Los Angeles, where the leaves stay green year round, so I started getting into the spirit by changing my hairstyle and color. And naturally, soon after I wanted to try new makeup, which was why collaborating with Revlon and highlighting the new products in their ColorStay™ Eye Collection was something I was looking forward to.
Wearing Revlon’s ColorStay™ Eye Collection on my eyebrows and eyes and their Kiss™ Balm on my lips. I know this does not look anything like fall weather, but it’s really warm here in Southern California. #SorryNotSorry
Specifically, I am really loving Revlon’s new ColorStay™ Brow Pencils, 2 in 1 Angled Kajal™ Liners and their ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadow. I’ve worked with Revlon before on a few campaigns so I knew I was in good hands. But I was really excited because the eyes are my most favorite area to play up with vivid colors.
The surprised look you get when your makeup stays on for a really, really long time in warm fall weather.
ColorStay™ is the right name for these new products. The eye makeup lasted very long (on me it stayed on for at least 10 hours) and more importantly, the products are waterproof, so I didn’t sweat it away (I did say I live in LA where it still gets up to 80F on some fall days).
Here’s what I used:
• ColorStay™ Brow Pencil in Soft Brown. The angled tip made it a breeze to apply while the opposite end has a brush to smooth the hairs into shape.
• 2 in 1 Angled Kajal ™Liner in Graphite. The smoky eye is no longer daunting! The makeup side of the wand is angled so that it does the work for you. The other side has a brush to smudge the makeup into the perfect blend.
• ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadow in Pistachio (a beautiful silver-green) and Caramel (a shimmering and universally flattering rose gold). More than just beautiful colors here – the packaging is brilliant. Finally, the brush is incorporated into the round cap of the shadow itself so that I won’t be searching for, losing, and eventually buying a replacement brush. Plus it would be hard to duplicate the innovative brush that has three edges so that you can apply in different ways to suit your mood and look. And for oilier skin (like mine), I was surprised I didn’t even have to use a primer first. The pigmentation was bright, even and lasted throughout the day (for me).
*Eye shadow color tip: rose gold and jewel tones work for almost every skin tone,
so you might want to try those first if you want to experiment!
From Top Left to Bottom Right: Revlon ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadows, Kiss™ Balm ColorStay 2-in-1 Kajal™ Liner and ColorStay™ Brow Pencil. I love them all, but the brow pencils and eye shadows are my favorites.
I also tried Revlon’s new Kiss™ Balm. Here I used Fresh Strawberry. The Kiss™ Balms may are perfect year round and include SPF 20. In the fall and winter months, these moisturizing balms are ideal either on their own, on top of lip liner, or over lipstick. (I may have oilier skin but my lips still get dry!) The compact, portable design is adorable and you don’t have to worry about leakage in your purse. They’re so inexpensive and wearable that I’d probably end up getting them all.
With the change in seasons upon us, I’m happy to be experimenting with Revlon’s new makeup. In fact, with Thanksgiving coming up I can even say I’m thankful to Revlon for their long-lasting pieces. And I’m going to be stocking up on quite a few of the Kiss™ Balms to use as stocking-stuffers this Christmas.
Revlon’s Kiss™ Balms (I’m using Fresh Strawberry in the picture above) are the only holiday treats that won’t cause you to gain any weight – so feel free to get as many as you like.
This post is sponsored by Revlon through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write about Revlon, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This post is sponsored by Revlon through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Revlon, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The highlight of my day is generally in the evening, kicking off my heels and plopping down on the sofa next to my sweetheart with a cool beverage. So it’s rare that I think of starting my usually very hectic day with highlighting or contouring. Especially when the beauty YouTube mavens seemingly spend an hour or more highlighting and contouring their faces to perfection.
I’m amazed by the results but I just don’t have that kind of time but then I discovered Revlon’s PhotoReady Insta-Fix™ Highlighting Stick:
No more wasting my time getting a good night’s sleep (I’m kidding – do that too), after I put on my foundation in the morning I swipe the highlighting stick along my brow bone, the top of my cheekbones (look! There they are!) and then across the bridge of my nose and, finally, right above the cupid’s bow of my upper lip. Voila – instant luminosity! If you have oily skin like me, set the whole look with a light brush of your favorite loose powder afterward.
Last week I had a happy-hour meeting and I just reapplied again on the same areas. Within seconds, while on the go, you can look rejuvenated even at the middle or end of the workday. It’s almost like walking around with your own personal lighting consultant at a fraction of the cost. Seriously – a fraction. And one of the two colors will work for almost any skin tone. The Pink Light works best on lighter/cool skin colors because it is pink with a hint of silver, while the Gold Light (which I used) is for warmer skin color such as olive tones, as it has a warm peachy hue.
I don’t know about you but, I’m incredibly busy and anything that doesn’t take a lot of time and provides fantastic results is my kind of item. It even goes well over makeup – great for touch ups come mid-day or in the evening:
Give it a try and let me know what you think (and how you spend the extra time it gives you.)
Introducing Madison Reed – salon-level hair color at home.
Feeling my hair – I am loving the rich hazelnut brown tones – isn’t it perfect for fall … or whenever? Lol.
Please note that this is a sponsored post by Madison Reed but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Coco Chanel famously said “the best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” If you’ve ever paid for that expensive salon dye job that made you want to die, you need to check out Madison Reed.
Madison Reed : Premium and customized at-home hair color.
When I first got to know about the brand I was intrigued. I had not had my hair colored at home in a while ( at least in the last 5 years) because I remembered the last time I DIY-ed my hair with a box of drugstore hair color, it turned out a bland and uneven shade of red-brown. I also hated the pungent smell of ammonia that permeated around me for the next 48 hours. So when I heard about Madison Reed I was game to try this next generation of at-home hair color.
Madison Reed makes customized at-home color. This is definitely not your boxed drugstore brand where you’re expected to choose a color you’ll live with on your head simply from an ink-on-cardboard-box swatch the size of your pinkie toe.
My hair color before I colored it. It was bad.
Easy at-home hair color by Madison Reed.
Cost. It’s not just the cost of the salon hair color, but also the fact that time is money so once I add in the commute there and back, the inevitable wait, wash, color, wait some more and dry, I’ve spent hundreds more dollars in lost income.
Confidence. With Madison Reed you can confidently leave the science of skin tone and hair color combining to the experts. Go to their website and take their short quiz for their recommendation. If you’re still concerned, you can call or email or live online chat. Their site also has helpful videos and a blog with more tutorials as well as fun hairstyle ideas.
Convenience. Delivered to your home so that you can do it whenever suits you and your schedule – not a salon’s schedule. You can even set up automatic delivery so that you don’t have to remember to order more. And don’t think you have to go it alone if you don’t want to – there are hair color experts on call to help as well as the above-mentioned tutorials which I found to be all the help I needed.
Company. We all want to support good companies and Madison Reed is all about using the best ingredients while avoiding unhealthy ones. They call it “Smart 6-free” because their permanent dye is free of ammonia, gluten, parabens, PPD, phthalates and resorcinol. (I don’t know what half of those are which is probably the point – they aren’t natural!)
Color. The all important color. The four C’s above might be there but it doesn’t mean a thing if the colors aren’t great. Fortunately they are amazing.
What my hair color looked liked in the shade.
I like to change up my hair color because I see it as part of fashion. That means, however, that it can get costly and time-consuming if I’m always headed to the salon for a change-up. So whether you’re like me and like to experiment, or if you just like to maintain your natural color, you’ll love the convenience and cost of Madison Reed.
Try it and do tell me what you think and send before and after photos – those are super fun.
The sky’s the limit. Ciel Spa at SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills reaches the stars.
It often feels as though there are more stars in Beverly HIlls than there are in the skies. And so, at the aptly named
Ciel Spa
(Ciel is French for ‘sky’) at the SLS Hotel – it seems that the services here are only limited by one’s imagination.
The only downside was that I was limited to three hours that I had while rushing off to NYFW. With so many options to choose from at the spa, I really would have preferred three days. Given that amount of time I could have run the gamut from head to toe – literally! From hair services to pedicure. And everything in between – waxing, facials, manicure, and more.
I love little interior design details like this.
My Ciel Spa afternoon began by walking thru the doors into the most beautiful sanctuary. You’ll think you’re walking on cloud nine, surrounded by soothing white everywhere – you’d never know that you’re actually surrounded by a state-of-the-art wellness center that caters to post-plastic-surgery recovery patients. We’re incredibly lucky that the SLS Hotel allows us all access to this oasis.
I opted for the women’s only lounge which felt like a modern, luxurious boudoir. I was offered champagne and informed that in the co-ed waiting area there’s also fruit-infused water, brownies, cookies and other snacks. I love a spa that doesn’t feel wheatgrass juice is the only option.
I loved the robe and cutest pair of flipflops ever:
I was then escorted to a private room where I endured the agony of a custom skin analysis. Ciel is the first spa in LA to use something called the Biologique Recherché Methodology. I just hope it’s not so smart that it realizes I lied when I said I don’t sleep in my makeup. After six pages (no wonder they offer champagne to start) it was decreed that I needed a fruit acid mask for light, yet thorough exfoliation. I didn’t feel anything other than a pleasant tingling but I knew it worked because my skin felt smooth and glowing after the treatment. And I have to say that pleasant also referred to my personal aesthetician Catherina who was so lovely, which isn’t always the case at uber posh establishments.
After the facial I had a 40 minute gap before my manicure so I popped down to the Philippe Starck designed lobby downstairs for lunch. I felt as though I got enough vitamins via the fruit in my facial, so I ordered this:
Fortunately, all burger juice and french fry oil was erased when I got my gel manicure. Not only did it hide the evidence of a calorie indulgence but the gel manicure lasted for 8 days chip free even after 7 days of heavy traveling worldwide. My nails clocked in 14,000 miles around the globe as well as countless hours typing on my laptop and various devices.
The Couples’ Treatment Room at the Ciel Spa
I can’t wait to go back and try all their other offerings. The Ciel Spa is definitely my number one choice in Beverly Hills for serious luxurious treatments. If we’re told to “reach for the sky”, I’ll be reaching for the phone number of the Ciel Spa.
