Beauty411

Arcona White Tea Purifying Cleanser

Arcona White Tea Purifying Cleanser is a gentle but effective start to your daily skin care routine.  Don't be fooled by the zen-like vibe the bottle gives off.  This all-natural cleanser is packed with antioxidants like white and green tea, cranberry enzymes and yucca, vitamin E and aloe extracts.  What does this cleansing cocktail do for your skin?  Plenty.  Not only does the White Tea Purifying Cleanser leave your skin soft and toned, but it nourishes and clarifies.  You only need a small amount of this concentrated cleanser to work up a lather.  You won't want to wash it off, though, as it smells so wonderful.  The Arcona White Tea Purifying Cleanser can be used by all skin types.  I absolutely love this cleanser and would re-purchase this in a minute.

Arcona is a skin care line and facial treatment Studio in Santa Monica, CA.  The company was started by a woman named Arcona, who used to say that "live, active ingredients change your skin; color, fragrance and consistency don't."  What's unique about Arcona is its all-natural approach and use of cosmeceutical-grade ingredients, like enzymes, antioxidants and amino acids that are formulated to work together to get powerful results.  What's more, the active ingredients are cold-processed in small batches to keep them active and effective.  You can purchase Arcona products through their website, at authorized spas and retailers, and at Beauty.com. 

ReVive Intensite Creme Lustre

ReVive Intensite Creme Lustre is a once a day product for normal to dry skin that counteracts the usual skin aging process by boosting collagen production. To get the benefit of your body's natural restorative state, I would recommend using this as part of your evening skincare regimen.  The ReVive Intensite Creme Lustre is designed to increase collagen production, enzymes gently exfoliate the skin and allow deeper penetration of other ingredients, diminish broken capillaries, rosacea, repair sun damage and sagging skin.  In addition to many active ingredients such as IGF (insulin-like growth factor), enzymes and antioxidants, there are microscopic brighteners that reflect light on the skin's surface to mask wrinkles and imperfections.

This is a rich creme that has almost a mother of pearl glow to it.  While it is for normal to dry skin, if you are on the drier side, you will love this creme.  You will feel its' effects immediately and see results with continued use.  What I noticed in my skin while using a sample size, was a plumping of fine lines, improved firmness and glow.  If you like a high-end skin care line that will enhance your anti-aging regimen, then ReVive Intensite Creme Lustre is a treatment product to try.  There is a sample program on the ReVive website, where after registering, you can request and receive up to 3 complimentary packet samples.  You can find ReVive Intensite Creme Lustre at Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. 

Frilly Lilly: Delectable Bath & Body Treats

Frilly Lilly is a dessert-inspired product line that was created to not only look good, but to perform as beauty and bath products should.  I'm happy to report that this whimsical line succeeds on both counts.  Frilly Lilly is a diverse line--everything from adorable bath bombs to hand lotions and nail care.  The products smell divine and the pretty packaging satisfies a "girly girl" like me.  I had the opportunity to try out some of the hand and nail products.  The Lemongrass Sage Hand Cream is definitely a product that has become a favorite.  Thick and rich in shea butter, with a fresh lemon scent, it moisturizes even the worst winter-cracked hands.  Another favorite product is the Frilly Lilly Cuticle Cream.  A light pink cream that deeply hydrates and conditions cuticles, the container is cute enough to leave on my nightstand. The cuticle oil and cuticle remover also work well.

Frilly Lilly is known for their bath concoctions.  There's a strawberry shortcake bundt cake for your bath that looks divine.  And if you want to sit in the bathtub all day, smelling all sweetness and daisy cake, we won't tell.  Think about Frilly Lilly for shower favors or girlfriend gifts, but order with enough time to allow for shipping from Canada.  Frilly Lilly can be ordered off their website and is also available at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Kitson in LA and The Wynn and Palms Hotels in Las Vegas. 

Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue For Her Perfume

Bond No. 9 perfumes are a sensory trip through the neighborhoods of New York.  Add another stop:  Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks commissioned Bond No.9 to develop a fragrance befitting the iconic retailer.  And like shopping at the quintessential department store, Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue for Her is glamorous, chic and luxurious.  The fragrance opens with top notes of jasmine and tuberose, develops into a lush gardenia and dries down to base notes of vetiver and vanilla.  To my nose, sometimes all-white fragrances can be overcoming, but not so this one.  The Saks Fifth Avenue for Her fragrance is evocative of the department store in that there are so many discoveries once inside.  Although initially a big floral, this fragrance continues to evolve and become more beautiful the longer you wear it. 

The bottle is also as distinctive as the fragrance inside, displaying the retailer's new white on black logo. There is an accompanying fragrance, Saks Fifth Avenue for Him, which is equally as elegant. The Saks Fifth Avenue fragrances are part of a growing Bond No.9 collection that now numbers over thirty. Bond No.9 fragances are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, in the Bond No.9 boutiques and on the website.

Somme Institute: High Five Skin Care

Somme Institute is a research company that has developed a high-tech skin care system that promises results in 5 weeks, in 5 steps that take 5 minutes.  Since 5 minutes is about all the time I have for a skin care routine, the challenge was on.  The Somme Institute scientists have developed a technology called MDT5 (Molecular Dispersion Technology); a synergistic blend of 6 vitamins (A, B3/B5, C, D and E) that when released, go deep within the skin in their active forms at high concentrations.  Once inside the skin, the vitamins can work to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin discoloration, tone, texture and clarity and repair sun damage.

Each product comes in a white, futuristic-looking bottle with a colorful dot.  Line up the dots in the order of application and start counting down to better skin.  The products in the order used in the regimen are: 

• Nourishing Cleanser- (step 1) - a non-foaming, non-irritating cleanser
• Transport - (step 2) - AHA/BHA exfoliating peel pads
• Serum - (step 3) - highly concentrated Vitamin C gel
• A-Bomb - (step 4) - moisturizing cream with high concentration of Vitamins A & E
• Double Defense - (step 5 - am only) - Moisturizing SPF 30+ sunblock with UVA/UVB protection

So did the promise of 5 steps/5 minutes/5 weeks deliver?  It did, with impressive results. The first week of testing the product, I immediately began to notice softer, smoother skin.  And from there it just kept getting better.  By the third week of use, I was starting to see improvement in fine lines on my forehead.  By the fifth week, I noticed substantial clearing of the dreaded "11" lines on my forehead.  In addition, I did see lightening (but not completely) of UV damage, as well as reduction in the size of the pores on my face.  This line is not limited to those seeking an anti-aging routine; if you've got acne, you can definitely benefit from this combination of ingredients.   

I liked all of the products in the line.  While I prefer a foaming cleanser, the nourishing cleanser was gentle and didn't leave skin feeling dry.  The Transport pads tingled initially and are generously saturated, but not harsh.  After applying the pad to my face, I had enough product to apply on the tops of my hands and experienced the same impressive results.  I found that the Serum absorbed quickly, enabling you to move through your 5 steps one after another.  The A-Bomb was perhaps my favorite of the products, with a light texture and citrusy smell. The Double Defense lotion is a moisturizer with sunscreen that didn't feel heavy or greasy.

Somme Institute products are available at Nordstrom, Beauty.com and at spas such as the Mandarin Oriental in New York City, The Peninsula Bevery Hills, The Spa at the Hershey Hotel and Bellagio in Las Vegas.  If you've got 5 minutes a day to dedicate to better skin, give the Somme Institute line a try!