ReVitalistic by Vanessa Williams… Who Knew?

My latest secret obsession (well, not so secret now, eh?) is, you won’t believe it… Vanessa Williams’ ReVitalistic Re-Start Skin Serum. It’s sold on QVC, but I was sent some product to review for my blog and was surprisingly impressed. Normally, I’m skeptical about a celeb skincare line, but this serum smells delicious and doesn’t clog my pores.

Consistently rated 5 out of 5 stars, 89% of reviewers also said they would recommend the product to a friend so, apparently, I’m not alone.

The product glides on, works great under make-up, and a little goes a long way. People also claim that they don’t need a moisturizer, anti-aging cream, and primer as this can replace all of them. I happen to agree. It manages to moisturize and nourish without the need for extra product to slather on. As someone who travels frequently, that’s, perhaps, it’s biggest selling point. More room in the suitcase for local gifts and souvenirs!

ReVitalistic by Vanessa Williams retails for $68 and can be purchased on the QVC website here.

One of My Favorite Shampoo and Conditioners Yet

Some of my loyal readers know should by now that I have curly hair that requires a lot of attention. Well, okay, maybe attention isn’t the right word. It’s more like… moisture. Mama needs moisture!

This is particularly true when I travel and even more so in the wintertime. But… just like there’s no universal foundation shade, there’s no universal hair product. From extremely porous to tightly curled, let’s just say that ethnic hair types present their own unique set of challenges, but the pain is worth the “You’ve got really cool hair” reward. Which is why I was over-the-moon about Philip Kingsley’s latest innovation, the new Moisture Extreme Shampoo and Moisture Extreme Conditioner, developed specifically to address the styling, processing and nourishment needs of ethnic textured hair, reducing breakage and protecting against friction. The great thing about this product is that my mom tried it too and, although she doesn’t have ethnic hair (in fact, she’s got baby fine slightly wavy hair), she fell in love with it too. It smells delicious and left my hair the softest it’s been in years without any greasy buildup.

Based on 55 years of Trichological expertise, these new formulations provide the perfect amount of hydration for hair like mine, which often suffers from low moisture content and elasticity shortcomings.  The formulations help lower the surface tension of hair and give extra surface glide, making it beneficial for chemically processed and synthetic hair, too, including extensions. Without stripping the natural oils from the hair, it uses mild cleaning agents while the Moisture Extreme Conditioner contains a combination of four naturally derived oils that work together to condition the hair from the cortex to the outer layer, including, Almond Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Avocado Oil, and Babassu Oil.

I’m in haircare heaven, guys. I mean it. And yes, these bad boys come in handy travel sized packaging, as well.

Retails for $22-$27.

PhilipKingsley.com 

Travel Beauty: Rodial’s Dragon Blood!

I’m a sucker for all things travel and beauty so when I came upon Rodial‘s new line of product called Dragon’s Blood, I was anxious to dig in. How cool is this? Dragon’s Blood is sourced from the red sap of the ‘sangre de drago’ tree in South America, and works to form a second skin­like film, protecting against environmental damage and containing anti-inflammatory properties. Dragon’s Blood Hyalouronic Moisturiser, which has built-in SPF 15 that works hard to plump and firm dehydrated skin for 24 hours. This light and easy-to-apply cream soothes and protects sensitive skin while providing long lasting moisture and tightening fine lines; a must­ have for thirst quenched summer skin. Plus, who can’t resist a line of product called Dragon Blood? I bet that’s what the khalessi on Game of Thrones wears. Duh.

Retail price is $60.00 at www.nordstrom.com

Dior… and Iceland

You know what's cool? Icelandic glaciers, that's what.

We’re not really water snobs, but there’s something infinitely appealing for travel experts like us to enjoy a bottle of water from somewhere exotic like… Fiji or Iceland. Call it imagination. Call it taste. But, before we start to feel guilty about the carbon footprint it must take to get water from Iceland to other parts of the globe, know this. Born and bottled in Ölfus, Iceland, Icelandic Glacial™ is the world’s first certified CarbonNeutral® natural spring bottled water for both product and operations. An environmental pioneer in the industry, Icelandic Glacial™ uses 100% natural green energy in the form of geothermal and hydroelectric power to fuel production. The source is Iceland’s legendary Ölfus Spring, a naturally replenished catchment zone formed during a massive volcanic eruption more than 4,500 years ago. Deemed certifiably sustainable by Europe’s leading food and drinks consultancy, the water so pure that nothing is added or taken away. As a result, Icelandic Glacial™ possesses exceptional balance that is the envy of the industry, featuring anaturally occurring low mineral content and naturally high alkaline pH level of 8.4. But why are we waxing poetic about Icelandic glacier water?

Dior, meet Icelandic Glacial. Icelandic Glacial, meet Dior.

Because they’re putting it into Dior products, silly!

And, instead of feeling guilty about consumption, we prefer to focus on the quality and craftsmanship of items in life that may not be a necessity, but certainly are a luxury. This is why we’re cool with Christian Dior and Icelandic Glacial’s 2012 launch of Diorsnow, a line of skin-whitening beauty products under Parfums Christian Dior infused with Icelandic Glacial™ water. Diorsnow will be the first line of beauty skincare products from Dior to feature a new formulation exclusively hydrated by Icelandic Glacial™ Water. So, whatever reason you have for wanting to lighten your skin – age spots, freckles, sun damage – this product promises something truly unique.

Viola... Diorsnow!

With its 40 years of research, Dior Skincare has already contributed to the enchantment of women through innovation and high standards of quality, developing products with unparalleled efficacy and  incredibly pleasant textures. Most people also don’t know that the research surrounding stem cells and rare natural substances found in the biodiversity of the Dior Gardens are the secrets of the entire Dior Skincare range. Dior skincare has also developed different partnerships with Stanford University and Modena University on the stem cells research and the Institut Pasteur.

“Icelandic Glacial Water has proven in our labs its power not only to counteract the production of melanin in skin cells, but also to act in favour of all skin transparency features. These results make it the perfect asset to go beyond whitening toward immaculate transparency,” said Edouard Mauvais-Jarvis, Scientific Communication Director for Dior. “It is so effective and so complementary to our core active ingredients that we have decided to replace 100% of the water in our formulas by Icelandic Glacial water to reach new levels of efficiency and pleasure in the whole Diorsnow range.”

The first Dior skincare products infused with Icelandic Glacial™ water will be officially launching in the first quarter of 2012 throughout the Asian market, so let us know what you think if you decide to check them out!

Discover DiorSnow

Travel Lotion… in a Stick!

 

Coconut Mango - Skin Stick

Whether on a plane, a train, car, or just at home, we found a moisturizer that’s good enough to eat with 99% natural Skin Sticks. So here’s the story: Heather Swanepoel, founder and chief formulator at Rinse, dreamed up the perfectly portable lotion stick straight from her own fiascos.

From lotion bottles exploding in her purse to TSA nightmares, Heather knew there had to be an easier way to stay moisturized on-the-go. With lip balms being so common and handy, she wondered why a regular lotion hadn’t made its debut in the format?

Soon, the Skin Stick recipe was perfected and ready to wow. Cocoa and Shea butters paired with soothing scents and oils, create a rich yet non-greasy lotion that is great for cuticles, knuckles, elbows, and anywhere else. It’s even helped with some user’s eczema and psoriasis spots as well. Each batch is handmade from premium ingredients and are gluten free.

With birthdays always on the horizon, and the holidays rapidly approaching, Skin Sticks and Pucker Sticks are a great stocking stuffer. Choose from fun scents like Ginger Lemongrass and Coconut Mango, or go with something more decadent like Chocolate, Almond and Honey, or Fresh Fig. For gift recipients with special lifestyles, Rinse also has a whole line of Vegan Friendly products they can feel good about using. Rinse Bath & Body Company all began in 2002 when Heather Swanepoel, a national account manager for Supercross, (yes that’s Supercross….meaning nothing but dirt bikes and man-made race tracks!), needed a more creative outlet. A simple class in soap making soon turned into an obsession that had friends and family members requesting her special concoctions. In 2003 the company was launched and now operates out of Monroe, Georgia with the help of other stay-at-home moms. Rinse Bath & Body products can be found in salons, spas, and boutiques nationwide, and at the International Food & Wine Festival and Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot.