Coquette

Buxom Customizable Eyeshadow Palette: Pick Your Colors!

New at Sephora is the Buxom Customizable Eyeshadow Palette ($40 at Sephora) which holds six colors of your choosing so you can mix and match to create your own palette! I have been looking for something like this for a long time. With forty shades to choose from, you can pick all the colors you actually will use. The eyeshadow is infused with primer so color lasts longer and each color is highly pigmented. Choose from matte to metallic.
I'm thinking of doing some shades of grays and pinks but it is hard for me to choose. Forty colors is overwhelming so Buxom's made a handy PDF filled with different ideas on how you can customize your palette. (A sample of one of their palette choices is below.)

The whole palette is valued at $85 with each eyeshadow square retailing for $12 each. I'm not sure if this $40 price is a special introductory deal or not so act quickly. The discount is applied once you choose all six eyeshadows and your final palette will be $40. Have fun!

Credo Beauty - A Natural/Organic Beauty Shop Comes to SF in June

Shopping for natural and organic skincare and beauty is getting a new luxe facelift. Credo Beauty is coming to San Francisco in June to 2136 Filmore Street. Every staff member at Credo is a licensed esthetician and make-up artist which is perfect for us newbies who are still learning about all the various products out there. The store will feature an area just for natural and organic makeup -- something that I have been interested to try.

I had coffee with the founder Sashi Batra a few weeks ago and love how he has a real passion for natural/organic products and wants to help teach the rest of us about it!

You can read more about Credo Beauty in my recent article on Racked SF.

Block Island Organics: Sunscreen + Skin Care

This year I hope to review more organic beauty products on this blog. I've just added a new category "Natural & Organic Beauty" products to get the ball rolling.

Recently, I was contacted by Block Island Organics which is a family owned company based on Block Island in Rhode Island. They have some of the same beliefs I do - that suncare is really important to a skincare routine because the sun is the leading cause of skin damage and premature aging. None of their products are tested on animals and it's all made in the USA.

Their SPF 30 Sunscreen (on sale for $17.99) is light and wonderfully matte for the face so it works well under makeup. There's no white residue and works great for sensitive skin. You can even use it on the kiddos too. It contains no parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, phthalates, dyes or artificial fragrances and is a vegan formula.

I love their Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser (on sale $19.79) because the clear gel goes on slick to you skin to help you really massage and clean your face. I didn't feel like it stripped my skin and after cleansing my skin felt soft. Ingredients include reshape, chamomile, sunflower, burdock, avocado, olive and more to help purify your skin.

The Organic Revitalizing Night Cream (on sale for $31.49) is filled with antioxidants like Vitamin C and E which helps to nourish and replenish skin. It really helps to keep skin soft and I could see myself using this in the day too during the winter. Ingredients include cocoa butter, calendua, rosehip, avocado, aloe vera, jojoba, blueberry and more. I like that this is in a pump bottle, like the facial cleanser which makes it easier to use and keeps bacteria out.

Take a visit to Block Island Organics and try some of their great products. The quality of their products is amazing and the price can't be beat! There is free shipping for orders over $50 and if you sign up for their newsletter you can get 15% off your order.

Review products were provided by Block Island Organics.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer ($18) has been my go to lipstick for the past week. I love the color staying power and the primer really helps keep my lips from feeling dry or flaking off with it's formula of shea and murmur butters. You'll no longer need to apply lip balm before your lipstick!

I have it in the color Love Pop, a shimmery raspberry that really flatters and energizes my complexion. There are sixteen shades to the entire line from nudes to deep reds. I am definitely looking to add a few more to my collection - Beige Pop, Poppy Pop and Sweet Pop. It's so easy that I now only have to have one lipstick in my handbag. I love the rectangular shape of the case where the cover can double as a mirror.

Purchase Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer at Clinique counters and online at Sephora.com.

Review product provided by Clinique

New Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence

I started using a treatment essence around five years ago with SKII. Of course, SKII's version is very, very pricey. I'm so glad I recently got a chance to try Kiehl's new Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence ($45 at Kiehl's). This pretty purple bottle holds great anti-aging skincare that helps hydrate your skin and deeply nourish it. My entire routine has changed these last few weeks and adding this into the mix has helped maintain my skin's smoothness. It also has a beautiful soft, subtle smell.

Cleanse your skin first, then use the essence after your face is clean. Put a few drops in the palm of your hands and press it gently into the skin so that it can get absorbed. The essence has velvety-feeling and once you pat it in, it just makes your skin feel amazingly hydrated. Follow it with the rest of your moisturizing routine with serum(s), moisturizer and sunscreen if it's in the day.

Purchase the Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence at Kiehl's.

Review product provided by Kiehl's

REN Skincare: My Favorite Products

I'm so passionate about skincare that when I discover something new, I want to shout it out from the top of the mountain. This is how I feel about REN Skincare. It's like food for your skin. I have been using the REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream for a few months now and it has been working great. (See previous post here.) Right now, I am really enjoying their light REN Satin Perfection BB Cream Sunscreen ($38). It feels so great on my skin and helps even out my skin tone on days I want a little more help.

Aside from a few samples here and there, I didn't have time to discover what the entire skincare line had to offer until I got to have the ultimate facial from an old beauty friend, Minarto who is with REN. He's someone I trust when it comes to skincare. A couple of weeks ago at Space NK in the Westfield Bloomingdales in SF, he gave me a facial which allowed me to try different products the brand had to offer. These products are chemical free and great for women who are pregnant. In fact, REN started because one of the co-founder's wife had a bad reaction to all her skincare products. There's no synthetic frangrance, chemicals, or potential irritants. It's great for my sensitive skin! Long story short, my skin, especially the skin on my forehead which is typically always dry has never felt softer and smoother. Hello? Where have these products been all my life?

These are the 3 main REN Skincare products that I've just added into my skincare routine these past two weeks:

1. My must have is the REN Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm 5.1 oz ($48). I actually had to go back to Space NK a few days after my facial to purchase this and the gycolic mask. I think these two are my must have products right now from REN. The cleansing balm comes with a muslin cloth. You can use the balm every day to remove makeup and cleanse your skin. I use it every other day right now to really massage my skin and get that blood flow going. Just get a small amount of the balm in your palm and massage it into your face. I then add a bit of water to get it really going smooth. Then rinse your face with warm water. Gently pat your skin dry with the muslin cloth which will also help to exfoliate any dead skin cells.

2. Sunday nights are my ritual facial nights and now I use the REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask 1.7 oz ($55) once a week to get my skin feeling and looking fresh for Monday. Use it after you have cleansed and dried your skin from the cleansing balm. Just two or so pumps of this is enough for my whole face. Leave it on for 10 minutes and let it sink into your skin. Then rinse off. Your skin will feel so soft! You can use this mask 2-3 times a week.

3. During the week when I am not using the Glycol Mask, I use this REN Micro Polish Cleanser ($30) twice a week to help exfoliate my skin. I really like how gentle this cleanser is as it isn't stripping my skin at all.

Next on my skincare wish list, is the REN Keep Young And Beautiful(TM) Instant Firming Beauty Shot 1.02 oz ($54) the next time I am downtown. It's filled with hyaluronic acid and really helps to keep your skin looking plump and full of elasticity. You can use this serum with any serum you are using but the tip I learned from Minarto is that this Beauty Shot needs to be the last layer of serum before your moisturizer/sunscreen top layer.

Try out these products for yourself! You can easily get samples from any sales associate at Space NK or Sephora. Once you try it, you'll understand!

Products pictured in top main image were provided by REN skincare.

Easy Mother's Day Beauty Gifts

Mother's Day is only a few days away but you can still get mom a fabulous gift. There's nothing like beauty gifts to make mom happy. This limited edition AERIN Lilac Path Gift Set ($145 at AERIN) for Mother's Day features three scents in a beautiful gift box. The box contains one full bottle (1.7 oz) of Lilac Path, a beautiful spring and summer scent filled with greens, rich blooms and flower petals. Also packaged in this set are two purse-sized bottles (9 ml) of AERIN's new scents: Waterlily Sun and Iris Meadow. The entire set is packaged in a luxurious gold and cream boxy. You can also by your AERIN counter at Nordstrom to pick one up. (I saw them beautifully displayed at the Westfield Nordstrom in SF.)

Here are more beauty gifts for Mother's Day:

Women's Clarins 'Extra-Firming' Lifting & Firming Skin Solutions Set (Limited Edition) ($132 Value) ($87 at Nordstrom)
Clarins gift with purchase: Choose from 4 deluxe travel size duos for any $85 Clarins purchase.

Marc Jacobs Beauty La Coquette Four Piece Favorites Collection ($55 at Sephora)

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Sands Eye Palette ($70 at Sephora)

Chanel N. 5 Eau Premiere ($132 at Chanel)
Choose from 10 different box designs. Free overnight shipping for orders over $125.

Sephora Collection Lip Mixology Palette ($28 at Sephora)

Jo Malone 'Red Roses' Bath Oil ($25 at Nordstrom)

If you're looking for even more gift ideas, see my recent roundup on Racked SF: Eight Fab Mother's Day Gifts Straight From the Bay Area.

April Favorites: NARS, Radical Skincare, Chanel + Clinique

Hello lovelies! My monthly favorites are back on track. I have been trying out lots of skincare these past couple of weeks and I hope to post up some reviews soon.

1. NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover ($26 at Sephora)
On a whim I decided to try the NARS Velvet Lip Gloss pencil since I love their Satin Lip Pencils. Well bad idea because I really love these sheer glosses even more. The color is just perfect with not too much shimmer and none of the gloop of regular lip glosses in tubes. New lover is a sheer pink (almost like a nude) with some gold shine. I think ti's a perfect color for spring as the golden shine helps to warm up your complexion. It's great for everyday wear and isn't too bright or distracting.The only downside is that it's a pencil you actually have to sharpen so make sure it's sharp before you put it in your handbag!

2. Radical Skincare Hand and Nail Multi-Repair Creme ($55 at Radical Skincare)
I use this cream everyday, at least a couple times a day. I love that it immediately soaks into my skin and doesn't leave a greasy feeling. In fact, my hands feel so much softer lately because of this cream. What's great is that there are special anti-aging ingredients to also help reduce the signs of aging like spots and winkles. They also feel extra great massaged around my cuticles. (See previous post.)

3. Chanel Angled Powder Brush #2 ($60 at Chanel.com)
I use this brush everyday and I only wish I had splurged and gotten it earlier. You can only get this angled brush online at Chanel.com or in a Chanel boutique. They don't sell them at the Chanel beauty counters. Don't ask me why because this is the best brush to apply bronzer and to do subtle contouring. (See previous post.)

4. CLINIQUE Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight ($21 at Sephora)
I can't get over how easy it is to highlight with this Clinique Chubby Stick. It literally takes me seconds to get a really cool healthy glow on my face each day. I'm obsessed! (See previous post.)

5. Women's Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes in Egyptian ($16.50 at Nordstrom)
I love that I am finally straying away from black or true brown liners. This liner is a beautiful dark green color with gold flecks. These gold flecks really bring out the brown in my eyes and make my eye makeup pop! On days I don't do much, I love just putting on this eyeliner and mascara and I'm good to go. (See previous post.)

Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil - Sunscreen For Your Hair

Not only can the sun damage your skin, it can also damage your hair. I have been using the Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil ($27 on Amazon) since last summer. It's a great way to minimize color fading, damage and dryness. UVA/UVB filters help protect your hair while organic shea butter, coconut and palm oils condition and detangle. It's perfect for the days when you know you'll be at the beach or out in the sun a lot. I even use it for my 6 year old daughter's long hair since her hair is really fine and she's always outside during recess and lunch.

Purchase the Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil on Amazon.com.