L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Hydrating Self Tanning Milk

It's time to get out the self tanner. I just saw 90 in our forecast this week. Yikes.

Every year self tanners seem to get easier and less smelly and this year looks to be no exception.   Since I use them all Summer , I like one that works well , that's easy to use, no muss no fuss and fast drying.  It's all here with L'Oreal's new Sublime Bronze Hydrating Self Tanning Milk.

This lightweight tanner applies just like ( and acts as ) a body lotion, the thin formula moisturizes nicely ( with glycerin and honey), sinks in quickly and within a few hours gives skin a hint of  even color. Each application builds the shade a little more, so you can control how dark you want to be and not worry about overdoing it. It's very gradual. After 2 subsequent applications I had a more noticeable but still believable tan.

This does not streak  or look patchy , it has just a little self tanner "odor"  that  fades fast  and the color lasts well.

It doesn't get much easier than this , grab it at Amazon  , drugstores and L'Oreal  . Retail ranges from 10.99 - 12.99

Yes To Blueberries Skin Recharging Greek Yogurt & Probiotics DIY Moisturizing Parfait.

Yes To Blueberries is my favorite of the Yes To lines ( flavors?).   When asked  what's a good drugstore/mid level skincare brand,  this is the brand I always mention . I loved, and still do, the Yes To Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment  and their new eye masks are nice too . 

With the new Spring launches ( and there are many from the brand) is Yes To Bluwberries Skin Recharging greek yogurt & probiotics DIY Moisturizing Parfait.

This is a dual chamber product with the yogurt cream moisturizer on one side and the blueberry booster gel on the other. Each come out separately so you can  customize your mix. Kinda cool ,right ?

The cream's ingredients include shea butter, yogurt & jojoba oil while the gel has aloe vera , blueberry juice and chamomile extract.

I've been using 2 pumps creamy side and 1 blueberry. It has medium  moisture , and does need some time to sink in.  It's a nice pick for warmer weather and  works under makeup or at night . This feels a little cooling on and using the  blueberry side alone really makes for a refreshing feel .


Yes To Blueberries Skin Recharging Greek yogurt  & Probiotics DIY Moisturizing Parfait. is sugg. retail $14.99 

Omnia Pink Sapphire

The newest Omnia from Bulgari is  pretty in pink, namely Pink Sapphire.

Millenial Pink is the color these days and the fragrance is fronted by three social media stars . But age is a number and fragrance is for everyone.

The pink makes you think candy store but this is  less sweet than I expected. It starts with  tart , dry pomelo , then pink pepper which sticks around  into the drydown along with barely there white florals (frangipani and tiare), pale woods and  musk.  

I usually am not a fan of pink pepper , but here it works well to temper any  sweetness  and it mixes well with the other notes. There is a vanilla note listed  too but  I am not picking much of up.  I get  woods at the drydown   and they ground things well, along with white musk adding a creamy, warm skin feel.  Overall this reads  citrus &  woods/ musk on me.

It is an EDT but has decent lasting power. Not all day but 4-5 hours with medium sillage. 

Full note list:

• Top - Energizing pink pomelo and spicy pink peppercorn
• Heart - Exotic frangipani and wild tiare flower
• Base - Natural wood, white musk and warm vanilla

Bulgari Omnia Pink Sapphire is $ 84 for 2.2 oz EDT at Ulta , Macys, Sephora with a 1.3 oz also at Macys & Sephora for $ 68 .

Yes To Super Eye Masks

My eyes need lots of TLC and I bet yours do too.  While I haven't gotten much onto the face mask trend , I am all for the eye versions.

Yes To has several new ones out to help pop your peepers into shape . Each mask is large , larger than I expected and they cover a bit of your face as well, especially up onto the forehead. So you get some bonus masking. 

These are paper masks that are well saturated with ingredients and liquid.  The Yes To Coconut  is hydrating and firming with coffee extract and coconut oil.   It doesn't feel super moisturizing but just enough and I did feel firming /tightening. 

Then there is Yes To Cucumbers Calming  for soothing and calming with cucumber , aloe  and chamomile extracts. 

Yes To Blueberries ( my fav of the Yes To lines) Skin Recharging mask has Greek yogurt and probiotics along with glycerin  aloe, and the blueberry fruit extract.

All are Leaping Bunny certified , have 95% natural ingredients  and no parabens, sulfates or silicones. They smell pretty great, too. 

Each  single use mask is $2.99  wherever Yes To is sold .

Scentered Sleep Well Candle & Set

Have trouble sleeping ? Wildly waves hand in the air.

Trying to find things that are relaxing and help settle us for the night is always a good thing. Scentered , maker of lovely fragranced candles has something for that, called Sleep Well . You can experience the scent in both a candle and a balm that comes in an adorbale Insta ready set.

Both  are fragranced with palmarosa, lavender, chamomile and ylang ylang among others. The fragrance is very soothing, soft, gentle and worth a good deep inhale. Ahhhhhh.

The Sleep Well Essential Sleep Set makes a great gift ( and Mother's Day is around the corner). You get a Sleep Well therapy balm along with a 100% silk eye mask all in a serene shade of grey.  The balm has 14 essential oils in it's blend and can be applied to pulse points anytime, not just bedtime. I might need to carry this in my bag at all times, how about you ?

So tap on the balm, light the candle and slip on the mask. Breathe deep and work on a good night's rest.

Scentered Sleep Well Essential Sleep Set is $ 33.50
Scentered Sleep Well Candle is $ 24 for 3.0 oz or $ 39 for 7 oz.

The line is made in England and 100% natural. Find them online here 

Love Beauty and Planet Body Wash

I've finally gotten around to trying  some of the Love, beauty and planet line.  It's one that's interested me for awhile  and as it's a natural brand and it being Earth Day soon ( Apr. 22)  and all, it was the right time to test drive.

The brand is asking fans to  do #SmallActsofLove this Earth Day ,  knowing that even seemingly little things like turning the faucet off while brushing your teeth  and remembering to recycle bottles like the brand's own, make a difference without much effort from us.

Of course I also love a good body wash  , so I've got  their Tea Tree & Vetiver and Shea Butter & Sandalwood in the rotation.

Tea Tree & Vetiver Daily Detox is  herb-y smelling with a  good whiff of the  menthol tinged tea tree and green vetiver. It's very much unisex  and a refreshing  choice for a hot day with it's  overall feeling of coolness.

Shea Butter & Sandalwood Majestic Moisture smells cozy, warm and coconutty thanks to the shea butter and coconut oil .  This is creamier than the tea tree blend and helps skin feel soothed and hydrated. The one to wind down with.

 These lather well for a more natural formula, not heavy lather but enough that you feel like you've gotten enough  to feel clean.  The scents aren't strong either , more subtle and linger close to skin.

The bottles here 100% recycled  and 100% recyclable. they use plant based cleansers, no sulfates parabens, dyes . They are vegan and not tested on animals.


Love Beauty and Planet Body Wash can be found at  Amazon, Target, Walgreens and more.  There are six scent varieties in all , Retail is 6.99 - 8.99 depending on store/sale.

Sally Hansen Insta Dri- New Shades

Sally Hansen's Insta Dri has been a fav for a long time due to it's fast drying. I seem to always think of doing my nails at  9 or 10PM on a Sunday , which leaves  not enough time for them to set well , usually, with regular polish.

New shades are ready for Spring into Summer and plenty have a pop of bright color we could use to kick start the season.  Also  the line has been improved with a one day longer wear per the brand and the bottle has gotten a desighn revamp.

I got complements when I wore the bright purple Va Va Violet.  I love a good purple and this fits the bill.

With Insta Dri you get full coverage in two coats. While Sally says you don't need a top coat, I think you do, or at least I do. I like max shine and a top coat provides that, along with longer wear generally.

This new formula wore well with  minor tip wear after 4 days ( and I am hard on my nails) .    One chip came in day 5.  Not bad . Faster dry polishes tend to not wear as long , and while that was still the case here, I got the  work week out of it.

Shown with Sally's new Big Polish Guards- these band aid like wraps go around your nail area before you paint  and keep your fingers free of polish. Especially handy if you're like me and a messy painter.  They aren't reusable though, the one drawback. Otherwise, they work really well.

Calvin Klein Eternity Air

The Eternity fragrance family gets a new version for Spring.

Light as a breeze, which you would expect from something named Air, it's perfect for the season and right into warmer temps.

Eternity Air is light, fresh and  floral. The scent uses what the perfumers call Sky of the sky accord , which they say is "airy, yet dense".

The fragrance start off with a burst of  grapefruit soon followed by black currant and the airy note. It's a soft citrus and  the fruits are not too sweet.  Dewy florals come along with the peony and muguet notes while the grapefruit hangs in the background. The drydown brings cedarwood , ambergris and musk, with all these playing pretty lightly, the cedar being most prominent to my nose.  The middle notes remain at the front of this scent long into the drydown .

This wears easily, with medium sillage and lasts long .  The bottle is the traditional Eternity shape and style but done in a wispy pale blue.

Calvin Klein Eternity Air is $50 (1.0oz), $71 (1.7oz) and $88 (3.4oz)  at Macy’s . 

Burberry Fresh Glow Foundation Gel Stick

I looove a good foundation stick. They are not the easiest foundation to find but  sometimes a good one pope ups and that's just what happened with these new ones from Burberry.

Fresh Glow  Gel Stick is a  medium coverage , light feeling foundation.  It has a cooling feeling on skin when applied, blends like a dream. It perfects and  covers while still looking not too "done" with a satin , natural , luminous finish without any shine or shimmer.  I like that the finish isn't too dewy or too matte with it's Aloe Vera and water gel formula. It's really just right. It has light moisture to it, but not a lot. Again, it's in between, so a moisturizer or BB underneath works well  unless you're oily.  Wear time is great too. All day with just the midday T Zone touch up.

No 42, No 12, No 31

Of course I don't need to tell you about the ease of use of a stick foundation , do I ? That grab and go portability but also that with a few quick swipes you're done.  Mornings need that kind of  efficiency . It works as a concealer as well.

There is a nice shade range  here, 12 in all.  I use No. 12 which is  light. Also shown are No. 31 and No . 42 .

Burberry Fresh Glow Stick is $ 48  at Burberry , Saks , Nordstrom

Nexxus Keraphix Severe Damage Healing Haircare

Nexxus makes some of the gold standard haircare for repairing damage. Their Emergencee has been a staple  here for over a decade.  The Mom has damaged, brittle, processed hair that needs a lot of TLC and she swears by it.  I've used it too, when my hair is having a moment .

New is Keraphix with a shampoo, conditioner , treatment masque and  reconstructing treatment for severely damaged hair . The formula uses a keratin blend proprietary to Nexxus that also has black rice .

The Shampoo cleans well and conditions a lot on it's own but it was a bit weighing on hair.   It's definitely best for those who have really fried their hair, along with the conditioner, which works well and is  fairly light.   My hair is in pretty decent shape right now, but I like how it helped the ends look and feel better.

The Reconstructing Treatment  are tubes that come packaged two to a box. These do a great job and are similar to Emergencee .  Shampoo first  then leave treatment on wet hair for 5  minutes,  rinse , shampoo again and condition.  Hair is softer and looks less dry, more healthy. Very much something you'll be glad you used.

The Treatment masque is the one product I haven't tested yet. It is a thick, butter like formula that you work all over hair  and leave on for 3-5 minutes then shampoo/condition.  Judging by how well the other products work, I 'll assume this is a winner too.


-Nexxus Keraphix Shampoo is $ 12.99
-Nexxus Keraphix Conditioner is $17.99
-Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Hair Reconstructive Treatment is $14.99 ( two treatments in box
-Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Masque is $ 4.99

Available at drugstores, Target and in my Amazon store 

DCL Skincare

DCL Skincare (Dermatologic Cosmetic Laboratories), a recent discovery for me ,  has become my new best friend.

The line was created  using potent ingredient levels 30 years ago by scientists working with dermatologists and until recently was  mainly sold  in Dr's offices here in the US.  They don't do heavy marketing , just good skincare you should know about.

First up let's talk  the fabulous eye cream, Peptide Plus Eye Treatment.  I am always up for a great eye cream and recently my eyes/eye area have gotten extra dry especially on the upper lid area which had always been oily .

This is very moisturizing , glides over skin feeling like whipped butter, absorbs well and feels so good on . It also seems to fill lines a bit , soothes and perks up the area especially the browbone.  Ingredients include peptides , shea butter , sunflower and grape seed oils , vitamin E and rice bran protein. Can I say I love this ?

Next let's talk body care . Why doesn't body care have some of the same good for skin ingredients that our facial care does ? It should,  DCL's  C Scape High Potency Body Lotion  does just that. With  lactic acid and urea , I noticed my skin seemed smoother after just 2 uses.   Vitamin C also adds brightening , which will take longer to achieve but I'm all for it ,and shea butter adds the moisture.  The formula is thin but sinks in pretty quickly.  It does have a bit of the tacky feel that lactic acid creams often have , but it's minimal, less than the couple others I've used. I also didn't notice any sting from the Vitamin C but you may differ. The bottle is a long lasting 10.1 oz. The older you get, the older your skin gets, right ? I want my arms etc to look young(er) and nice too.

The company actually has Youtube videos  featuring  Joel Rubin  Sr VP of Research and Development with a peek into production and ingredients. Check them out here.    

DCL Skincare can now be found at Bloomingdales NYC , online at DCLSkincare.com  as well as in dermatologists offices which are listed online.


DCL Skincare Peptide Plus Eye Treatment is $ 95
DCL  C Scape High Potency Body Lotion is $ 50