The Best Summer Scent EVER - LAVANILA Vanilla Coconut.

While I very rarely talk about fragrances here, that is Cindi’s job over on The Fragrance Fanatic now, I have to take a moment to share my love for my new scent. With my husbands approval, no less.

LAVANILA Vanilla Coconut is the best, and most beautiful Summer fragrance. Evah! Talk about being transported to a tropical paradise with a single spray. Before talking about LAVANILA and the Vanilla Coconut scent, I must avert your attention to the first thing I noticed about this product. The packaging.

The packaging alone features such intricate cut-out’s that the outer boxes are collector worthy alone. I wish the inner box was a clear sleeve so I could display it in my bathroom. It is that gorgeous. But the box alone on my vanity will do. Beautiful! And the colors of this box are a beautiful teal blue and brown - the colors of my soon to be completed master suite. I might just even be bringing in the box for this color of blue to be matched for some trim work I am doing on mirrors and frames. Truly, again I have to say this - beautiful! The rest of the LAVANILA  collection features all different types of boxes, in the most beautiful color’s based with brown. And from what I have seen so far, they all feature different cut-outs. I can only imagine the packaging costs - but this really makes for a more luxurious brand.

“Breaking beauty boundaries with the world's premier healthy fragrance, LAVANILA is the first to fuse luxury fragrance with natural science. Their sensual vanilla blends captivate the senses and nurture the skin thanks to a healthy dose of pure essential oils, active botanicals, and antioxidants. Infused with everything that's good for you and absolutely nothing that's not, LAVANILA is changing the way we spray.

The Vanilla Coconut scent is tropical. Beautiful. Heavenly. Reminds me of the beach, but not in a beachy way. It is more like a beautiful, flower lined street with Palm Trees waving above, with the beach there at the end. It has an oriental yet a warm floral sent is felt.  It smells slightly of coconut, with hints of monoi Tiare (a Tahitian white flower), and a warm base of Madagascar vanilla bean. The other notes in this scent include heliotrope and sandalwood.

I will be rounding out this fragrance addiction with the Vanilla Coconut Body Butter ($25), and can you image this - a Vanilla Coconut Healthy Lip Shine ($14). I am sure I will be licking my lips all day. The 1.7 oz. Eau de Parfum Spray that I am using sells for $56.

Shop at Sephora and online at Sephora.com for this beautiful line up of fragrance based products.

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Kiehl's Summer Sun Protection & Book Exchange.

This summer, Kiehl’s Since 1851 helps its customers stock up on more than just sun care— they are going to keep them stocked in summer beach reads! What a great idea.

From June 24 through Labor Day, customers can visit their nearest Kiehl’s freestanding store, drop off a well-read favorite and pick up a new title. Also, customers who purchase a Kiehl’s sun preparation will also receive a Limited Edition “Safer Fun in the Sun” bookmark, to further remind them of the importance of sun protection.

At Kiehl’s, they hold firm in the knowledge that the regular use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen is a vital aspect of any daily skin care regimen and the key to healthy, protected skin. Kiehl's strongly recommend the consistent use of sun screens for the face, eye area and body on a daily basis throughout the year, even on cloudy, seemingly “sunless” days. Because summer days are the longest of the year, and there’s greater interest on outdoor activities, it’s even more important that the face and body be fully protected.

 

Here is a list of the sun protection products in the Kiehl's line up. 

• UV Protective Everyday Facial Moisturizing Sunscreen Cream SPF 15 uses Mexoryl SX to offer the face broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection from the sun.
• UV Protective Suncare Sunscreen Cream For Face and Body SPF 20 also uses Mexoryl SX for broad-spectrum protection; water-resistant after 40 minutes of water activity.
• Vital Sun Protection offers very waterproof formulas with specific products for children’s sensitive skin.
• Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 features lightweight color coverage with SPF protection, perfect for every day.
• Facial Fuel SPF 15 -daily SPF protection, formulated with men in mind.
• Lip Balm SPF 15 -available clear, and in tinted formulas.

And, if you MUST wear a tan:

Sun-Free Self Tanning Formula -lightweight formula dries in 1 hour. (Still wear your sunscreen!)

My skin is so picky with sun screens, so I usually stick to what I know does not cause me to break into the hives. As I have found that Mexoryl SX work well for me with no adverse reactions, I look forward to trying out the face and body formulas.

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Bring on Summer with Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist.

I feel like I have been holed up in the house for the last week or so. I did make it into the pool once or twice, but honestly it has been either too hot or too gloomy and cool. So I thought I would kick up Summer a bit and get back into my faux-tan routine, which has gone to pot the last few weeks.

I have been meaning to write about my favorite self-tanners, and I promise I will get to it and spill the good, the bad, and the ugly. Quickly though, I can tell you that there is one type of self-tanner that I use on my arms and hands, and that is an airbrush self-tanner. You know, the ones that spray - an aerosol spray - out of a can. Using an airbrush tanner makes my arms and hands look the most natural to me. The spray can be controlled to only get your arms faux-tanned where the sun would tan them, and I never have to worry about stained palms. While I have not had much luck using an airbrush tan anywhere else on my body, I always - always - have a can, or two, on hand.

So, when I was asked by Total Beauty to review a new airbrush self-tanner, I was more than excited. This is the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist. 

 

The Self-Tanning Mist itself, is great, and it covers pretty easily. I am used to applying aerosol spray tanners, so having no color guide is easy for me to use. And I actually prefer this type as there is no messy over-spray stain to clean up after. The mist sprays out lightly, but just enough to cover evenly without leaving droplet marks or anything. So, it is basically, spray and go. Well, spray, wait ten minutes or so, then go. The mist does take a few minutes to dry, but I like to wait at least ten minutes before dressing, so as to not mess up the application or my clothing.

The tell-tale self-tanner smell is pretty apparent right upon applying the Sublime Bronze, but it dissipates fairly quickly. By the time the mist dry, the DHA smell is basically gone, and I am left with just a nice, light scent. In about three or four hours, I noticed some newly bronzed hands, and I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at my arms. They looked nice and golden on me and natural. Really natural. Not orange or streaky - pretty perfect with just one application. Medium Natural Tan it is for me. I did use this two days in a row and it has been a few days and my glow is still on. I will probably re-apply tomorrow and keep it up by using this just once or twice a week.

A few tips when using an airbrush self-tanner: Make sure your parts are exfoliated, not freshly shaven and well moisturized. As I mostly apply my self-tanners at night, my normal morning moisturization is enough, except for on my hands. I apply a hand cream right before I use a self-tanning mist as to make sure the mist and color does not settle too much into the cracks and crevices on my knuckles and fingers. If you are self-tanning any other parts of your body first, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly to get off anything that might leave your palms stained, then move onto spraying your arms and hands.

Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist can be found at drugstores and mass merchandiser's nationwide for around $10. 

Be sure to check out this review and more to make sure this self-tanner is right for you over on Total Beauty.

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