June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Masque.

Summer is over. I cannot deny it any longer. With the wacky weather changes and the days getting much shorter, it is time to face the facts. Ugh...

I do have a bit of good news though. My friends over at June Jacobs Spa Collection believe that summer should last one more day. They want to celebrate it with one last tropical treat by giving away free Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masques TODAY. Yay!

Take your skin on a mini-vacay. To sign up for your free deluxe-sized sample - they are giving away 5,000 of them - head on over to the June Jacobs Spa Collection Facebook page, "like" them, and enter in your mailing information on the special giveaway tab. As it is limited to the first 5,000 people, you might want to head over there right now.

The Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque ($62.00) is their best selling masque. It combines papayas natural fruit enzymes, papain with extracts of mango and pineapple - I told you it was a tropical treat. The formula gently dissolves dead surface impurities allowing nourishing oils of sweet almond and borage seed to penetrate the skin. It totally improves the tone and elasticity of the skin. Plus it smell awesome and feels so nourishing as it is left on. I leave the masque on for about 10 minutes and that's all it takes to return my thoughts to summer.

Shop at junejacobs.com and other prestige spas for the brand.

A Smile Booster from Talika.

When I first look at someone I notice their eyes, then their smile. A smile can tell a lot about a person, don't you think? Making your smile looks its best and brightest takes some work, especially as we, ahem, grow older. This handy little product from Talika boosts the appearance of your smile by smoothing out lips and whitening teeth.  Meet Talika Smile & Kiss.

Smile & Kiss ($35.00)  is a 2 in 1 treatment for the beauty of your smile. One action is for the lips giving colorless volumizing care. The second action is for the teeth giving whitening care.

Notice the two sides to the wand. Let's take a look at each side and what the active ingredients do.

Lips:

  • Biological cinnamon essential oil – stimulates and firms
  • Root of Ginger extract – activates the micro-circulation
  • Peptides – increases the lips volume
  • Sea collagen – moisturizes, fills the wrinkles and plumps the lips
  • Black pepper oily extract – stimulates the tonicity of the blood circulatory system
  • Jojoba and Avocado oils – restores and protects against external factors; helps with hydration of the upper layers of the skin

Teeth:

  • Hydrogen peroxide –  whitens the teeth and removes external and internal spots
  • Sorbitol – whitening properties
  • Mint and lemon essential oils– breath freshener

I've kept Smile & Kiss in my purse for a few weeks now and I almost feel like I am becoming addicted. As per the instructions, I have been applying the lip side at least three times a day. Instantly my lips feel more plump, but soft and smooth. After eating, I apply the teeth whitening formula to my teeth and I have noticed my teeth becoming brighter. The only problem with being on the go is that after applying the tooth whitener, you have to rinse, so plan accordingly. This lip wand does what it says; whitens and brightens my smile.

 

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Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balms.

With the recent onslaught of beauty balms, I have to wonder why they weren't introduced to us in the states much earlier. I for one, am wondering where they have been all my life.  Especially these beauties from Dr. Jart. Check out Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm and Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm.

First, let's take a moment to understand what a Beauty Balm is.

Beauty Balm "BB" is your skincare regimen in one tube, created by Dr. Jart. It moisturizes, protects, and corrects. No foundation needed. BB is your moisturizer, sunscreen and treatment serum, while hiding uneven skin tone so well that it minimizes the need for foundation or concealer. Skin looks smooth, perfect and natural.

I agree with that statement, but I would add in primer to the mix as well. The fact that I am not 16 anymore and have a very uneven skin tone, I need to tell you that these do not cut out the need for foundation on myself from the start. But it does minimize it.

Take a look at both of the Beauty Balms Dr. Jart has to offer and my opinions on each.

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm - $32.00 at Sephora
This beauty balm is made with 50% water with Dr. Jart's Advanced Water Bead Technology which hydrates and maintains healthy moisture for a dewy, fresh look on the skin all day long. This contains an SPF 25, which is essential. This formula is also oil-free.

The shade is a light- light medium shade. In the winter, I could get away with using just this on the weekends, but it is too light for my skin right now. As I smooth it on my skin, I feel a burst of hydration, as the water that is encapsulated in the formula bursts onto skin. My skin instantly looks more even even and feels extremely hydrated.  The balm is light, but it feels heavier than a primer. There is no silicone primer feel to it, but the coverage and moisture seems to adhere to the skin making it a wonderful primer.  I do not need moisturizer when using this right now. As I am much more dry in the winter months, I would probably use a daytime moisturizer beneath this then, but realize that I do get very dry in the winter. The end result is a much more flawless look, with or without makeup.  I have been using this alone on no makeup days and I look much more refreshed. With makeup, like I said, the look is closer to flawless than ever.  I have to wear less product and work less at concealing my uneven skin tone, age spots and freckles.

Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm - $39.00 at Sephora
This beauty balm is an all in one triple function balm that contains advanced brightening and anti-aging properties. This one creates the ideal base for other makeup application as it conceals and perfects skin as it is applied. It contains a higher SPF of 45 and contains antioxidant bio-peptides and adenosine.

The color is lighter and brighter, if not whiter with a pink undertone to it than the Water Fuse. It is much too light for my skin and it sort of left a white cast under a darker foundation.  Not that this is a bad thing, my skin tone is just too dark for this one.

I thought I would like this one more than the Water Fuse balm as my major skin concerns involve aging and brightening. The formula feels great on my skin, but I crave the intense water burst I get from the Water Fuse formula and the shade is more suitable for me.

I would hope that now that Dr. Jart products are available in the US, that maybe they will branch out and make some darker shades.  I realize that these are specifically made for Asian skin in Asian cultures, where the goal is have the whitest, most flawless, porcelain-like skin tone.