NUXE HUILE PRODIGIEUSE

Claudia’s favorite oil, even though she can’t pronounce it…

A couple of years ago we were in Paris and I got this cool multi-purpose oil at a corner drug store. Although I didn’t consider myself an “oil” type of girl, I fell in love with the smell and decided it would be a good souvenir. Once home, it quickly became one of my favorite things to use – on the ends of my hair or to tame fly-aways, on my elbows or any dry patches – it always worked beautifully and a little went a long way. Recently, I realized that even with prudent use, my bottle was almost empty and sadly, no Paris trip in sight. Mon dieu! Surprisingly, good old Amazon carries it, so now even if I can’t get to Paris, I can still feel ooh la la…

Claudia, WCM

FALL NAILS…OXBLOOD

On Sunday morning I enjoyed a simple pleasure that I rarely get a chance to do. I laid in bed with a stack of fashion magazines and perused the pages while my husband took the kids out…somewhere.  Ahhh what a luxury.  As I drank up all the images, trends and quiet, the one thing I kept seeing was the oxblood nail color. I have always loved a classic red nail look, but I really like the deeper more intense color of the oxblood polishes. It’s getting me a little excited for fall. It’s still really hot out though so it’s hard to embrace all of the fall fashion trends. I still want a playful summer color on my nails, but come November I’m all over this!

Dilyn, WCM

DIY BEAUTY…PART 2

Claudia’s easy peasy gray coverage team – complete with de rigueur ugly, old towel…

A short while ago I wrote about how, in the interest of time-saving, I’ve decided to try out doing my own beauty maintenance as opposed to going to professionals. My attempt at doing my own pedicure was a solid first try and it spurred me on. The next daunting task I attacked was coloring my stray gray hairs myself.

Please understand two things: First, I am absolutely NOT one of those women that knows how to do her own hair. I can barely blow dry it properly, I couldn’t do an updo if you paid me, and even my ponytails are feeble. Second, I absolutely LOVE my stylist, Kristina Peltier. She is a genius with everything having to do with hair and she is also my friend. I love going to the salon and catching up with her and watching her transform me into an improved version of myself. So doing my own hair, even if it was just covering the dumb grays at my hairline, was an unpleasant idea. I decided to just jump in.

For my intro into home hair color, I chose Clairol’s Nice and Easy Root Touch up. I liked that it had a color that seemed to match my own and I liked that it had the word “easy” on the box. The directions looked complicated, but when I actually read them they seemed pretty do-able. I put on the little flimsy gloves and got to work…

Let me tell you – it really was nice AND easy! Nice because it wasn’t a disaster and easy because well, all I had to do was this:

Gloves on.
Squeeze entire color tube into the little bowl.
Pour entire color activator into the little bowl.
Mix with brush thingy.
Brush mix on your grays with brush thingy.
Wait 10 minutes.
Rinse.

That’s it!!!! Seriously? I’m stoked. Not only am I going to save a ton of time, I also won’t have to walk around with mascara in my hair for weeks because I can’t get in for an appointment. Don’t get me wrong, I will always look forward to my big time hair appointments with Kristina – cut, color, highlights – but for our in-between gossip/grays catch up sessions, we’ll have to actually make a real plan and go out. Win. Win.

Claudia, WCM

RADIANT…

With a two year old still waking up in the middle of the night and an energetic nine-year old, it’s no surprise that I’m tired. Yet, there are many mornings (okay, every morning) when I look in the mirror and think: “Ugh! I didn’t know I was THAT tired!” Those days I reach for Laura Mercier’s foundation primer in Radiance. It’s not a makeup, so it’s completely sheer, yet it does something. It gives a slight glow, blurs imperfections… I can’t exactly put my finger on what it’s doing, but it changes my “Ugh!” to “Okay, now I can get on with it.” And really, aside from a nap, that’s all I’m looking for.

Claudia, WCM

OVERNIGHT REPAIR…

I have three small children, which translates into I often feel and look very tired. When it comes to my skin care regimen I need easy, power packed and not outrageously expensive. I am always on the search for that great product! Which brings me to Khiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. This meets all of my criteria. It even says right there on the bottle. “visibly restore the appearance of skin by morning” Something that will work while I sleep – fantastic! Here’s the thing, it does! This concentrate quenches my face when it’s feeling dry and is lightweight enough for my sensitive skin. (It also smells divine)  It nourishes my skin overnight leaving it looking and feeling replenished in the morning. I am grateful for small miracles like this.

Dilyn, WCM

REVITALIZING LIP BALM….

There are a couple of things I am always on the hunt for, one is a great face moisturizer and the other is lip gloss. I have found some over the years that have become my standard, but lately I am bored with them. So I have been trying some new drug store finds. I think I may have a new standard for awhile  Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 . It instantly moisturizes your lips leaving them feeling soft and smooth. It comes in six shades that are all very sheer with just a hint of color. It’s a nice lip gloss alternative for summer, but if you don’t want to give up your gloss I am also a fan of Neutrogena’s Moisture Shine Gloss.

Dilyn, WCM