Quick Five: Essential Mani Tools

Today's Quick Five is a bit different- here are my essential mani tools.  Although most of my nail looks are swapped within a day, I do try for longevity from time to time.  Here are my top picks:

1. Nail Files: I love my Sephora glass file in combination with this plain pink nail file I bought at Harmon when I lived in the NYC area.  I love them so much that I buy a handful of these every time I'm back in the area.

2. Buffer: I use a Revlon Crazy Shine buffer that I picked up at Ulta.

3. Tools: My nail clipper is Sally Hansen, from the drugstore, and I use Sally Hansen nail nippers.

4. Hand Cream: What's a mani without a hand massage? I've been using Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream lately.

5. Cuticle Cream: Dior Creme Abricot is the OG for a reason.  I'll type out a review of it one of these days, but it's the only thing that has kept my cuticles healthy.

Caudalie Vinotherapy Hand and Nail Cream

A bit of a detour for this afternoon's post.  Now that the temperatures are lower, my skin is crying for more moisture.  I recently bought a full size of the Caudalie Vinotherapy Hand and Nail Cream after finishing the smaller tube that came in the Caudalie Favorites kit I purchased a couple of months ago.

Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream retails for $15 and comes in a 2.5 fl oz squeeze tube.  For those worried about buying in-store, the tube is sealed under the cap.

Like all Vinoperfect products, this has a pleasant, light grape leaf/grapevine scent.  It is a white lotion:

In terms of moisturizing ability, I'd rate it as moderately moisturizing.  It does a great job and the moisture lasts for a few hours.  However, it's not a shea cream and therefore isn't the heavy lifter that the best shea creams are.

One of the best features of this lotion is that it's moisturizing without leaving a greasy residue. It's clean, and leaves a perfumed kick.

Bottom Line: I find this to be a pleasant addition to the rotation of lotions on my bedside table and find it perfect for this time of year.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Caudalie Beauty Elixir is one of those products I'd never heard of outside of beauty bloggers, who all seemed to rave about it.  I picked up the Caudalie Favorites set at Sephora a couple of months ago, which included a small bottle of Beauty Elixir.

I have mixed feelings about Beauty Elixir.

The fill level on the bottle should indicate that I've been giving this a real test.  I have had mixed results with it, and I couldn't figure it out for an extended period of time. I suspect that it's my sensitive skin- and the different combinations of products I may have used that particular day.

Beauty Elixir comes in two sizes- 1 oz ($18) or 3.4oz ($49).  It is in a frosted glass bottle with a spray applicator:

It has a beautiful scent that's light and reminds me of mint and grape leaves.  This is meant to be applied before moisturizer, and then any time you need a pick-me-up during the day.

Here's a list of the ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Alcohol*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water*, Parfum (Fragrance)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil*, Potassium Alum, Glycerin*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract*, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract*, Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Leaf Oil*, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract*, Tocopherol*, Citral*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Farnesol*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Eugenol*.

*Origine Végétale - Plant Origin

If you have sensitive skin, watch out for the irritants- alcohol and peppermint oil jump out at me.  It leaves a lovely feeling on the skin, but can also burn from time to time.

Bottom Line: It's not a HG product for me, unlike the masses. I'm going to use up the bottle that I have, but I don't plan to repurchase unless it's in a kit.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner

In today's look at my favorite lip balms in the never ending quest to find the best lip balm for fall/winter, I bring you a recent favorite: Caudalie Lip Conditioner.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner weighs in at 0.14oz at a price of $12, and is touted as being 99.5% natural.

I find this to be relatively nourishing while being lightweight.  It's quite temperature sensitive in that it will melt or break easier than your average drugstore lip balm, but it's nothing like the Fresh lip balms.

When I used it before bed, I'd wake up in the morning with soft lips that weren't looking for moisture- but importantly, didn't feel oily.  There's no discernible scent, and it's an all-around pleasant lip balm.

Listed ingredients: Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax*, Cetyl Palmitate*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Extract*, Copernica Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax*, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Cetearyl Alcohol*, Cetyl Alcohol*, Palmitic Acid*, Stearic Acid*, Hydrogenated Stearyl Olive Esters*, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil*, Parfum (Fragrance), Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract*, Hydrogenated Castor Oil*, Tocopheryl Acetate*, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate*, Glyceryl Oleate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid. *Plant Origin

Bottom Line: I find this to a pleasant high-end lip balm. It's more expensive than drugstore products, but not out of sight in terms of price. I keep this in my purse at all times.  It's a steady product that you can always count on.

Caudalie Divine Oil

Readers of this blog have already discovered that Caudalie is one of my beauty loves.  Shockingly enough, this is a relatively new love.

Caudalie Divine Oil is a cult favorite, and for good reason.

Divine Oil comes in two sizes: 0.5fl oz ($9) or 3.4 oz ($49).  This multi-purpose oil is appropriate for body, face, and hair.  I've tried it on my body and on my hair and love it both ways.

Divine Oil should be in everyone's beauty bag of tricks, especially for the coming winter.  This is one of my beauty secrets- it lives on my bedside table.  I've tried many single-purpose cuticle oils, and find that Divine Oil outperforms even my favorite cuticle oil (Avoplex by OPI).  If you tap some Divine Oil onto your cuticles, elbows, and any other spot that might be rough and/or dry at night, you'll wake up with soft skin.

Divine Oil has heavy fragrances, which I find difficult to describe.  Although my nose can detect different notes, I can't find the right words.  I highly recommend that everyone smell this- or better yet, buy the Best of Caudalie starter set that started my obsession with the brand.

A quick note about using it on hair- I tried it before bed one night, and my hair was considerably softer the next morning.  Since my hair is color treated, it's not something I would do regularly- but I wanted to try out at least two of the uses of this product.  I'm not brave enough to add something this heavy to my face.

Ingredients: Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Isoamyl Cocoate, Coco-Caprylate, Fragrance, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Octinoxate), Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (Avobenzone), Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate (Octisalate), Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone.

Bottom Line: Grab the smaller bottle of this for the winter- your rough bits and cuticles will thank you!

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

I previously mentioned my inadvertent introduction to Caudalie and the subsequent love affair in this post.  Today, the love affair continues.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is described as a satiny serum meant to minimize dark spots and give an overall radiant look.  Admittedly, I don't have problems with dark spots.  I now have a problem of another sort- this is the first serum I've ever finished and loved.  I've been on a serum hunt for months and think I've found my product.

Like many of Caudalie's other products, Vinoperfect Radiance Serum has a light grapevine-like scent.  The hardest part to convey across a computer screen is the texture- both the serum itself and how my skin feels following application.  This is a very light serum, and is applied via a dropper (think back to science class!):

Here's a drop on my skin, no flash, indoors:

I've only made two changes to my skincare routine since the start of summer- First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance pads and this serum. I've gotten an unusually high number of people (both MUAs and just others) commenting on how great my skin looks.  I'm not sure if this is the culprit, but I'm willing to invest in a full-size bottle to find out!  For me, the best part of this serum is that it enhances without becoming oily.  Most of the other serums I've tried are simply too heavy and weigh down my skin, leading to oil spots by the end of the day.

After using an entire deluxe sample (and spending another 500 points to get the bottle photographed for this post), I found my skin to have a more even tone than before, just a bit. More than anything else, I enjoy how my skin feels using this product, and how easy it is to incorporate into my routine. It's light enough to use morning and night; by the time the serum has been applied to the face, it has already sank in and you're ready for moisturizer.  Albeit expensive, this is a low maintenance type of skincare product that inevitably becomes a staple.

Bottom line: This held up well during the end of summer, so it's a winner.


Cost: $79/1oz, my sweet little bottle is from a Sephora 500pt perk

Availability: Caudalie, Sephora, Nordstrom

Late Summer Skincare Routine (PM)

Like my morning routine, this will be changing with the seasons- although not as much as I originally thought.  I've been swapping out my Shiseido Softener for the First Aid Beauty pads in an effort to get my skin at its best

• Caudalie Makeup Removing Water: This is my first experience using a "Makeup Removing Water," although similar products (like the NARS version) have piqued my interest in the past.  I'm nearly through my second bottle of this- and will keep it on-hand. It's very gentle yet effective.
• Shiseido Facial Cotton: Once you try these, you'll never go back to regular cotton again.  These are a pampering treat for my skin. This is the third full pack I've used this year.
• Laura Mercier Oil-Free Makeup Remover: This stuff is amazing- it will take off even the most stubborn makeup.  Just a little bit for the remaining waterproof mascara is all you need.
• Neutrogena Hydrating Makeup Removing Wipes: One of the places where I save money is by using drugstore-brand makeup removing wipes. I've bounced around, but usually alternate these with Boots No.7 wipes. I haven't seen a difference between high-end wipes and these, and I'd rather save money where it's possible.
• Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Creamy Cleanser: See the morning post for mini-review.
• First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads:  See the morning post for a mini-review.
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum: Review pending.
• Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Eye Cream: This is the eye cream that re-invigorated my interest in skincare. Full review pending because it was a game-changer for me personally.
• Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Night Cream/Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Night Emulsion: It will be clear at the end of the month why I've got 2 night creams in rotation.  For those who aren't clear on Shiseido's vocabulary, the Emulsions (Day/Night) are significantly lighter than the Creams.  These are part of my HG skincare routine which I've been using faithfully for the past year.
• Shiseido Benefiance Lip Treatment: See morning post for mini-review.

Late Summer Skincare routine (AM)

It's safe to say that my 9-5 is anything but. It's more like a 6:30-5, and involves getting up before civility sets in each morning.  Still, it's important to set the right tone for the day in terms of skincare and beauty.  Of course, it needs to be something easily comprehensible around 5AM.

My routine varies significantly with the seasons.  Here's my current morning skincare, late summer 2013

• Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Creamy Cleanser: While the shower heats up (and my pores open up), this is the first product to hit my skin in the morning.
• Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream:  I wasn't one for exfoliating my sensitive skin with any regularity until I received a deluxe sample of this product in a GWP.  Like many other ladies, I find it a perfect product to use in the shower.
• First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads:  I like these pads- they're exfoliating cotton pads soaked in the product.  They're gentle, and supposed to be opening up pores.  I haven't noticed a significant reduction in the number of blemishes/blackheads/clogged pores that I have, but I've had multiple MUAs comment on my skin lately- and I only changed two products (this and the serum).  It's gentle enough that I can use it twice a day on sensitive skin.
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum: Full review coming in the next couple of days.
• Shiseido Sunscreen: This is the item that varies the most per season. I'm ghostly white by nature, and use sunscreen accordingly. If I'm headed out into the actual sun, I use both the facial version and the body sunscreen. I also tuck the SPF35 lip balm under my lipstick.  During the winter, I often go days without seeing the sun (into work before sunrise, out following sunset), so I rely on the SPF built into my various products.
•  Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Cream:  Confession time.  I'm not a fan of this product, but I was able to get it with a Sephora VIB code earlier this year and was looking for a lighter eye cream for the hot and humid summers. My beloved Shiseido eye cream is a bit rich for hot, humid, and in the 90s.  I had this perfectly good eye cream already in my stash.  I haven't seen any major improvements from this product, and won't be repurchasing it. Still, it does what I ask during the day.
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid, SPF 15:  See review here.
  
• Shiseido Benefiance Full Correction Lip Treatment:  I purchased this initially in March 2013 to qualifty for a GWP at Shiseido during the Nordstorm Beauty Trend Event. It's bay far the most expensive lip treatment I've tried, but is the only thing I own that soothes my inflamed lips after using a sugar scrub.  Due to the price, it's a pre-lipstick and pre-bed treat for my lips.

The key to all of these products is that they're all lightweight and absorb almost immediately. There's little to no downtime between products, which is key before the crack of dawn.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Broad Spectrum SPF Day Perfecting Fluid

Until recently, Caudalie was one of those beauty brands that flew under my radar. Due to perfect placement in a recently-remodeled Sephora in my area, I stumbled upon this amazing French brand in the last couple of months.

I've been using a deluxe sample of Caudalie's Vinoperfect Broad Spectrum SPF Day Perfecting Fluid in place of my HG Shiseido daytime moisturizer since picking it up. Unfortunately, I love it. I can see this rotating in and out of my skincare routine, depending on the season.  It's perfect for summer, and was totally compatible with my existing skincare loves.

For those not familiar with the brand, Caudalie products use grapes for their wonderful skincare properties.  Like many of their products, the Vinoperfect Broad Spectrum SPF Day Perfecting Fluid has a light grape scent- think grape leaves. If you're sensitive to scent, you'll want to try before buying this product.  Unlike most moisturizers, this has a slight tint to it.

Although it's not a match for my Bobbi Brown Alabaster skin, it sheered out when applied to my skin and I didn't notice any lasting tint.  My skin simply looked better than it did before putting the moisturizer on my skin.

Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid claims to even out skintone and brighten over time. I didn't notice any appreciable difference in my skintone, but I have no major pigmentation problems (aside from some mild rosacea in my cheeks).  I loved the lightweight feel of this, and it's the first product to actually displace my Shiseido Benefiance skincare for enough time to use the entire deluxe sample- and that's saying something!  With fall coming, I don't see myself purchasing a full tube right now- but it's on the short list for next spring/summer.


Bottom line: beautifully smoothing, lightweight SPF moisturizer

Cost: $64/1.3oz

Available at Caudalie, Sephora, and Nordstrom.