Tag: Brand Spotlight

Brand Spotlight: basq skin care

Even though I am not a mom, I can appreciate a brand grown out of skincare for expecting and new moms. Brands like this put my mind at ease knowing that they are gentle and free of harmful ingredients. All basq products are chemical, paraben and phthalate free and not tested on animals. And note that all basq products are rigorously tested for no skin allergy and irritancy. Not to mention they are backed by some major celebrity fans including Heidi Klum, Molly Simms, Jamie Lynn Sigler and Poppy Montgomery.

As the brand evolved, their products expanded to appeal to women in all their stages from pregnancy to weight loss to mature skin. The premise is keeping skin looking polished and young. While I haven’t tried the skincare, I have had a chance to check out some of their goodies for the bod. While gentle, they also are infused with aromatherapy. Ingredients include nutrient rich oils and plant extracts to strengthen and rebuild skin.

One of their most popular product lines is focused on treating stretch marks ranging from prevention to repair. The two products I have been testing out are part of this group. First, Citrus Sugar Body Polish is known as the first step in fighting a repairing stretch marks. Exfoliation literally pushes damaged skin up and out. The gentle sugar granules remove dull, dry skin and reveal renewed skin underneath. Essential oils like Rosehip, Grapeseed, Wheat Germ and Hazelnut work to nourish and improve skin, leaving it hyrdated and radiant.

The citrus scent – Neroli (Orange Blossom) – is fairly mild and the exfoliation action works well with my redness-prone and sensitive skin, probably thanks to the oils. Skin is left prepped for other treatments, particularly the rich moisturizers I am using in this frigid and dry weather. The basq Resilient Body Toning & Hydrating Oil has been high in the recent rotation. Touted as even more effective than lotions, this stuff is packed with oils much like the scrub: Hazelnut, Sweet Almond, Wheat Germ, Grapeseed, Rosehip, and Eucalyptus oils, along with Vitamin E.

These oils and vitamin E can strength skin in ways that lotions can’t. They protect skin while it is stretching during pregnancy, preventing marks. And even those who aren’t will love the amped up hydration that I have come to love. My main peeve with oils is sometimes they can leave skin greasy. Not this one… it absorbs easily and there is no sticky residue you can so often find with creams and lotions.

Available at BeautyBridge.com and basqnyc.com. Right now at BeautyBridge.com, get a FREE basq Citrus Sugar Exfoliating Body Polish 4 oz. with $75 or more of basq Purchase.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Brand Spotlight: BeautyCounter

You might have noticed some Beautycounter goodies sprinkled through recent posts (here and here). This unique brand really swept me off my feet. And not just because their products are beautiful. But also because of what Beautycounter is all about. If there is a major trend in beauty these days, it has to be an interest in ingredients and the safety of products we use on our face and body.

Brand Spotlight: Taya

This little indie brand really channels the rainforest into their hair products. Using the botanicals found in her native Venezuela, Patricia Velasquez was inspired by her Wayúu heritage. The Wayúu are an ancient and indigenous people of the La Guajira Peninsula straddling the Venezuela-Colombia border on the Caribbean Sea. Using these raw and unprocessed materials lends to unique results-oriented formulas.

Brand Spotlight: YON-KA Skin Care

Yon-Ka is one of those brands I had seen and respected from afar. But I have never really had a chance to dive into their world. After learning about the brand and trying out some of their products, I have become a tried and true fan. The focus on aromatherapy and beautiful packaging make these workhorses and joy to use. The heavy glass bottles are truly luxe and all the dispensers are flawless. But first, a little about the brand.

Laboratories Multaler was founded in 1954 by pioneers in aromatherapy, Cécile, Ernst and Charles Muhlethaler. They focused on botanicals and essential oils and were able to achieve a breakthrough with the discover of “Quintessence” a unique combination of 5 essential oils from the Mediterranean which became the cornerstone of their future skin care line.

They continue their research, blending oils and plants to find other synergies and skin care breakthroughs. Around 1967, the brand took on its mysterious and symbolic name, YON-KA.

Françoise Muhlethaler, a biochemist, and Catherine Muhlethaler, an aesthetician, daughters and nieces of the founders take over leadership of the company in 1968. Under their reign, YON-KA is grows commercially and enters the USA in 1987 and UK and Switzerland in 2000. The new factory is in a filtered air environment with the highest manufacturing standards. Teams of pharmacists, chemist engineers, biologists, bacteriologists, aestheticians work in the Paris campus. Today, YON-KA products can be found in 50 countries and 5000 resorts and spas. Below is l’eSPAce YON-KA, the flagship spa in the heart of Paris.

So, now that we know a little bit about this established and classic skin care company, I’ll share with you a bit about the products I’ve been trying out.

Lotion YON-KA for normal to oily skin sounds like something I wouldn’t like given I am prone to dryness. But I admit, I am becoming quite the toner devotee and this alcohol-free version soothes and refreshes. I love having a second step of cleansing and it preps and evens the texture of my skin. The aromatherapy is a bonus: Geranium flower oil can reduce the appearance of pores while Rosemary oil helps reduce excess oil production for a balanced complexion.

Emulsion Pure has been a god-send these summer months. Have I mentioned I can get super irritated and even have violent allergies to some bug bites? This soother cools and comforts. You can use it both on the face and body for relief from acne, insect bites, waxing treatments and superficial burns. Lavender oil provides antiseptic benefits to reduce bacteria and help heal burns. Cypress oil evens out the skin tone to minimize the blotches. Rosemary oil increases blood circulation, moisturizes and treats sun-damaged skin. I’ve also found it super helpful against my recent psoriasis flare up.

Masque 105 has all the characteristics of a classic clay mask but it doesn’t leave my skin tight and dry. Not as thick as some other versions, the application is silkier and more hydrating. Specially designed for dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin, the mask works to detoxify and refine. I’m left with clear and glowing skin, and my tone is more even thanks to anti-inflammatory and calming Lavender oil. Geranium oil firms the skin.

Yon-ka is available at dermstore.com or find your local retailer here.

images from www.yonkausa.com

Brand Spotlight: it Cosmetics

For a while there, my love for it Cosmetics was limited to their concealer (and man… do I love that concealer). But after having a chance to try out some of their other goodies, let’s just say I am hooked on the brand.

Hello Lashes! 5-In-1 Treatment Mascara in Black (first mentioned here) is not only a mascara, but a four other products that all work together for killer lashes. Working as volumizing mascara, conditioning lash primer, lash-enhancing serum, lash tint, and a lash comb/curler, this gives blackest black, full lashes. Developed with plastic surgeons, the formula contains peptides, collagen, proteins, acai, jojoba, green tea, and vitamins A, C, E, and B5. The brush goes after every single lash and I love the Magic Wand detailer tip to get lower and corner lashes.

Vitality Cheek Flush Anti-Aging Powder Blush Stain is also a hybrid product. It is actually a cheek stain in powder formula. As a dry skin sufferer, I love having the hydration of a stain. But powder formulas can be slightly easier to blend. The Radiant in Rose shade has the perfect balance of pink and brown to look sunkissed with a little flush. Goodness like plum oil, cherry oil, hyaluronic acid, pomegranate, seaweed extract, grapeseed, aloe and jojoba work to nourish and improve skin. And it doesn’t stop there. Anti-oxidants (so important in these sunny summer months) like Vitamins A, C, E, Acai, Green Tea and White Tea ward off free-radicals. Did I mention this stuff stays on all day!?

And what’s really got me jazzed is the new IT-O2 Oxygen Liquid Foundation. The formula has that dewy, glowy finish I love and is totally buildable. At the same time, it remains weightless and undetectable on my skin. Drops of Light reflecting pigments to help optically blur away the appearance of imperfections. While you wear it, the active ingredients basically work like they are giving you a facial. Peptides, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen work to provide anti-aging benefits. I’ve been wearing the medium shade lightly applied and I get a tinted moisturizer effect – just enough to even but without covering my summer freckles.

And I can’t resist mentioning that, while I haven’t used them, a makeup artist at a photo shoot was singing praises of it Cosmetics brushes last week. Can’t wait to try them out. Anyone had experience with their tools?

Brand Spotlight: Bioelements

Bioelements is a skin care line focused on fostering younger looking skin with professional grade products you use at home. The skin care regimens are custom blended for ideal results according to your skin type. Their formulas are responsibly crafted, always free of parabens, fragrances and colorants. And never tested on animals. One of the biggest joys of using Bioelements is their glass skin care packaging. Not only does it feel more luxe, but it maintains the integrity of the products and is 100% recyclable.

I’ve been surrounding myself with some Bioelements best and brightest for the past month and have been thrilled with results. Not only are the products wonderful to use – they have honestly made my skin look better. My main issues are hyper-pigmentation and redness. The following four items have helped me moderate both and keep safe in the sun.

Again, an oil based cleanser that really can clean, the Bioelements Sensitive Skin Cleanser is gentle and nourishing. Olive oil is used to lift impurities while calming and soothing. And your skin won’t be striped of precious moisture.

Using one of my most beloved skin care ingredients, Advanced VitaMineral C Complex has a double dose because it uses Acerola cherries, which contain 32 times more vitamin C than oranges. This extract is the most scientifically advanced C ester and can fight aging and brighten skin. I’ve been using this day and night and find my skin to be more radiant without any irritation.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the sun. I know I needed something with a really high SPF on a daily basis to try to keep this sun damage at bay. The Bioelements SPF 50 FaceScreen has that broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection I need. At the same time, it works to firm and reduce the appearance of fine lines. The formula uses chemical blockers so you get that sunscreen smell, but on the plus side, you don’t get any whitish cast. The rich cream leaves my skin ultra-hydrated. Also to note, it was named ‘Best Anti-Aging Sunscreen’ by Dr. Oz’s YouBeauty.com.

I’ve been running more lately and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the way it leaves me feeling. The downside is my redness really ramps up… even hours after I finish a jog. The Bioelements Calmitude Hydrating Solution is one of the very few products I’ve found that can really calm that flare up. The spray soothes and calms upset skin while hydrating.

Find your closest spa here. Or order Bioelements products on bioelements.com.