Recently in Skincare Category

I think using an eye cream is one of the most important things you can do for your skin.  You often notice aging there first... the dreaded crow's feet etc.  I don't want to sound crazy, but I've been using an anti-aging eye cream since college.  Not the same one the whole time... I started out using Estee Lauder because that was what my mom used and I have switched around over the years.  As much as the companies would like you to believe you should keep using their products, I think it's okay to switch, as long as you always use something!  Over the years I've used Clinique, Chanel, Peter Thomas Roth, Caudalie... I think it has served me well, I definitely notice that other people my age often have some slight (or not so slight) creasing around their eyes.

I think I may try this one next:

Fresh's new Creme Ancienne Eye Cream, $95 (expensive but it's hand made by monks!)

It's loaded with amazing natural ingredients: meadowfoam seed oil, jojoba seed oil, beeswax, sugar apple seed extract, seabuckthorn berry oil, chamomile oil, lemon peel oil, vitamin E,  rosemary leaf extract and rosewater... wow!

From October 22 - 26, Caudalie is offering a 20% off friend and family sale good on anything! Use code FALLHARVEST at checkout.

This is a great opportunity to try their new Premier Cru anti-ageing cream. It's normally a rather steep $150 for 1.7 oz, but on sale it would be $120.

Caudalie isn't a brand you'd expect to go on sale, EVER, so this is a good time to stock up... you could even start early holiday gift shopping!  My favorite products are the gentle cleanser, creme contour eye cream, beauty elixir and Premieres Vendages moisturizer.

As a product junkie, it's always exciting when one of your favorite brands comes out with a new product.  Caudalie has just introduced Premier Cru La Creme. It is $150 for 1.7 oz. Okay, yikes, that seems like alot, but La Mer is $130 for 1 oz. So in comparison, Premier Cru being about $88 for an ounce, it's not a bad deal.

Caudalie's three signature patents: titrated Resveratrol and Viniferine from Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte grapevines, and grape-seed polyphenols combine to create unparalleled age-fighting power.

Here's what each do:

-Grape-seed Polyphenols (OPCs): Protect skin from premature aging caused by UV rays, pollution, and environmental aggressors, by forming a shield against free radicals. Reinforce capillaries, boost cutaneous microcirculation, and help maintain an optimal level of hyaluronic acid in the dermis to preserve suppleness and elasticity.
-Resveratrol: Stimulates sirtuins (longevity proteins) that increase the lifespan of skin cells by 160%. Activates cellular renewal, redensifying the dermis, smoothing away wrinkles from the inside, and redefining facial contours.
-Viniferine: Regulates the production of melanin and protects melanocytes from free radicals in order to prevent the appearance of dark spots. Restores radiance by restarting cutaneous microcirculation.
-Vinolevure: Retains up to 100 times its weight in water. Offers exceptional moisturizing and protective properties that reinforce the immune system.

Wow, it sounds great.  Right now, Sephora has an exclusive on it.  But you can get a 100 ml sample from Caudalie's website with any purchase of $100 or more now through Oct. 6th.

Neiman Marcus is offering a really nice gift with purchase for Estee Lauder right now. With any $55 purchase you get a gift set that includes:

• Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lifting Creme, (deluxe 14-day supply)
• Re-Nutriv Creme Cleanser
• Deluxe Golden Fluted Compact with Estee Lauder Signature Silky Eyeshadow Quad in Truffle and Pure Color EyeShadow in Cinnamon, Honey Drop, Tea Biscuit, Copper Penny, Mocha Cup, and Mink
• Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick in Apricot Sun
• More Than Mascara Moisture-Binding Formula
• Black tote and cosmetics bag

When I was younger I was an EL fanatic...  I used everything including all of the anti-aging products in college! Fruition, Advanced Night Repair, etc. etc.  These were the old days before the internet and there were limited brands available in the hinterlands of Vermont.  These days I've branched out into other brands too, but I still love EL, always will.

A great way to qualify for the gift is the big 1.7 oz. size of Advanced Night Repair, $74.50. This is a fabulous product that's loaded with antioxidants that help restore skin from past damage and protect it from future damage. I think anyone over 30 should have a bottle of this in their arsenal!

I am also curious to try the Jasmine White Moss EDP from the EL Private Collection of fragrances.  This is one of Aerin's creations, started from a fragrance her grandmother had worked on in the late '80s. Aerin tweaked it and now it's been released. It's supposed to be "a fresh, vibrant, sparkling scent, with an opulent white bouquet surrounded by delicate moss, rich woods, and pure natural fragrance Absolutes". The EDP spray is $80 for 1 oz.

I LOVE the bottle for the Parfum Spray, 1 oz. $325 (shown above, right). It's encrusted with real semiprecious stones.  But I always prefer the lighter EDPs.

When you have super pale skin like I do, even the tiniest flaw seems to be more apparent. As I'm getting older (urrggghh) I've noticed some sun spot discolorations... even though I've been taking really good care of my skin for years... (you just can't take back those days in junior high when you were out baking in the sun with your friends who did tan!)

I've tried different things.  For a while I was using Clarins Bright Plus Lotion and I liked it, but I have to say the results weren't that compelling.  So I decided to try Caudalie's Vinoperfect Night Correcting Cream ($68, 1 oz).  It contains an ingredient, Viniferine, that comes from the grapevine stalks. It's a super antioxidant that boosts radiance and helps lessen dark spots. I've been using it for a few weeks now and I do see a difference!  They say "Upon waking, your skin is smooth, your pores appear tighter and your complexion is incredibly uniform and radiant" - - and it's actually true!

I am waiting to try the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79, 1 oz) until I use up the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair that I already had.  I just love serums!  I definitely think they're worth it, and are kind of the super charged player in the skincare line-up.  I'm almost out of E.L. ANR so I'll be able to try it soon and report back.  I hoping for some Vinoperfect synergies.

If you want to try all the Vinoperfect products, Beauty.com has a great set for $98 (with product worth $139).

It's got the full 1 oz. size of the Serum, and small (.33 oz) sizes of the Day Cream and Night Cream and the 1 oz. travel size of the Beauty Elixir.  What a great deal, and even better - - is that Beauty.com is offering a free mini Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion with any $20 Caudalie purchase, so you'd qualify for that too!  (their lotion is amazing by the way)