Happy December!

It's the holidays! My favorite time of year! No other month has as much inherent magic and wonder in the air as December- whether it's the lights that adorn the trees, the chill in the wind as autumn fades to winter, or the crisp, cold skies that ebb earlier and earlier into sunset. It's surprising how much closer we feel to family and friends as the days go shorter and the temperatures drop - it must be our inherent need for warmth and companionship in the midst of the cold and darkness. 

As I've grown I've come to appreciate these aspects of the Christmas season more than the commercialism and buying frenzy that filled my younger years. In the end, most of us have all that we really need. Anything else is just icing on the cake- or whipped cream on the hot cocoa, if you will :)

I wish you all a happy and healthy start to this holiday season, no matter what holiday you celebrate- and hope you treasure all that you already have.

With love,

Seth

Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Butter

The days are turning colder, my friends. The wind is nipping at my neck, my nose is starting to run incessantly, and my skin is turning drier than the remnants of autumn leaves scattered along the sidewalks. What product do I turn to in desperate times (or rather, any time)? Haus of Gloi's Pumpkin Butter of course!

I purchased my first HoG pumpkin butter two years ago after reading about the brand on beauty blogs (of course) and haven't looked back since. Sure, I've dabbled in the lotions of other brands, some of them much more expensive than this little gem, but nothing hydrates as efficiently or beautiful as the buttah, as I like to call it. Gloi have a great formulation here- the cream is thick and very emollient yet seems to soak into the skin in a matter of moments, leaving nary a grease streak nor slickness. My skin stays moisturized throughout the day without need for reapplication and I love how supple it feels. I genuinely believe this butter repairs the skin- after months of use my skin does feel less dry even when I neglect to put it on after my shower.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 

What, though, is one of my favorite parts of buying HoG's Pumpkin Butter? Their seasonal scents! Right now I have Eggnoggin and Parkin- I'm obsessed with both. Eggnoggin smells insanely similar to the real thing (I have to stop myself from tasting it). Rum, spices, cream, it's all in there and it all smells authentic. Parkin is even yummier- I detect notes of chestnut, brown sugar, spices, and a warmth similar to that of musk. It's addictive to check back on their website every now and then to see what new scents they've concocted in their laboratory.

I also love supporting the brand- they're a vegan company based in the U.S., owned and operated by a lovely couple, Britton and Matt, who always make sure to include a sample vial of perfume and thank you note with anything I've ever purchased- It shows they truly care about their customers and enjoy what they do. Something about supporting real people rather than a corporation is also immensely rewarding.

The price for a full size 6 oz. tub of Pumpkin Butter is $10.00 (although sample sizes are available for $4.50) This is a very reasonable price when you consider the labor, creativity, and care that goes into these beauties. I highly recommend you give Haus of Gloi a try- their honest, effective, beautiful products are worth the price of admission, and then some.

Haus of Gloi can be purchased from hausofgloi.com

-Seth

*All items were purchased with my own money for purposes of review

By Terry Or de Rose Blush Prestige

Good morning all!

When I first caught wind that By Terry's winter 2012 collection would be created off of the beauty of rose gold my breath literally stopped. I am obsessed with all things rose gold. Some may say it looks tacky and/or cheap but I find it lacks the brassiness of regular gold nor the cold austerity of silver- it seems to truly illuminate the skin of anyone who wears it. What could be more appropriate in the dead of winter than products that contain real flecks of this gorgeous metal?! 

The collection (Fascination Or Rose, Christmas 2012) contains four products, two of which I purchased. 

- Or de Rose Blush Prestige (check)

- Or de Rose Baume Precieux (check)

- Or de Rose Huile Absolue (wishlist)

- Crayon Kohl Terrybly in Opaline Flash (wishlist)

Today we will focus on the Blush Prestige.

Look at that gold leaf!

Per the ByTerry website:

With generating 24-carat Pink Gold and nutri-rejuvenating Natural Roses Extracts, this precious "multi-touch" all-over fluid blush diffuses its luminous halo on the face reshaping and adorning the skin with a healthy "rosy sun" glow.

Its intensive, regenerating and youthful-lift formula, melt-away "stretch-powered" texture and rare multi-reflective prisms, reveal a smooth and radiant complexion for ultra-chic effect and absolute seduction.v

I DIE.

This blush illuminates the skin in the most beautiful way- it flawlessly does double duty as blush and highlighter, making it the perfect product for when I'm in a rush (i.e. most days). I have used this every single day without fail for the past two weeks and I couldn't be happier with its performance. The gel texture melts into the skin and blends effortlessly, it lasts twelve hours or more without fading, it never looks greasy, and it gives my light skin tone the perfect amount of a summer glow as the days grow shorter and the wind starts to chill. The color can be described as a rose gold, obviously, but also has a hint of apricot bronze that allows it to work in synergy with any other bronzer on the skin. Swatches below, both on the cheek and on the hand, showcase its gorgeous transparent texture and ethereal glow.

The only con is the price. $79.00. No, unfortunately that is not a typo. This is an insanely indulgent and luxurious product, but I do not regret the purchase at all- I can see myself using this until the very end of the bottle. 

Blush Prestige on the cheeks

Highly blendable gel texture 

ByTerry can be purchased at Barneys.com or Spacenk.com. I highly recommend either of these sites.

*All products were purchased with my own money for purposes of review.