34 posts tagged "Aveda"
The Fab Five: Little Holiday Helpers
The holidays are a time of giving, receiving, family gatherings, and fun. But all of that can also add up to a seemingly unscalable mountain of stress. Between shopping, traveling, and, in a few very special instances, cooking and playing host, too, there’s a lot on your plate right now. We don’t have the answers for dealing with unexpected guests, feuding relatives, and recipes gone awry, but we do have a few tried and trusted beauty remedies to help you stay calm and carry on. Here’s to a boatload of yuletide cheer—and the four-day weekend that comes with it.
The Perfect Pair
21 Drops Be Happy Duo
Packaged in a festive red box, this new seasonal set combines the aromatherapy brand’s #10 Calm, which boasts sweet orange fruit rind, vetiver root, and jasmine flower essential oils, and #12 Uplift, which features a blend of rose flower, lavender flower, helichrysum flower, and German chamomile flower oils to soothe stress—before assisting in a much needed attitude adjustment.
Code Orange
Kneipp Stress Free Bath
If you have time to steal away to a safe haven, which in all likelihood will be your bathroom since large family gatherings typically mean that living rooms, kitchens, and even bedrooms are considered part of the public domain, draw a nice hot bath and add one capful of this mandarin and orange essential-oil-spiked soak. A few deep breaths will melt away the memory of all five times you were asked when you’d be getting married in the span of a single hour.
Sniff Test
Persephenie Mental Clarity Smelling Salts
Packed with organic rosemary, ginger, lavender, and wild frankincense oil-infused Mediterranean sea salt and menthol crystals, L.A.-based perfumer Persephenie Lea‘s amber glass bottle holds the key to an afternoon second wind—with just a few whiffs.
Striking Oil
H. Gillerman Organics’ True Relaxations Stress Remedy
As part of H. Gillerman’s line of holistic, noninvasive therapies that target back injury, chronic pain, computer-related injuries, and stress comes a simple, pure answer to possessing the self-control not to say things you can’t take back. A few dabs of this serene lavender/citrus/woodsy oil on pulse points is meant to help you find the composure to make “thoughtful choices.”
Burn Notice
Aveda Warmth Candle
Adorned with sustainable lokta paper packaging, which is produced by the Himalayan Bio Trade Private Limited (HBTL) cooperative, and handcrafted according to the ancient tradition of Nepali papermaking, Aveda’s latest holiday candle is scented with spicy aromas of ginger, ginger lily, and clove. The festive scent should keep you in the mood for merry-making, while easing away any lingering anxiety.
In The Thick Of It
Since launching its revolutionary Pure Abundance Hair Potion in the mid-aughts, Aveda has been a go-to for the volume-deprived. The powder-to-liquid structuring aid adds instant girth to otherwise limp, dry strands for a fuller appearance. Now the natural-minded brand is taking the thickening process one step further with its new Pure Abundance Style Prep. Meant as a pre-Hair Potion step to be spritzed onto damp hair, the rice bran, passion fruit, acai, and organic acacia gum formula beefs up freshly washed strands while plant oils and morikue protein strengthen and condition them. And the volume boost lasts until your next shampoo, too, thanks to a corn-derived polymer that helps lock in the style. In true Aveda fashion, the lightweight spray boasts an amazing mint-floral aroma, thanks to the addition of jasmine, organic peppermint, and organic ylang-ylang essential oils. All this for a single step in your regimen, you might be asking? Yes, is the answer; Aveda isn’t in the business of cutting corners for beautiful hair.
$24, available July 2012 at www.aveda.com.
“Fresh Girls With A Bit Of An Edge,” Backstage At Stella Resort
Over the past few seasons, Stella McCartney has made a concerted effort to update the the “quintessential Stella girl’s” beauty routine, as makeup artist Pat McGrath endearingly refers to the natural, glowing, dewy skin she has been charged with giving models backstage at almost all of McCartney’s ready-to-wear collections to date. At her pre-fall show, McCartney requested a streak of electric blue eyeliner; for her Fall show, she stunned the crowd in Paris with bright blue mascara—a season highlight; and at her resort show yesterday in New York, the eyes still had it.
“It’s a fresh girl with a little bit of an edge,” makeup artist Jeanine Lobell surmised of the look of the day, which included McCartney’s signature “glowy” complexions thanks to a combination of Sunday Riley Juno Serum and its Tinted Primer. “Eyeliner is her thing,” Lobell continued of the archetype she was after, which necessitated a straight stroke of Riley’s Gel Pencil in Pitch Black that was scrawled below the lower lash line to offset the “healthy” flush Lobell buffed onto cheeks for a “cloud effect,” courtesy of a foundation brush dusted with Sunday Riley Blush in Blushing. Lids were neutralized with its Prisma Silk Eye Color in Rice Paper and Camille before lashes received a slick of its Mascara in Obsidian Black. As a finishing touch, Lobell treated lips to one of two Sunday Riley Lip Colors: Trench Coat, a taupey nude, which toned down any overt redness and Marie Antoinette, a dusty rose, that was painted onto pouts in need of a little color boost#8212;and resembled the custom-mixed Priti NYC nail lacquer in Fairy’s Petticoat that manicurist Eloise Lennen applied to fingertips in two coats.
Models’ hair was classic Stella, though. “[McCartney]” wanted a natural fall and a natural amount of volume,” hairstylist Tabitha Baker explained, middle parting a newly cropped Ruby Aldridge’s now chin-grazing locks, and setting freshly pressed waves with Aveda Air Control Hairspray. “She didn’t want to see any iron marks so we’re using brushes and our hands to break the waves up,” Baker continued, coating her palms with Arrojo Hair Cream to ensure that the hair had weight, “but still looked polished.”
Aveda’s Stress Case
Shocking as this may sound, we are only recent bath converts. For years, the thought of sitting still in a tub of warm water made us feel more nervous than relaxed. But our outlook has definitely changed with age. Now, there are few activities we enjoy more than a long tub, which also means we’ve acquired a pirate’s booty’s worth of soaks and salts. With the release of Aveda’s latest Stress-Fix collection, that bounty is growing. Like most of the pure plant essence brand’s products, the body lotion, soaking salts, and oil concentrate in the lineup feature Ecocert’s coveted organic stamp of approval and are formulated using a host of deliciously scented botanicals—most notably clary sage and lavender, two herbs recognized for their soothing abilities. And soothe they do: Two heaping tablespoons swirled into a hot bath manage to melt away any lingering anxiety and preoccupation—something we could definitely use on a daily basis.
$22 to $40, www.aveda.com.
Desperately Seeking Tinted Moisturizer
When Prescriptives decided to shutter its doors two years ago, I had two reactions in quick succession: sadness at the loss of the brand I’d been using almost exclusively since teen-dom, then panic about whether I would be able to stockpile enough of its bestsellers to last me for the rest of eternity. Most could be replaced with similar products from other brands, I discovered—except, that is, for my beloved Traceless Skin Responsive Tint. The tinted moisturizer with a slightly illuminating natural coverage that didn’t feel at all makeup-y was, in a word, perfection. I did manage to amass enough to last me until recently, but as I was desperately squeezing the final drop out of the final tube, I decided it was finally time to search for a replacement. Here is the latest group of contenders that are currently in the running.
Chantecaille Just Skin Anti-Smog Tinted Moisturizer
Chantecaille’s formula is packed with botanicals like honeysuckle, edelweiss, and green tea, plus moisturizing sodium hyaluronate. The rich formula feels a bit more like a foundation than a tinted moisturizer, making it a viable option on the occasion when more coverage is needed. It is my hands-down winner in the packaging department, but be warned: Its good looks don’t come cheap.
$64, www.neimanmarcus.com.
Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer
As it’s entirely natural (100 percent of ingredients are from natural origin, and more than 80 percent from organic origin), Physician Formula’s offering is a great idea for those with more reactive skin—i.e. me, at least once a month. Remember to shake the tube first, otherwise the filmy formula tends to separate in an undesirable way. The coverage is lightweight enough for everyday use and absorbs easily. Bonus: It’s a total bargain.
$11.95, www.physiciansformula.com.
Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint
I count myself a big fan of Liz Earle’s skincare, so when I heard that the British naturalist was branching out into makeup I was understandably excited. Her first product to be available stateside is a tinted moisturizer packed with enough vitamin E, borage, and avocado for a super-creamy consistency. Though it was a little too rich for my summertime needs, once the temperature drops, my prediction is that it will feel just right.
$34, available beginning September 8 at www.uk.lizearle.com.