COLONIAL CANDLE - LEMONGRASS & CILANTRO

My last birthday came with three gifts from my husband and one of them was this candle. He knows I love collecting them, different ones, some expensive, and I was delighted when I got this one, because of how lovely it smells and how beautiful its shape is. The oval shape is so elegant! The scent surprised me with memories from my youngest years in Europe, the morning, so busy, going to the subway, so crowed and with my fresh green memories of Vent Vert, my first perfume per se.

Then, I could feel myself back in that morning, when morning became afternoon and still I could smell on my clothes that green scent that was so lively, and yet discreet. Yes, I am talking about a French perfume: Vent Vert by Balmain. I have no idea if this perfume is discontinued or not, but one thing is for sure: this candle has that scent, I would say elegance, warmth and far from smelling candy. The truth is, I have wanted to try it, but my collecting habitudes are stronger, I think.

Or probably not.

For a list of different presentations of this subtle happy candle, visit :
Colonial Candle Lemongrass & Cilantro

What is Lemongrass?

Fresh Lemon Grass

Marnie Burkhart

© Marnie Burkhart/Corbis
Properties: Balance, Relaxing, Renewing

What is Coriander?

Clay Perry © Clay Perry/CORBIS

Properties: High Spirits, Confidence, 

disposition to work, create, go out, etc

For those who, like me, love collecting candles, just smelling it is enough to make you feel in good disposition, and I recommend having essential oils made of a mixture of these two in the room or during a relaxing bath. In the morning a few drops in the shower gel will make wonders, I believe. Let's enjoy nature and nature will be grateful.

Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution by Kiehl’s Review

Five days ago I received a complimentary gift from Kiehl’s after having been one of the selected winners during their contest for a new product created by this skin care company, a company that was founded back in 1851 and that in 2012 continues offering great products thanks to their continuous research in the field of skin care. The price I won is one of their last arrivals, and I can advance from my own experience, is going to be a highly rated product since its appearance this spring: Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution.

This serum is presented as a product that evens skin tone and diminishes dark spots to impart overall radiance and luminosity to the skin, without any kind of optical diffusers. It doesn’t have in its formula any kind of silicones, or parabens. Odorless and transparent, this serum is easy to apply.

What is my personal experience regarding dark spots? When I was a teenager it was very difficult for me to suntan, and I remember I was not happy at all when I came back home after having spent a complete day on the beach, and my skin was as white as when I had left home early in the morning. Just before I was twenty I started tanning and enjoying it but I could burn easily so I protected my skin. After some years I spent almost ten in the Caribbean and the sun was quite aggressive, but my skin was overall safe from the sun ray bad effects. If sun is what I wanted, I spent a long time in the Middle East, loving the desert land, many times forgetting to protect my skin. And I could see a small dark spot appearing on the left side of my face a few months ago. In the beginning I thought it was a small dark pore, but afterwards I realized I had to take care about it, it was a small dark spot. I thought of getting a skin foundation with SPF or a primer, since the one I have is not good for my sensitive skin. When I won Clearly Corrective by Kiehl’s I thought I could try it on this area and see if it works. That was five days ago. Every morning and every night before sleeping I apply this serum. I use the drop applicator and use one drop on my forehead, one on each cheek and one over my chin that I extend along my neck. Of course,  it would be easier to know how it works if I applied it directly to the dark spot, but I felt this serum was going to be good for all my skin face, because it might have little discolorations that I cannot see normally. This is what happened after two days of use: I woke up listening to my husband say beautiful things about my face…. I felt his romantic words were telling me also something I needed to know .

I asked him if he felt my skin was looking better, and he said it does. Does it look brighter? I felt that too but it could be me. Yes, it does, he said after I told him about me having applied the product. I like sharing these things too with him as well. He is my advisor also in this field! So I felt that I didn’t have to worry when I would wake up in the morning at all. And what I see is true, after only five days my skin is brighter, I would say it looks more radiant. The dark spot is still there but it looks more diffused, my skin surely needed this serum all over my face because since it looks brighter I understand there were little discolorations that I didn’t see by looking in the mirror but they were there and especially since I don’t use much sun protector. The dark spot is near my ear, at my eye height. I am going to continue using it, I am glad it doesn’t have parabens or silicones, that we are talking about a serum with activated C, a potent next-generation active, White Birch Extract, hydrating and collagen level increaser, and Peony Extract, Activated C co-adjuvant , to ensure and increase its effects.

Since I need to protect my skin I will also be getting in the near future their Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+.

Does my skin show a bad reaction towards this serum? As my skin is sensitive to certain ingredients, and this has always been my main problem, I can say that Clearly Corrective has no negative effects on my skin. On the contrary, I am very happy having won this product, it treats my skin, cleaning the surface of uneven color and I think this is also a way of looking younger, not only wrinkle safe!

Just where my little hair is laying on my skin is where the dark spot is. I am happy about the effect of this product, my skin looks brighter after only five days of use. I am not wearing make up here, just the serum.

Thank you, Kiehl’s for this gift!

Note: This is my Honest opinion and my own thoughts after having used this product.

Using Carmex

My story with Carmex goes back to 2003, during my staying in Egypt, where I could listen from friends receiving calls from their families in the US the sentence “… and do not forget about sending Carmex”. Well, once is fine, but when I heard this two or three times from different people I asked “what is Carmex after all?”

I found out and remembered having seen it previously during my staying in the US some time before. Well, I was used to the typical cocoa butter stick that I had every winter, to use over my lips and that was quite alright. But then in Spain I started seeing Carmex in pharmacies and decided I would get one little box to try. It didn’t happen then. Until I came here in the US and bought the original one, as there are many variations. I frankly like trying the original formula, with the original scent, like the old style woman I like being. Then it was not yet cold, it was extremely hot I would say, very strange for a fall season. Nevertheless I wanted to try it, as I always use a lip base before applying gloss or lip color. Normally I use my two favorite brands till now: Collagenist Lip Zoom by Helena Rubinstein and a very spicy and happy one: Sexy Mother Pucker Extreme Pump. Now when I tried this balm I realized that as for a cosmetic it works very well, leaving my lips smooth (as SMPEP does) and enriched with essential oils (as HR does too). It won’t replump my lips but it is ok, I feel it does help anyway and it is an excellent lip balm base, as I have discovered. What I most like about Carmex is that it really heals because due to the changing temperature I had a sore lip and it worked it out in one day. Then I have to speak about the formula: Camphor, menthol, beeswax, aloe, Shea butter, cocoa butter. These active ingredients help heal cold sores and also smooth rough and peeled lips. I found out it has petrolatum, and I am not very keen on using petrolatum but as for the lips it is ok I think, since I am not putting it on areas where the pores must breath constantly, and with this I mean that every time you use a lipstick you are covering the skin of your lips. To protect them especially and mainly and then to look beautiful. I always put some balm on my lips, they can really get dry if I don’t. I am sure Carmex has other uses out of being a balm, and maybe you could share other uses as well. Since it is external analgesic I assume it was the reason why my sore lip was not hurting anymore. I know it is a very old formula now, and I believe in old remedies very much. So here I am using Carmex and surely during the winter time I will be needing it daily.

I bought this box of Carmex at Wal Mart.

MyCarmex.com

I may get this:

Anastasia