Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap

I have been spending much more time than usual at the Fresh counter in my local Sephora and I have been picking more and more items up from this company than I ever have before.  I have quickly become addicted to their face masks and I now want to pick up their face oil once I finish up my current bottle of Josie Maran Argan Oil.  One of my last purchases from Fresh was a highly rated bar soap and one that I have been loving for my dry winter skin.  I have always had dry skin on my body every winter but this has been a rather harsh winter so far and my skin has had far more dry patches than normal.  I normally used shower gels (or a rare bar soap) from Bath and Body Works or LUSH and I tend to look to very few other companies for body products.  I decided to branch out a bit and try a body product from a company that has been producing some of my favorite face products so far.

Fresh has a pretty large line of body products and I will need to order more of these in the coming months.  I started with a bar soap that multiple sales associates at Sephora recommended to me for helping to treat and soothe very dry winter skin.  The Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap is just one product in their range of bar soaps and I am ready to pick up another bar of this product as soon as I run out of it.  I don't know that I will be using this product all throughout the year and I am sure that I will go back to my favorite Bath and Body Works shower gels once spring comes.  I have been using this bar soap every morning for the past few days and I have been very impressed so far.

"A triple-milled soap that gently buffs away dry, dull skin while cleansing the body to reveal a smooth complexion.  Seaberry Exfoliating Soap gently buffs away dry, dull skin while cleansing the body to even skin tone and reveal a radiant glow. The nourishing formula is fortified with seaberry oil, a powerful antioxidant rich in omegas that restores and softens the skin. Natural exfoliants of cranberry, bamboo, and bitter orange help diminish dehydrated skin, while shea butter nourishes and hydrates. Triple-milled to last longer, it produces a rich, non-drying lather for a luxurious cleansing experience.", states the Sephora website.

The website also provides a quick story about the history of this ingredient (as it does for nearly every Fresh product), "The story of seaberry: “When I was two, living in a small town in East Siberia, I tipped over a pot of boiling water and burned my arm. The doctor treated me with a pasty orange salve that I later learned was seaberry oil. Native to Siberia, this restorative oil has been used for generations as a natural cure.”—Lev Glazman, Fresh Co-founder".  High quality ingredients are very important to Fresh as a brand and they are known for providing all kinds of background about their products and the active ingredients contained in them.

I have been using this bar soap only in the morning and keeping with my traditional routine of Bath and Body Works shower gels and body moisturizers at night.  I like this product in the morning because it smells very fresh and helps me to wake up in the shower.  It also gently scrubs off the dead skin and leaves hydrating ingredients in its place.  I love that this bar soap rinses clean and leaves no residue on the skin, a great feeling for before I get dressed and go to work.  I really don't have any cons about this product and I will be purchasing another bar of it once my current bar runs out.  It seems like Fresh has more shower gels than bar soaps so I will check many of those out once the weather starts to warm up and my skin is a bit less dry overall.

photo courtesy of Fresh

Fresh Sugar Face Polish

Today we are returning to what seems to be my never ending obsession with collecting new products from Fresh.  I used their lip products first and then tried a few of their face products, their Black Tea Face Mask got me hooked on this line and I have been picking new items from this company up each time that I visit Sephora.  The latest product that I have been playing around with the Sugar Face Polish, I first used the Sugar Lip Polish and loved it so much that I wanted to try the product designed for my whole face.  The lip scrub exfoliated well and tasted great and I have decided that I love the entire Sugar line from Fresh.  I think I will start checking out the body products in the upcoming months.

The weather is now beginning to cool off after a very hot and humid month of September and my skin is now beginning to need products that will adapt with it.  The past few weeks were interesting in that I had to go back to using summer products much later than normal.  I have a feeling that my skin is going to change really rapidly now and start getting dry.  My skin is typically touchy in fall because of the change of the seasons and I want to use a scrub on a regular basis to try and control the changes.  I haven't used a sugar scrub on my face before but I am very happy with the results of this product and will keep using it all through winter.

The Sephora website states the following for a product description, "An all-in-one refining exfoliator and nourishing mask made with pure brown sugar and real strawberries that creates the appearance of a softer, smoother, more radiant complexion.  This innovative formula is powered by pure brown sugar, a natural humectant that seals in moisture, to gently buff away dry, dull skin. Real wild strawberries packed with vitamin C help brighten and soothe, while hydrating plum seed oil and grapeseed oil leave the skin soft and supple. An invigorating aroma from a natural blend of citrus oils further enhances the experience."

The founders of Fresh always provide more information about why these choose certain ingredients and I love learning even more about what goes into making beauty products.  "Fresh Co-founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg's grandmothers used sugar, a natural antiseptic, to heal their scrapes when they were children. Wanting to pass this ritual on to the world, they bottled their shared tradition, pioneering the use of sugar in the beauty industry."

The texture of this facial scrub is thick and creamy, I need about a nickel-sized amount to cover my whole face.  As with any other sugar-based products, I have to warm the product up by rubbing it in between my hands.  Sugar products work best when they are warmed up a bit and they will apply better and more evenly.  I rub the product all over my wet face and neck and then work it in evenly for about 60 seconds.  Warm water helps to dissolve the sugar easily and this scrub rinses easily and doesn't leave a residue on my skin.  I do like that it smells more like natural fruit than the chemical mix that some scrubs tend to smell like.

I have used this product twice so far and am starting with once a week use.  I might work up to twice a week use after seeing if it dries my skin out as the weather continues to cool down.  This product gets rid of dry areas and helps my skincare products to absorb better.  This scrub has not caused any adverse reaction to my skin and I have not had any issues with excess dryness or redness after use.  My skin always looks clearer and brighter after use of this scrub and I will continue to use this product for the rest of the season.

I can say that I love the Fresh brand more and more every single day and will keep picking up more products from it.  This is fast becoming a favorite skincare brand of mine!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

I have just finished raving about one of the new Fresh skincare products that I have been using and now I am moving onto to another one of their products that I have been loving the past few days.  The Black Tea Face Mask has already established its place in my weekly skincare regime and I am continuing to think about what other products I will need to purchase as the winter starts to cool down.  A weekly face mask will be quite helpful to me and I will continue to check more products from Fresh out.  Today I am looking at a Fresh lip product that I picked up the last time that I visited Sephora.  I love the Fresh Sugar lip product line and the Lip Polish might be one of my new favorite lip products.  I used to use a lip scrub from C.O. Bigelow but Bath and Body Works didn't have it the last time that I was at the store and I needed to find something else to use.

My lips are always dry and I have to use lip balms and scrubs on a regular basis in order to keep them smooth and lipstick ready.  "A sweet exfoliating treatment that leaves lips incredibly soft and smooth.  This unique formula is enriched with real brown sugar crystals to gently buff away dry flakes as it exfoliates and conditions for a smooth finish. It nourishes the lips with quick-absorbing meadowfoam seed, jojoba seed, and grapeseed oils while shea butter provides long-lasting moisture. Lips are left smooth, protected, and hydrated.", states the Sephora website. 

I use this product once a week right now and then will increase up to two times per week as the winter comes.  I use in on my lips before I get into the shower and then scrub them with my finger for about thirty seconds before rinsing it off.  It helps to get rid of dry patches and improve my overall lip texture.  I can't say that it helps to hydrate as I use a lip balm as soon as I get out of the shower.  I once tried skipping this step and my lips were dry soon after getting out of the shower and using the scrub. I will just continue to apply the balm right after showering. 

Sugar is an essential ingredient in the Fresh lip care line.  "The inspiration for the Sugar Collection dates back to Fresh co-founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg's childhood. Each of their grandmothers used sugar, a natural antiseptic, to heal their scrapes. Wanting to pass this effective ritual on to the world, they bottled their shared tradition, pioneering the use of sugar in the beauty industry."  I can't speak for sugar's healing properties but I do like that this scrub doesn't contain foul tasting chemicals since I always manage to get the product in my mouth when I use it. 

The Sugar Lip Polish is another high quality product from the Fresh brand and I will be repurchasing it once this jar runs out.  I use only a very little bit at a time so I doubt that I will need to repurchase any time soon but I am glad that I have another formula to rely on since my C.O. Bigelow one seems to have disappeared...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Face Mask

I have been wary to try any new skincare products the past few weeks ever since my skin went crazy at the beginning of this month but I need to start opening some of the products that I have bought to get my skin ready for the cooler temperatures.  I wanted to ease into it and decided to start with the a Fresh mask as my skin has never reacted to one of their products and I have been using them for a few years now.  I bought the Black Tea in stead of the Rose but want to try that one very soon too.  The Black Tea Mask is about providing anti-oxidant protection to the skin and added hydration, both of which I need the most in the fall and winter months.  I have used in twice so far and I am quite happy with this mask so I am sure that this will become a winter staple and then I will investigate switching it on and off with the Rose Face Mask.

The Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Face Mask will be a staple in my skincare regime to help my skin retain moisture and appear healthier as the cold air sets in.  I ordered the product from Sephora and I will provide their product description, "A hydrating treatment that immediately reveals softer, firmer, healthier-looking skin.  Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask with advanced antioxidants is a hydrating treatment that immediately reveals softer, firmer, healthier-looking skin. The innovative formula’s velvety whipped texture has an immediate cooling effect to refresh the skin and the senses. Black tea ferment, also known as Kombucha, is an advanced antioxidant that helps to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals while softening, smoothing, and enhancing luster. The formula is further enriched with lychee seed extract, known to support natural collagen, firming polysaccharides that help to smooth the skin, and jicima root juice, notable for its hydrating and nourishing properties."

Fresh co-founder Lez Glazman adds more information about the development of the mask formula.  'After first trying Kombucha, a drink made with black tea ferment, I noticed an instant boost in my energy levels and began researching the extract at once. Referred to as the ‘Immortal Health Elixir,’ its history traces back to 250 B.C. I found that just as it reenergized my body, black tea works to reenergize the skin’s cells"'

The first reason that I was attracted to this mask is that I love to drink unsweetened black iced tea from Starbucks and I drink it about three times a week all throughout the year.  I find that green tea has more of the soothing effect and the black tea will keep me going all day long.  It's nice to see that this effect was not all in my head after reviewing Glazman's statement and that this mask will help my skin in a similar fashion. 

As stated before, I have used this mask twice in the past ten days and I have liked it very much so far.  The instructions do say to use it for five to twenty minutes at a time twice or three times a week.  I think that I will move into using it twice a week, I wanted to start slow with how many skin issues I had at the beginning of the month.  I use the mask on clean skin for about ten minutes and really like that I can see and feel a difference right after rinsing the product off.  My skin typically feels dry right after I get out of the shower and towel off.  I need to get some type of serum or cream on my face quickly or my cheeks will begin to hurt.  After use of this product, I don't get the dryness right after I get out of the shower and my skin holds the moisture in better.  I could not skip face cream but I use less and my skin looks much smoother and clearer than before I started using it.  The effect lasts for the next two showers after use so I do think that using it as Fresh directs will continue to improve my skin even more.

The mask not only helps to hydrate my skin but it brightens my overall complexion.  The redness in my cheeks is reduced and I need have needed a bit less foundation since I have started use of this product.  The texture is very appealing, it is thick jelly and actually feels cool when applied to the skin.  It is does not "dry" and absorbs mostly into the skin when a thin layer is applied all over the face.  This mask is very easy to use and works very well, I will start using it twice a week and then hope to see even more results in my skin.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Sugar Lemon

My love-hate relationship with citrus fragrances continues each time that I try any type of fragrance with citrus top or heart notes.  I love citrus fragrances when I smell then in the bottle and then I hate them when I try them on and I rarely can find any type of citrus fragrance that works on me.  The only two fragrances that have worked so far for me are Bath and Body Works Country Chic and Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue.  I feel that the only reason that these fragrances work is because they start out with a citrus note but then go into more of a floral/oriental heart.  The mixture of these types of notes with the citrus create the only type of fragrance that I can wear.

I was able to try a large sample of the Fresh Sugar Lemon from the Sephora website and decided that I would try and give another citrus fragrance a chance (as this is another citrus mix and not a pure citrus) and see if I might find another one that I can wear in the summer months.  This fragrance is one of the "Sugar" line and I reasoned that this will be a sweet lemon fragrance and not one of the tart fragrances that never end up working with my skin chemistry.  I have been playing around with this fragrance for the past few days and I have come to the conclusion that this is a unique citrus fragrance that works with my skin chemistry and it gives me another option to use during the summer.  Too bad that I didn't try this fragrance out three months ago as I am not looking for any type of warm weather fragrances in the middle of August...

"Fresh first launched their SugarBath line in 1997 and for the first time, introduced sugar as an essential ingredient in skin and body treatments. The captivating and irresistible scent of sugar, infused with refreshing lemon is now a delectable scent that's sure to become a new favorite for every woman who wears it.", states the Sephora website.  The notes of the fragrance are: Italian Bergamot, Yuzu, Mandarin, Lychee Flower, Orange Blossom, Ginger Flower, Oak Moss, Caramel, White Santal.
This fragrance is a fresh, sparkling citrus with a strong lemon and orange blossom mix.  When I first put the fragrance on, it smells like Sprite and then develops into a fragrance then reminds me very much of the Philosophy Need a Margarita or what I imagine that Bond No. 9 Coney Island smells like.  I could not wear this fragrance every day and it isn't one that I would wear to work or when getting dressed up but it is fun fragrance for a casual summer day. 

Most citrus scents have very little lasting power and this one is no exception to the rule.  The fragrance lasted about two to three hours and then I would need to reapply it to keep it going throughout the whole day.  I do see that this fragrance is offered in a range of body products and I might like these even more than the perfume so I will need to check these out the next time that I visit Sephora.  In addition, I do think that I will order a good sized bottle of the perfume for next summer and add it to the small collection of citrus scents that actually work with my skin chemistry.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Skincare Ingredients Week Day Six - Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Yesterday we looked at a very effective treatment ingredient for oily and acne-prone skin and today we will look at an ingredient that is recommended for all skin types.  Soy foods and soy milk are fast becoming part of the mainstream and now soy-based skincare products are quickly beginning to catch up their fame.  Whenever you mention soy products to anyone beauty and skincare addict, the first line that will pop into their head is the best-selling and top-rated line of soy-based face products from Fresh.  Indeed, these are some of the best-selling products are from this collection but I don't believe that all their fans truly understand what makes this line so great.  I have just started using face care from Fresh slightly over a year ago, starting with a eye cream and now I have been branching out to the rest of their skin line.  I have had many people recommend the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser to me over the years and when I was listing ingredients that I wanted to look at, soy and Fresh seemed to be a very natural combination.  I know how much love this product gets and I wanted to look into the formula and learn why I love it so much.

Soy is a calming and hydrating ingredient that also helps to deal with redness and pigmentation issues.  Soy can penetrate underneath the top layer of the epidermis and will help to correct signs of depigmentation on a deeper level by promoting healthy cell growth.  The presence of soy and the plant phytoestrogens contained in it will help to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin and help your skin cells regenerate.  This ingredient can be used for both correcting the visible signs of aging and helping to ward off some of the signs, this is an all-around hard working ingredient and can achieve results without a potentially irritating mix of ingredients.  In addition, soy hydrates below the skin's top layer and contains anti-oxidants yet too.  After learning all this, I decided that soy might be one of my new favorite skincare ingredients and one that I want to be purchasing more of in the future.

I have started my journey with soy skincare products with the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and now I am very much looking forward to buy more products from this line.  "A multitasking gel that gently removes impurities and makeup.  The Soy Face Cleanser from Fresh instantly whisks away everyday impurities and makeup—even mascara—without stripping the skin of essential moisture. Rich in amino acids, soy proteins promote moisture retention, elasticity, and firmness. Rosewater balances and tones the skin. Fragrance-free and soap-free, calming cucumber extract and nourishing borage seed oil enriches its formula.  This product is extra gentle and ideal for all skin types. "In the early nineties, there was a buzz about the health benefits of soy, but no one was exploring its effects on the skin. We found that it is highly rich in amino acids, which help with cell turnover and introduced soy to the beauty market in 1999." —Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, Fresh Founders.

This face wash is technically a gel formula but I feel that it is best described as a cream-gel.  A dime-sized drop provides enough product to cover my entire face and it really foams up, in fact I was surprised at the foam level that it provided as it is creamy than your typical gel cleanser.  I didn't like the foam level the first time that I used it, I immediately assumed that it would dry my skin out and that this would be a product that I wouldn't like but I soon changed my opinion.  This product didn't dry out my skin or make my redness any worse, my skin actually felt better after using this product than it did before and I was very happy that I had decided to buy the largest size of this product at Sephora.  I did not even try to use this product to get my eye makeup off, there is simply no plain face wash that will get all of my eye makeup off and I always use a separate eye makeup remover, I will not comment on how well/not well this product gets eye makeup off.  It removed the rest of my makeup without an issue, an aspect that makes me very happy.


Based on the hydrating and anti-oxidant properties of this ingredient, I am very much looking forward to buying this ingredient in a day cream or perhaps a sunscreen.  Fresh has several products in the soy line and I will be checking them out the next time that I go to Sephora.

One more day and one more ingredient!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

Several days ago, we talked about lip balm formulas and why the Vincent Longo Cushion Lips SPF 20 product didn't work for me since it didn't last on my lips and I always needed to reapply it.  I am very particular about lip balms and there are very few that I really like and that really work for me.  I am currently using a lip balm that I really love and is actually working out for me so far, the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment.  I received this product for the Sephora Beauty Industry Birthday Gift this year, the original product and a tinted version of the balm were included in a small set for all Beauty Insiders.  This is one of the only lip balm formulas that I have used over the past few years that I actually like as much as my favorite Smith's Rosebud Salve.

My favorite lip balm formulas are thick and soft, not waxy, greasy, or a thin cream.  Most formulas that are a thin cream disappear on my lips within an hour and I always need to reaply quickly to see the benefits from it.  I want a product that will stay on my lips after I apply it and continue to hydrate them for several hours.  I don't care if the lip balm is in a stick or a pot form as long it is soft, hydrating, and lasts for more than an hour or two.  Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is one of the best that I have tried and will be a formula that I will continue to purchase over and over again.

From the Sephora website, "A hydrating treatment that nourishes, protects, and plumps the lips.  Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 blends reparative oils and waxes with real sugar, a natural humectant, for delectable and dependable moisture.  Sweet and tart black currant oil, rich in plumping essential fatty acids, cushions the lips while antioxidant grapeseed polyphenols and vitamins A, C, and E provide protection from wrinke-causing free radicals.  It also provides essential, year-round protection from damaging UV rays.  This lip-loving essential has a bright, clean citrus scent and is free of petroleum, mineral oil, and lanolin." 

This product started out as being a traditional lip balm but in the year following the initial release, Fresh created a whole line of Sugar Lip Treatments, all of which start with the original best-selling formula and have the addition of some type of tint.  I am currently using the original formula and the one that I still believe is one of the company's best selling products.  I know so many fashion magazines that recommend this product and it is always displayed at Sephora.

The simple fact behind why this product sells so well is that it works well and has a pleasant scent and texture.  I have had lip balms that worked well but either didn't smell very nice or the texture was thick and waxy.  This is one of the few products that works very well, lasts from when I put it on unitl I eat or drink, has a pleasing texture, and manages to smell great yet too.  This is one of the best lip balms that I have ever used and is one of the very few that I would repurchase.  I also love that this lip balm has fewer chemicals in than many other formulas as the average woman ingests about seven pounds of lip product per year...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Lotus Eye Gel

Fresh Lotus Eye Gel is the last piece of my Sephora skincare shopping spree at the end of last year, I now finally have a full grouping of face care in my bathroom and have tested everything out.  The Lotus Eye Gel is the first skincare product that I have ever used from Fresh and while I have heard lots of great things about their fragrance and body product lines, I don't always hear many people talk about their targeted skincare products.  I decided to try this one out, in hopes that these formulas would be close to the ones that I already love from Caudalie.  Fresh is another skincare company that believes in using more natural ingredients and keeping excess chemicals and preservatives out of their products.  I can get around this type of thinking, however I have gotten the best results for me typically come from eye creams that contain some types of chemical de-pigmenting complex. 

Fresh Lotus Eye Gel is "a hydrating and revitalizing treatment gel that alleviates puffiness, dark circles, and signs of fatigue".  The texture of the this eye product is more a gel than I am used to, I normally use eye creams or a cream-gel mixture.  Gel formula eye products are more used to treat puffiness than dark circles, so I knew almost instantly what type of results that I would be getting from this product.  I was told in the Sephora store this this product both reduced puffiness and reduced dark circles but the description that I am seeing on the website talks much more about puffiness and hydration than dark circles.  Now I have issues with both hydration and puffiness so I will see results from this formula but under-eyes are my main complaint so I knew that I would not see the optimal results that I would want from this product.

"Then Lotus Eye Gel features a unique combination of preventative botanicals.  Lotus flower extract, a powerful anti-oxidant packed with polyphenols, defends against wrinkle-causing free radicals.  Stimulating soft orange extract and ginko biloba reduce puffiness.  Antioxidant-rich grapeseed polyphenols and jojoba help to protect the skin.  Soothing cucumber fruit extract helps to revive tired eyes."  One of the co-founders of Fresh, Lez Glazman offered some additional information about the lotus plant, "The lotus plant has been cultivated in eastern Asia for over 3000 years.  Thought be to sacred by many cultures, it is also highly revered for its anti-inflammatory properties."

In addition to all the information that was provided on this product, the Sephora website also published some of the results of the research done in the testing stages of this product.  "The Lotus Eye Gel is proven to: Significantly moisturize the eye area for up to 2 hours after application (in-vivio test); Preserve the initial hydration of the eye area for up to 6 hours after application (in-vivio); Immediately brighten the eye area and improve the appearance of under-eye bags after just 4 weeks (in-vivio test, 31 subjects, 4 weeks of twice daily application)."

Other results and findings from the lab testing of this product...

- 100% reported softer, more supple skin
- 97% felt it hydrated and soothed the eye area
- 94% said it relaxed crow's feet while protecting the eye area
- 90% noticed the eye area was revitalized and silky soft
- 87% felt it firmed and toned the skin and reported a more radiant, healthier-looking eye area

I have been using this product for about three weeks now, I use it once in the morning and then again in the evening.  The texture is great, I love the light gel since it sinks in quickly and isn't greasy in any way.  It has helped and been effective in two areas, hydration and the reduction of undereye puffiness.  My eye area can get dry in the winter however I haven't had an issue with that since beginning use with this product, my eye area feels smoother and my concealer goes on my easier.  After only three weeks, I am already beginning to see results in the reduction of puffiness.  I am seeing nothing in the way of reducing the appearance of undereye circles, I know that this gel is not made to reduce their appearance but I was just hoping that it would help a bit in this area.  I noted above that this product helps my concealer go on better so it easier for me to conceal the circles but that is it the only result that I see from it in this area.

I'm not unhappy with this product, my undereye area is improved and looks better than it did before I started the product.  I recommend it to people who are looking to reduce puffiness and not circles.  On a final note, this product smells very strongly of cucumber, if this bothers you than this product isn't for you.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Sugar Plum Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Several years ago, Fresh had a very successful lip balm called the Sugar Lip Treatment, it is hydrating and clear while also smelling like homemade cookies.  It is still one of their top selling products as are many of the products in the Sugar line.  Within the past few years, that lip treatment has spawned a series of balms made with the same great formula yet contain a tint in order to match the makeup trends of the seasons.  We have already looked at the first version of the tinted lip balm, the Sugar Rose which contains a sheer rosy red hue.  Today we are looking at the Sugar Plum tint, the one that is most suited to the fall and winter seasons with its deep berry hue.

I have always been a fan of tinted lip balms, my lips get dry very easily throughout the whole year and this is one of the few ways that I'm not trying to deal with the use of two products throughout the day.  If I wear a deep lipstick shade, I have to bring a balm with me in my bag and reapply it delicately throughout the day (over whatever lipstick shade I am wearing) in order to keep my lips hydrated and nice looking.  Tinted lip balms are also a great product to use in the morning when I am running late and don't have the full amount of time to spend getting ready.  A neutral eye shadow and a tinted lip balm are really great ways to quickly create a polished, professional look that can get me to work on time.

"A lip treatment that moisturizes, repairs, and protects the lips while imparting a deep plum tint.  Fresh Sugar Plum Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 offers sheer coverage or buildable color and is the perfect partner to the best selling Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15.  It's formulated with sugar, a natural humectant that prevents moisture loss, and a superior blend of nourishing oils and protective waxes to soften and smooth dry lips.  Anti-oxidant rich vitamins also work to defend against wrinkle causing free radicals.  It also provides essential year-round protection from damaging UV rays with SPF 15.", states the Sephora website. 

The Sephora website also provides the inspiration for the product, right from the Fresh co-founder, Alina Roytberg.  "'On a recent summer vacation, we spent time on a farm in France where there was a magnificant plum orchard that stretched to the horizaon - plum trees as far as the eye could see.  At first light, the sun would stream through the orchard, warming the irresistable, juicy plums.  Ripe for the picking, I tasted one and was surprised at how at the deep, dark skin of the plum gave way to a translucent burgundy pulp.  Inspired by this unveiling, I created Sugar Plum Lip Treatment SPF 15, a dark bullet that delivers a mysteriously sheer and utterly sensuous tint.'"

I have played with all of these at the Sephora counter and this is the one that I ended up buying the last time that I was there.  It goes on smoothly and keeps my lips hydrated all day.  With one coat, the shade is a soft berry tint but after multiple coats, it can build all the way to a true plum tint.  I usually try to keep it soft but as I reapply it throughout the day, I have built it all the way up without even realizing it.  This shade is the most pigmented of the whole line so this is a best one for a lipstick lover to try first, the others could be a bit disappointing if you prefer more of a tint on your lips.

My least favorite part about this product is that it does need to be reapplied more frequently than many other forms of lip products.  However, that is the nature of a tinted lip balm, they are not long lasting and will need to be reapplied throughout the day.  Personally, I still find a tinted lip balm formula to last longer than many of the lip glosses on the market today. 

Tinted lip balms are a great choice in the fall and winter months when my lips get dry and chapped and adding lipstick or gloss can only make them worse.  This one is one of my favorites since it quite pigmented and can still create a polished professional look without much effort. 

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Rice Sake Bath

If you ask any major editor of fashion magazines to name their favorite company for luxury bath and body products, you will get an overwhelming response of people voting for Fresh. This company started back in 1991 and in the less than 20 years that they have been around, they have gained a full-fledged following from the beauty community. My favorite product from this collection is the Rice Sake Bath, a product that I first tried several years ago when Fresh released a limited edition line for the Memoirs of a Geisha flim. That started my love affair with Fresh and sake...

Since sake isn't a common ingredient in many body products, I looked on the Fresh website for the uses and benefits of this Asian ingredient. For those of you who are familiar with sake itself, it an Asian wine that is rice based. The Fresh website states that in Japan, geishas take purifying baths of 100% pure sake. This bath started as pure sake and then other ingredients were added to fragrance and refine the mixture. The final formula is what we have named one of the best bath products ever invented.

Fresh states, "Rice Sake Bath, composed of more than 50% pure sake, unleashes the detoxifying potential of rice and delivers a fusion of Japanese bathing traditions. Sake increases circulation and body temperature, inducing a purifying sweat to eliminate toxins, while active enzymes soften the sin and even skin tone. Pine extract promotes easy breathing as pure ginger renders muscles pliable and relaxed. Inspired by geishas who performed their baths with real peaches, an infusion of exquisite peach absolute makes for an unparalleled experience."

I love this product in the winter months since the sake raises body temperature and I am always freezing. The bath produces thick, rich bubbles that are a pleasure to lie in. The effect that I have often gotten from this bath is explained by the pure ginger included in the mix, I can almost fall asleep in this bath and I feel like rubber when I go to stand up and get out of the tub. I love the slight peachy fragrance and I get some florals out of it too. I bought both the Memoirs of a Geisha version of this product several years ago and the original when I needed to replace my bottle.

If this is how the geishas treat their customers in Japan, I can see why they have the following that they do... This is one of the world's best bath products and makes a lovely treat for yourself or a gift for a close friend or family member.

photo courtesy of Fresh

Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

As I was talking about several days ago in my column about the MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner, my lips are dry, cracked, and generally wrecked already this season. While searching through my traincare for any hydrating balms or glosses that are also pretty colors, I have stumbled on my ancient tube of Tutti Dolci Apple Torta Lip Gloss. This long-discontinued gloss smells like apple pie, hydrates, and turns my lips a pretty shade of red. And this product hasn't been made since 2005 but I need to find another gloss/balm that is sheer red and very hydrating. MAC doesn't have one yet so I turned my search to the Sephora website. I have been reviewing the Sephora site daily during the Friends and Family Event so I decided to find another item to add to my wishlist.

The Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 was sold out at Sephora for months after it was first introduced last year, for the longest time I couldn't even get my hands on a tester of it. Now that the hype has calmed down, I can order a tube of this to decide how well it fares against the Tutti Dolci gloss. Sephora describes this product as, "A sheer rose-tinted lip moisturizer that hydrates, repairs, and protects lips". The More detailed description follows, "Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 is everything you love about the original Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15, but now you get the added benefit of a natural rose tint that provides buildable color. With one slick, this stick provides immeditate hydration and smoothness - instantly soothing cracked or chapped lips and diminishing the appearance of fine lines. It provides SPF 15 UVA/UVB protection to shield your lips from the damaging effects of the sun and delivers a hint of tint for a natural, universally-flattering look. It's packed in a travel-friendly, screw-top tube".

Oh I love that this product is in a twist up tube instead of the round tip of many other glosses. This feature makes me really biased in it's favor. I do need to see the exact color of the tint though, the Tutti Dolci gloss that I love so much is more a deeper midtone red and I am hoping that this is one is similar and not a lighter shade. I am betting that I will add this to my Sephora Friends and Family cart though...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fresh Eat, Pray, Love Fragrance Collection

Fresh has just released a collection of fragrances based on the recent movie release of Eat, Pray, Love. I haven't seen the movie nor do I plan to since I am not a Julia Roberts fan. Also, I tend to hate movies that were originally books (except Harry Potter) because the images that I conjure up in my head don't alwasy match the actors cast in the movie and then the whole experience is ruined for me. While I am not looking forward to the movie, I do plan to read the book at some point and buy the new fragrance collection from Fresh that is inspired by the movie (though I prefer to think that it was inspired by the book).

This collection consists of three fragrances that the perfumier thought that Elizabeth Gilbert (main character) would wear through her experiences and travels in this movie. The fragrances are named: Eat, Pray, and Love.

Eat is the fragrance that was inspired by Gilbert's travels through Italy and is described on teh Fresh website as "sweet and effervescent". "This sweet, effervescent scent indulges in Italy's most addictive desserts and sensual wines. Notes of bright Italian lemon and basil are balanced with creamy textures reminiscent of cannoli and tiramisu topped off with sparkling Prosecco and Limoncello for the ultimate gourmand experience". The top notes are: Italian lemon, basil, bergamot. The middle notes are: plum, red currant, rose. The base notes are: caramel, meringue, vanilla.

Pray is the fragrance that was inspired by Gilbert's travels through India is more of a woodsy fragrance with spice undertones. "Inspired by India's serene sunsets, fresh soil, and traces of incense and spices that permeate warm winds, this scent has great impact and ultimately puts you at peace with a comforting blend of jasmine, pink pepper, patchouli, amber, juniper berry, cardamom, and incense." The top notes are: elemi, pink pepper, juniper berry. The middle notes are: incense, peony, rose. The base notes are: patchouli, amber, musk.

Love is the fragrance that was inspired by Gilbert's travels to Bali and is a sunny fragrance with tropical undertones. "This fragrance bottles the bright, colorful, anything-is-possible feelings of falling in love. Scents of passion, like percolating pheromones, sun-caressed skin, and salty kisses are combined with the lush aromas of Bali's exotic landscape". The top notes are: bergamot, red currant, mango blossom. The middle notes are: lisylang, Tiare, dewy jasmine. The base notes are: sandalwood, vetyver, velvet amber.

The three fragrances are sold separately but Fresh does offer a candle set that contains all the fragrances inside it. The descriptions of these fragrances now have me very interested in reading the book and I mght consider getting the movie when it comes out on DVD just to compare how accurate the fragrances are to the scenes that they inspired. I actually would love to own all three fragrance. Pray would be a great cold weather scent with all the florals and spices in it but I think that the other two would be better for spring and summer. I love that two fragrances contain rose and I also love the scent of the Tiare flower.

photo courtesy of Fresh

Fond Farewell Products

There are very few beauty products that I swear by and could not live without. Urban Decay Primer Potion, Vincent Longo Water Canvas Blush, Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum, Lippmann Collection Just Walk Away Renee Nail Polish, Benefit BadGal Lash, Stella McCartney’s Stella fragrance are just a few of the products that I really love.

So I get really disappointed when I manage to find a product great enough to love and then it ends up getting discontinued. Here are my five most missed beauty products…

Chanel Ciel de Nuit Nail Polish - My first piece of expensive makeup ever. This is what got me hooked on makeup back in the seventh grade. I loved everything about it; the color, the bottle, the interlocking Cs on the cap, the fact that no one else in junior high had it, and even the cute little Chanel shopping bag that it came in. I have searched high and low for a polish that even comes close to this color and have continued to draw a blank for over ten years. Chanel introduced Blue Satin and Azur last spring and I tried to recreate the original color with it but still came up empty.

Fresh Memoirs of Geisha Sake Bath - One of the most amazing bubble bathes ever released. A florally, peachy scent that produced thick, luxurious bubbles. It never dried my skin out and was just the best bath experience ever. Fresh has their original Sake Bath but I prefer the scent of this one more.

Vincent Longo Gel-X Lipstick in Lust - The perfect deep red for me. I have never found a color quite like this one and am beginning to doubt that I ever will. It was a cream lipstick that resembled the formulas that were popular in the 1950s. This lipstick lasted forever and always garnered me compliments with every use. This lipstick contained shea butter and tons of emollients to keep lips hydrated and plump looking.

Dessert Beauty Deliciously Kissable Bath Bubbles in Creamy - I don’t have great luck with bubble bathes obviously. This one wasn’t popular on Makeup Alley and this line overall just sucked and had the crappiest quality. But somehow this product was a gem for me. Only a little bit of this gel is needed to create a huge mountain of foamy bubbles that make the whole bathroom smell like cupcakes. Just because I loved it doesn’t mean that it was loved overall and the whole line was gotten rid of.

Awake Optic Force Mascara - One of the most amazing and unique mascaras that I have ever used. It had dual ended brushes, one for a base coat and the other for a top coat. The brush on the base coat was shaped like a W to get the product to the edges of eye and to make the middle of the lash pop. The brush of the top coat was small and easy to get every single lash. The first time that I used this mascara, a friend looked at me and told me that my eyes looked amazing. It really killed me that I found an AMAZING mascara and it got discontinued. I still believe that if more people knew about the amazingness of this mascara, it would have been a top seller for Awake.
Ok, now I’m just getting depressed…