Protect the Lions

If you are not familiar with the beautiful makeup and skin care line Chantecaille, then this is the perfect way to be introduced to the amazing make up portion of the line.  Chantecaille is a very Philanthropic company that likes to bring awareness to different charitable organizations. They create these beautiful palettes to not only make you look beautiful but to also make you feel great about purchasing them.  When you purchase either the eyeshadow palette and/or the blush in this collection, 5% of the proceeds will go to an organization called the Lion Guardians to help with the preservation of Lions in Africa.  How awesome is that!

The palette that I am featuring today is the Protect the Lions palette. I have to say, it is one of my favorites and it is absolutely beautiful!  The colors are amazing and will look good on everyone.  In the collection, there is a blush and there are three new lipstick shades and a new eyeliner that will be permanent in the line.  As you can see from the picture below, this collection is simply stunning!

When you receive the palette there will be a beautiful silver spray over all of the eyeshadows, but that will fade away as you use it, so don't be frightened and think that they are all super sparkly shades.  Three of the eyeshadows, Sand (champagne shade), African Topaz (bronze shade) and Amboseli (burgundy-bronze shade) have a sheen to them that adds a gorgeous light to the eye. The shade Rock (gray shade) is the only matte shade is the palette that is perfect for adding definition to the crease or as an all over shade.  

The new lipstick colors are Mirage (nude shade), Sunset (coral shade), and African Violet (violet-purple) shade.  The blush shade is called Pride

Also, please keep in mind that these palettes, both the eyeshadow and the blush are refillable. When you run out of the colors you can refill them with any of the eyeshadows or blushes in the permanent line.  The brush that you see in the picture is the new foundation and mask brush that is awesome.  You can use it to apply your foundation and any of your masks for a luxurious application.    

I hope that you give this palette a try because I know that you will enjoy it and feel really good about giving back to an amazing charity!

 

Raven

XOXO

Foundation!

Foundation, foundation, foundation!  Where do I begin?  I don't know about you , but for me, foundation is one of the trickiest products to shop for.  I have a laundry list of "qualifications" it must meet.  It has to be lightweight but give me a decent amount of coverage, hold up in the hot n' muggy Florida weather, last all day (with minimal touch ups), control the oil in my T-zone, look like skin, match my skin tone and most importantly....not break me out!!  Yeah, I know......that's a lot!

Well, I can happily say that I have found the perfect foundation that suits all of my needs!  Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation is by far one of the best foundations that I have ever used.  I truly believe that it's all in the formula.  This foundation is an oil-free gel based formula that looks like pudding when you open up the jar.  The texture is unlike anything I've ever seen before....so smooth and creamy that it literally melts into the skin.  What's really amazing about this foundation is that it's 60% charged water containing Aloe, Green Tea, Chamomile  and Arnica.  All great things for your skin.

Now let's talk about the coverage.  It is a buildable foundation, but I would say that it is more on the sheer to medium coverage side of the fence.  If you have some imperfections, you will need to go in and cover them with some concealer.  In my opinion...that's OK.  For me it's all about evening out the skin tone and for skin to look like skin vs. wearing a full on mask of foundation because you need to cover up a pimple.  Know what I mean?

There is a wide range of shades, however there are only a select few in the darker range.  If you are a beautiful brown girl ranging in the skin tones of Beyonce, Halle Berry or Kerri Washington, then you will be able to wear this foundation.  The reason I mention those beauties is because they actually wear this foundation!  How cool is that!  It's really popular on the red carpet because it gives you that beautiful skin like appearance.

I really encourage you to try it. It really is a beautiful foundation that makes your skin look great and is also good for your skin!

Raven

XOXO

 

5 Things I'm Loving

Hi!!!  I hope you all are having an awesome week.  So....I figured I would create a monthly post for you guys titled "5 Things I'm Loving" to highlight some of my favorite items of the month.  I personally love to read these types of posts because they feature items that maybe I've wanted to try or in some cases, I've never even heard of before.  These 5 items I have completely fell in love with, some new and some oldie-but-goodies!  Enjoy!

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - This for me is my "holy grail" primer.  It's water resistant, makes my skin super smooth and keeps my makeup on and looking great all day.

Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash mascara - OMG!!!!!  OK, so if you want a mascara that gives you beautiful volume, length, and conditioning while a natural lash growing peptide grows your lashes a whopping 25% in 2 weeks....this is your mascara!   It doesn't clump and it smells like roses. LOVE!

Essie Berry Naughty nail polish - This one is my new discovery and I picked it up last week while I was at Target. I think I might be wearing this nail polish with every new manicure this season.  It is the most beautiful berry-wine shade that will suit all skin tones.  The best color for fall!

 Oribe Anit-Humidity spray - If you live in a climate where it's humid ALL OF THE TIME, you need this spray in your life.  I live in Florida and this spray is an absolute must have.  It really helps to keep the frizz at bay and it adds a little texture to your hair too.  

Sticks n' Stones Wrap Tassel necklace - I purchased this necklace from one of my clients daughters a few days ago and I immediately knew that I would be wearing it all of the time!  It is so stinkin' fabulous and chic that I can't stand it.   She makes all kinds of beautiful and affordable jewelry that is always on trend. Please check her out on Instagram @sticksnstonesjewelry or you can email her at sticksnstonesnecklaces@gmail.com if you would like to pick anything up! 

 

Wearing the Sticks n' Stones Tassel necklace.  So fabulous! 

Raven

XOXO

My Denim Obsession

My obsession with denim is never ending.  I own countless pairs and would wear them every day if I could.  I love them all....Current Elliot, JBrand, DL1961, Paige, Gap, JCrew, and my new favorite is Frame Denim.  I am OBSESSED with them.  Nordstrom started carrying them in the summer and I absolutely fell in love with them.  I have several pairs and I also have a pair of shorts too.  

They come in an array of styles - skinny, boyfriend, high-waisted, straight leg, flare, cropped, boot cut and plenty of distressed styles.  They have a ton of  washes and the dark wash is my favorite - LOVE!!  What I love most about them is that they retain their shape when you wear them.  They never get baggy in the rear end, they "hold" you in where you need it and they are so comfortable to wear!  The high-waisted style is my favorite, which I never thought I would ever say.  They are so unbelievably comfortable and flattering...especially if you've had a child and you have a little something to "tuck away". lol

They also have really nice jackets, T-shirts, and blouses too.  Just an overall really nice brand.  You can find them on sale a lot of time on the Revolve or Shopbop sites. That's where I picked mine up!   Let me know what you think! 

 

Raven

XOXO

My Current Favorite Highlighters

One of my favorite steps in my makeup routine is applying my highlighter!  It really brings light to the face and adds dimension.  I'm not really one for the "disco ball" effect, so I tend to steer towards the highlighters that just add a sheen to the skin and that aren't too sparkly.  

My current favorites at the moment are the Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Sunset Glow, Chantecaille Liquid Lumiere in Brilliance, and Glossier Haloscope Dew Effect Highlighter in Topaz.

 

Bobbi's highlighter in Sunset Glow is this beautiful rose gold toned highlighting  powder.  The powder is finely milled so it just glides over your skin beautifully.  I use it over my blush to add the perfect pinky glow to the cheeks.

Glossier's highlighter in Topaz is so gorgeous.  It gives my skin a more bronzed highlighted effect.  What's cool about this highlighter is it's dual delivery formula.  The center of it is a solid core of vitamin-rich moisturizers surrounded by genuine crystal extracts that give the skin an all day glow.  

Chantecaille's Liquid Lumiere in Brilliance is probably the one that I use the most.  It's the perfect natural highlight for my skin tone.  It's super light reflective and it illuminates the skin while delivering anti-aging skin care benefits.  Bamboo, Pea Extract and Glucosamine have been added to promote firmer, smoother looking skin.  So basically you're treating your skin while highlighting.  How amazing it that!  I also love the packaging because it's the perfect size for travel.

Below are some swatches of each of the highlighters so you can see the color payoff.  Please keep in mind that these are the shades that work best for my skin tone.  Each of these highlighters are available in multiple shades to suit everyone's skin tone.

There you have it, my current favorite highlighters!  Please check out some of these if you haven't already.  They are all awesome!   Let me know what your favorites are!  

 

Raven

XOXO

What's in my "Beauty" Cabinet?

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Hi guys!!!  I know, it's been a VERY long time since I've written on my blog page, but I have been encouraged my many of you to start it back up again!  There have been some changes in my life as of late, one of which is huge - moving to Jacksonville Florida with my husband and my son!! HUGE!!  I was born and raised up North in New Jersey, so this is quite a big change for me, but I like it.  Anywhoo....

I would like to start writing a post at least once a week, to update you all on what I'm loving at the moment.  It'll be a little bit of everything....fashion, food, travel and of course beauty!

So.....what's in my "Beauty" Cabinet??  I was going to title this "What's in my Medicine Cabinet", but let's be real.... there is hardly ever and "medicine" in our cabinets, now is there?  I must say, I run a pretty tight ship in my cabinet.  I don't like it to be really cluttered and messy. I want to be able to quickly find what I need and get on with my routine.  So without further ado, these are the products that are in it.  Enjoy!

Top row:

  • Chantecaille Lip Potion - One of the best lip moisturizers on the market.  It has Shea Butter, Sweet Almond and Macadamia Oil in it to really hydrate the lips

  • Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream - A beautiful lightweight water based cream that drenches your skin with two forms of Hyaluronic acid and Tamarind extract for visibly hydrated and plumped skin.  Great for all skin types

  • Chantecaille Rose de Mail Cream - LOVE!! This is a gel based cream that has the Rose de Mai essence as well as Matrixyl 3000 a unique blend of peptides that helps to promote a more toned appearance and reduce the look of wrinkles.  It also has Raspberry stem cell extract which is a major anti-oxidant and helps to sooth redness

  •  Sara Haap Lip Scrub - Awesome for exfoliating your lips and it smells and tastes great.

  • Passionflower Extract - Natures form of Valium. Need I say more? You'll thank me later :-)

  • Chantecaille Gold Energizing Eye Recovery Mask - If you want your under eye area to look 20 years younger in 20 mins, this mask is for you! It has a 24 Karat Gold Serum rich in powerful components that re-plump and moisturize, leaving the delicate eye area looking smoothed, revitalized and radiant. Wonderful and great for travel

Second Row:

  • Chantecaille Stress Repair Concentrate - My absolute favorite eye cream. This eye cream is part of the Bio Lifting collection which is basically their "Botox in a Jar" line but a natural version of it.  It contains an Anti-Wrinkle Hexapeptide that mimics the effects of Botox which soften the appearance of expression lines.  It also has caffeine in it to help reduce any puffiness. You can also use this cream on your II lines, around the mouth area or any deep lines in the face.  AMAZING!

  • Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil - What can I say about this amazing blue oil....it's life changing.  It's your Retinol treatment combined with botanical oils to help treat any fine lines, wrinkles, redness and pores without the nasty effects of Retinol.  

  • Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra Clarifying Face Oil -  Boy, this woman gets EVERYTHING right!  If you struggle with acne or the occasional hormonal breakout, you need this oil in your life.  It's super effective but very gentle on the skin.  As with all of her products, I saw an immediate difference in my skin.

  • Clarins Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Balm -   This is another amazing lip treatment.  It literally smooths out any lines and wrinkles in the lips to give a more plump and even appearance. 

  • Chantecaille Detox Clay Mask - Probably the best detox mask I have ever used.  What I love most about it, is that it's not drying on the skin at all.  You know how most clay masks get REALLY dry to where you feel like your face is going to crack into a million pieces???  Not this mask, it stays moist on the skin while it detoxifies which makes it suitable for all skin types.  The Rosemary and Honey are both soothing and purifying

Bottom Row:

  • Kate Somerville True Lash Eye Makeup Remover - It's the very first item you seen next to the Rose Oil.  As  you can see,  I am in desperate need of another one.  This is a really gentle eye makeup remover that has a lash enhancing peptide in it to help grow your lashes.  How genius is that!

  • Chantecaille Rose de Mai Face Oil - I just LOVE this oil.  I use it everywhere that needs some extra TLC.  Rose is a natural source of Vitamin C, super anti-oxidant, great for textured skin, and it's so soothing on the skin as well.  You can mix it into your foundation, moisturizer, masks....anything for and extra boost of skin care treatment and hydration. 

  • Chantecaille Retinol Intense+ -  I switch between this and the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil.  This treatment has the same sort of concept with it being a gentle night cream, but it's boosted with twice the amount of Retinol without being harsh on the skin.  Lovely product.  

  • Sunday Riley Good Genes - We all want to have good genes when it comes to our skin don't we? This treatment is remarkable.  This is a straight up clarifying, line smoothing lactic acid treatment that's great for all skin types. It exfoliates, getting rid of pore-clogging dead skin cells, plumps the skin while filling in fine lines and wrinkles.  It makes your skin look extremely radiant and with continued use, you will see a reduction in the appearance of those stubborn hyperpigmentation spots.  Basically a miracle cream.

  • Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Clay Cleanser - This cleanser deep cleans the skin while balancing the oil production in the skin, powered with pore-perfecting French green clay and Morrocan rhassoul clay.  Yet, it's not drying to the skin whatsoever.  A little tip: you can mix a few pumps of this with a couple pumps of the Good Genes to make an excellent deep cleansing, exfoliating and hydrating mask.  How's that for a super mask!

  •  Philosophy Purity Cleanser - This for me is what I use for my first cleanse.  It takes off all of your makeup - even stubborn eye makeup without being drying.  That's it - simple. 

  • Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner - Good old Dickinson's.... what can I say...it's a natural toner that for me gets rid of any residual stuff left over on my face from cleansing or maksing.  Done

I hope you enjoyed seeing all that I have jammed into my Beauty Cabinet!!  I hope that I have explained all of the products enough and hope that you will try some of them if you haven't already.  Let me know if you have any questions or if you want to know more about a specific product.  This way I can maybe feature it in it's own little post!  

 

Raven

XOXO

 

 

Manicure Must Have

I discovered this product while reading an article in Allure magazine, on the one product that a top manicurist (I can't remember her name, sorry) cannot live without.  It is the Dermelect Nail Cleanse Prep (Link!).  It cleanses the nail of any oils or residual product from your manicure, ensures the adherence of the nail polish or any nail treatments that you apply, and most important....extends the life of your manicure!  

I can honestly say that this product is an absolute game changer!  In my last At Home Manicure post (Link!) I used Chip Skip by OPI to prep my nails, but this works so much better.  It's non-drying, has Vitamin C, and restores the pH balance in your nails. On the website it says to think of this product as a "toner for fingernails". What a great way to describe this product - it's actually a really good treatment for the nails!

My manicure has lasted a full 6 days without a chip in sight.  My friends....that is remarkable for an at home manicure!  I also find that my nails look and feel healthier and stronger.  I will never be without this product!  Thank you Allure! 

 

                                                                   XOXO,

                                                               Raven