Tag Archives: Tucson beauty blog

Nude Envie Lipstick

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It’s not a mysterious monolith in the desert, but it is a shade of amazing lipstick by Nude Envie, a new favorite find from social media. Founded by Isabel Madison in quest of the perfect nude lip, these lipsticks are infused with jojoba and Vitamin E and glide on beautifully. The shade pictured is Naked, and has a bit of a golden peachy hue, but still wears very natural. There are also many other shades that try to mimic your lips but better and provide a little glisten, as well. Priced at $30, Nude Envie lipsticks can be found at Amazon, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue or on her website, www.nudeenvie.com. A nice little stocking stuffer!

Jo Malone at Tucson Mall

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One of the few highlights of shopping at Tucson Mall during the back-to-school rush was finding this today! Jo Malone London has a huge new display at Dillard’s, right at the top of the escalators. No more having to order her elegant perfumes and candles online! But, Jo Malone is only at the Tucson Mall Dillard’s, not Park Place. (I called that location and when the operator said “Who?” Yeah, I confirmed it’s not there…)

Let’s Goe! A Travel Body Oil

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I consider myself product-obsessed to be sure, so seeing a glistening silver tube by a brand I had never seen before on a recent trip, you can bet I tried it.

Goe Oil, by Jao Brand, is a semi-solid oil, made from 28 plant-derived oils and butters. It melts as you rub it in your hands, which I didn’t realize, and took too much and got it all over me. So, long story short, I left the boutique, but found myself enveloped with the most amazing scent all day long. I literally smelled like Hawaiian flowers and my skin felt amazing.

The creator of Jao Brand, Gale Mayron, developed her skin care line with her chemist father. “I formulated this with my father saying, ‘Dad I want a semi-solid oil I can travel with that will melt when I rub it together,’ she writes on her website, jaobrand.com. “My father always said this was one of the most difficult projects he’d ever worked on. Intricate formulation indeed. Nobody would be crazy enough to combine 28 different oils, waxes, and butters!”

I ordered it from Amazon when I got home and use it on the days when lotion just doesn’t cut it.

Bluemercury Loves Moms

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With all the Sephoras and Ultas of the world, there is still something special about shopping at a boutique makeup store. In Tucson, Bluemercury remains that special place. Not only did the Macy’s-owned chain outlast Beauty Brands, but the La Encantada store has many exclusive lines, such as Chantecaille and Lune + Aster. A little bonus for the amazing Tucson moms right now–when you spend $100 or more, you get a free bag of luxury samples, until supplies last!

CVS Beauty Haul = Happiness

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Sometimes, you need only visit your corner CVS store to find a satisfying beauty haul.

“Haul” is a word that comes from YouTube and is when young influencers are sent hundreds of products to try, earn millions of dollars in endorsements and enjoy over-the-top Coachella accommodations while not earning a college degree.

So, when I’m killing time and musing over why my journalism degree doesn’t garner such luxuries, I find myself wandering the aisles of this drugstore, searching for happiness in a cheap beauty product. Some recent finds:

Differin Gel – my dermatologist recently told me about this retinoid acne gel, which used to only be available by prescription. It’s pretty awesome and works! ($15/$30)

Violet Flower Hand Mask – not sure about the “intense moisture” it provides but the gloves are cool and the violet scent is so luxurious, totally worth the $4.99 price tag. Korean beauty products – they know their stuff.

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay – my youngest teen and her product-knowledgeable best friend love this stuff! ($9)

ARDEN Magnetic Lashes – can’t WAIT to try these! ($13.99)

Beauty 360 Rose & Pearl Brightening Mask Pods – I really hope these work well. They are really pink and pretty. They also come in a pack of 2 and include a cover so you can re-use them! I like a product that leaves me prepared. ($4.39)

 

 

In Search of Elusive E.L.F. Primer

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On the way home from volleyball practice, I was talking about Tatcha’s new coveted primer, The Silk Canvas, when my daughter’s BFF, Charlotte, told me, “There’s a dupe for that!”  I pretended to know what “dupe” was and asked her to tell me more. Turns out, it’s YouTube trending that E.L.F.’s Poreless Putty Primer delivers a similar skin priming for only $8 to Tatcha’s $52. So, um ya, I’m game! Well, unfortunately, everyone else is too! The E.L.F. product is sold out online and Ulta can’t keep it in stock. And then, my amazing friend Haley found a cache of them at Walmart!! I’ve used it once and I don’t know if it’s just the thrill of finally getting it or what, but it rocks! Happy hunting!

It’s The Balm…

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Initially, I ordered this Clary Collection “all purpose” balm because of the luxurious gold and black packaging. I know how vain that sounds, but I’m a sucker for that stuff. I found the cute little tin in a Town & Country beauty roundup article, and as I was on a freezing, moisture-depleting airplane at the time, I was like… I NEED THAT NOW!

Back on the ground, I looked up the website, www.clarycollection.com and found that the organic skin balm is part of a little company started by two cute moms on a search for clean, organic skin care:

“Focusing on the traditional craft of oil infusion, where flowers and herbs are slowly steeped in warm oil, we began to learn how to gently transfer the healing qualities of plants to the nourishing oils of avocado, olive, and jojoba…We found that by adding wildflower beeswax as an emulsifier, these oils could be transformed into a protective balm.”

All I know is….I ordered the $17 balm and it arrived like two days later…and the company is in Nashville! So efficient! The scent is very light herbal, but it’s not perfumey at all, so you need to like that if you are going to try it. Anyhoo, my cuticles and skin really like it!

It’s not available through any Arizona retailers yet, soooooo you’re welcome for the heads up!

Cute Cactus

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How cute are these cactus masks? Courtesy of the new K-beauty trend that’s sweeping the nation, you can find these sheet masks at Urban Outfitters for $3 each! The writer side of me, though, wants to correct the grammar to “I’m A Cactus!”