Sunday, January 17, 2016

Pestle & Mortar Hyaluronic Serum

Recently, a friend of mine forwarded to me an article she read in the New York Times about Pestle & Mortar's Hyaluronic Serum.  I read the article and immediately felt that I had to order this amazing product.  I swear, that's how promising this article made the product out to be. So, I logged on to their website and ordered their serum.  And, let me tell you, I got lucky because if you attempt to order it now, you'll notice there is currently a wait list as the item is sold out.

Pestle & Mortar is a small Irish family owned company that is also relatively new.  The company was founded in 2014, when its owner wanted a skin care solution that actually delivered results.  With that, Pestle & Mortar was born.  You can read their story here.

I've had oily skin all my life but recently my skin has been experiencing some major issues with dryness. I've never dealt with this so I had no idea how bad it could get. Literally, peeling off patches of dry skin. I've never really used serums consistently in the past.  If I bought one and used it, great. If I ran out and hadn't repurchased in a while, I was OK with that as well.

I've been using Pestle & Mortar's serum since it arrived in the mail ten days ago.  While by no means is this long enough to see the full benefits of the serum, I can honestly say that I have noticed some difference in the texture of my skin -- especially around my dry patches which are no longer there!

Hyaluronic acid seems to have gained great popularity recently although I am sure it has enjoyed popularity in the past.  This product is extremely light weight and is paraben and fragrance free.  In fact, there are very few ingredients that make up this serum, which is ALWAYS what you should look for in skin care products.  The less ingredients the better.

I apply 2-3 drops (Really! that is all you need) on my face and my skin immediately drinks it up.  After washing my face and patting it dry, I immediately apply the serum first, allow that to soak into my skin, and then follow up with a moisturizer.  I follow this routine both during the daytime and night time.  The serum does leave my skin with a very soft and velvety texture.  In the few days that I have been using this serum, I have definitely noticed some plumpness return to my skin and I no longer have that tight and itchy feel when I wake up in the morning.  I am left with very luminous and super hydrated skin.  I am definitely looking forward to see what other positive changes my skin will undergo with this product.

As for the price tag of the item, $69 may seem a lot for one ounce of product, however, I feel that since you don't use so much of it, it should last you for a long time.  But, when it comes to your skin, I feel that, for me, price isn't that much of an issue.  If a product does what it claims to do, then it's ok.  And so far, this product does do what it claims...and that's only after using it for ten days! Ultimately, the choice is yours if you want to spend the money on this product.  It's definitely not on the affordable side but it's one of the few products I've used that I have been extremely pleased with.





Saturday, January 16, 2016

Full Skirts!!!

This blog is dedicated to all things I find beautiful and blissful, and, yes, for me that includes full skirts! There's nothing more beautiful than the look of a full skirt; it is so effortlessly striking yet classic and modern all at once.

Full skirts are quite the versatile piece to own in your wardrobe. You can wear them from day to night, work to play, intimate gathering or event to even a formal celebration.

I have been obsessed with full midi skirts ever since I can remember and for a while they were extremely hard to come by in any store by any designer at any price point. Now, any where you look, you can find a full skirt.  I've seen them everywhere from affordable retailers such as H&M and Forever21 to more moderately priced brands such as WhiteHouseBlackMarket and Banana Republic to even more expensive brands such as Tibi.  These skirts are everywhere.

If you want to wear a full skirt during the day, pair it with a tucked in fitted tee with or without a cardigan.  This gives it such a feminine look, but, you can also add a denim jacket or even a leather moto jacket to give the low some edge. You can even wear it with a tucked in button down shirt and layer a pullover sweater over it.  Tuck both the sweater and shirt and then belt it. Keep the collar of the button down over your sweater as well. This is a very appropriate look for work or even a morning/day time event.

You can always pair these types of skirts with cropped tops as well.  Just make sure that a crop is appropriate for the event you're attending.  Depending on your work environment, for example, maybe a crop isn't the best option.

As for shoes, I've seen this type of skirt paired with anything from a kitten heel to a stiletto and even a sneaker! Ultimately, style is your own personal thing so whatever your choice will be fabulous. I stand five feet tall so for me, it's always a stiletto, but, again, style is personal to each individual.

Some retailers that are definitely worth checking out are H&M,  Forever21,  WhiteHouseBlackMarket,  Banana Republic,  Express (Currently Express is also running a promotion through Monday, January 18, for $20 off every $80 that you spend.  The promo code for online is 1032 to be entered at checkout.), Zara (they are also running a major sale so you can score some amazing deals!!), ASOS, TopShop, and Tibi.