H&M debuts organic skincare line

By now, H&M has become a central stop on our fashion radar. Want to grab a date-night outfit? Check. Need a look for fashion week? Check. Want a piece of a designer collaboration? Check. Eco-friendly fashion? Some unique yet affordable accessories and shoes? Check and check. For all things fashion, you only need to make a stop at H&M – they have it all. But there’s one area that H&M had yet to enter, and that was the beauty market. Until now.

H&M recently announced the launch of its’ first-ever skincare line, which will be available in stores come the end of March. The range of essentials includes natural and Ecocert-certified organic shower gel, body scrub, lotion, hand cream and lip balm, accompanied by make-up and toilet bags made from organic cotton. (Ecocert is Europe’s biggest certification body for organic and natural cosmetics.)

“It felt like a natural step, since we’ve worked with organic cotton garments for a few seasons, now,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s chief of design. “There’s also a strong demand from our customers for organics, and I hope they will be as excited as I am about the new products.”

The shower gel contains the juice of organic apples, which, along with apricot seeds are also key ingredients in the body scrub. The body lotion contains organic apple juice and sunflower seed oils and the hand cream has organic apple juice and organic almond seed oils. The lip-balm is filled with jojoba and beeswax. All of the products are scented with natural perfumes derived from essential oils, including raspberry and melon or lavender and mint, and are sold in recyclable packaging.

Prices range from €3,90 - €6,90.

Photos: courtesy of H&M

Haute review: Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural products for Women of Color

I’ve tried Pantene products in the past and despite the flowy hair I’ve seen on the commercials, I achieved no such success. But I was open to trying it again once a friend told me about Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural products for Women of Color. I recently received the Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural for Women of Color Intensive Moisturizing Shampoo (oil-enriched formula), Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner (oil-enriched formula) and Breakage Defense Deep Conditioning Mask to review. The line features Pantene’s signature pro-vitamins and essential oils, and is designed to strengthen weak hair against breakage and protect it against dryness. And the collection is available at your local drugstore and is quite affordable.

So I eagerly welcomed the chance to try Pantene’s new line of products for women of color to see if it could hold up to my finicky hair. The Moisturizing Shampoo left my hair feeling clean and fresh and super slick. However, because my hair is naturally dry, I desperately needed a conditioning treatment to follow. I decided on the deep conditioning mask which is designed to nourish and strengthen hair. I applied it to my hair and left it on for about ten minutes or so while doing other things around the house. After rinsing, my hair felt incredibly soft and light, and a lot stronger and healthier. I then styled as usual and my hair was bouncy and full of life just like on the commercials. Mission accomplished!

I think I now have Pantene model-worthy hair. Don’t you?

Find out more at Pantene online.

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Heaven Sent: Nectar of the Gods Hair Treatment

Do you like shiny, healthy, beautiful hair? Are you always searching for the best in hair care? Well, your search may be over after you give Nectar of the Gods a try. I was very intrigued to try this Italian hair care product because it claims to do so much! Use as a leave in conditioner, a detangler, a color sealer, a deep treatment and an anti-frizz agent.

I tried it as a deep conditioner in the shower after shampooing. I used it on wet hair as a detangler/leave-in conditioner. And I spritzed it on my dry hair to freshen up my hairstyle. No matter how I used Nectar of the Gods Hair Care Conditioning Treatment I got the same result…shiny, frizz-free, healthy hair!

Interested yet? Well if you like a natural, silicone-free product that will leave your hair shiny and gorgeous after just one use, then you should be.

Fortified with coconut-derived emollients and conditioners, Nectar of the Gods goes on as a spray and a little goes a long way. It is also great to use to seal in moisture and promote shine when using heat-styling tools. It’s been the buzz around celebrity stylists and can be found at exclusive salons and spas. Click the link to purchase your own bottle at Nectar of the Gods.

Keep your feet happy with Band Aid Friction Block

Love your new pair of designer heels, but hate the blisters you get from new shoes? I know I do and that is why I was super excited to try Band Aid Friction Block Stick. It rolls up like a mini deodorant, rubs on clear, and protects your feet from irritation! What more can you ask for?

Perfectly portable, non-greasy, and long-lasting, Band Aid Friction Block really works! I tested it out with some shoes that I had previously banished to the back of my closet .You know those shoes that look great but just hurt your feet and rub and cause blisters? I decided to use the friction block and give them another chance.

Applying friction block across all areas where I wanted to prevent the shoes from rubbing, I felt a soft invisible barrier forming. It lasted throughout a day-long shopping trip to the mall, and I did not have any issues with pain or friction from my shoes! Small enough to carry in my purse, I’ve now added it to my make-up bag that I tote around each day.

You don’t have to deal with the pain of footwear friction. Those days of ‘breaking in’ your shoes are over. Grab a Band Aid Friction Block and keep your feet feeling great, and most of all, pain and blister-free!

Purchase at any retail drugstore or online at Amazon.

Bridal beauty pick: Chanel Glossimer Lévres Scintillantes

Typically a woman who strongly believes ‘less is more’ when it comes to my face, I do want to spice things up for my wedding. However, my day-to-day beauty and makeup regimen consists of little more than facial moisturizer, the occasional bit of bronzer, and my Chanel Glossimer lip gloss. Although I want to ‘do it big’ on my eyes and cheeks for the big day, I’ll keep my lips simple with the low-key Glossimer.

I have been using Glossimer for years, since I first saw it on Jada Pinkett Smith in a fashion and beauty spread in Essence Magazine. And I’ve been hooked ever since. My ’signature’ color is Twinkle, which is a pinkish, peachy color that is about the same tone as NARS’ ‘Orgasm’, but with flecks of gold shimmer that gives my lips a gorgeous sheen. I’ve also tried some similar Glossimer shades like Waterlily, as well as some limited-edition colors. I love that it goes on smooth, thanks to the wand applicator, and its sticky enough that it lasts for a while, but not as sticky as other glosses I’ve tried that make you feel as if you’re wearing three coats of Vasoline on your lips. The colors are more muted on than they appear in the packaging, which is fine because it highlights your skin tone without overdoing it. But there is that ever-present hint of sparkle and shine. And it’s water-resistant, so it doesn’t disappear after you take a sip of drink, or even a bite of food.

Wonder if it withstand our first kiss as husband and wife?

Buy Chanel Glossimer lip gloss, for $27, at Saks or Chanel.com.

Get ready to “Catch the Fever” with Beyoncé’s Heat fragrance

There’s no stopping Beyoncé. From music to acting, to fashion and accessories, there’s no end to extensions of the Beyoncé brand. And now she’s launching her first fragrance - Heat. In an exclusive interview with WWD, Beyoncé commented “I’ve been working on it for a while now. I was on tour for a year, and I have meet-and-greets with fans. I’ve never in my life gotten so many compliments. Coty has their own testing, but that was my testing! The fans loved it. They were like, ‘I love that, I’m getting that, why isn’t it out right now? I need it!”

The inspiration for the name and packaging came from the singer’s tours - fire from performances, red and gold are among her favorite colors; thus the antique-style bottle looks like it’s on fire. The top of the bottle is edged with a gold band and a cap with the letter ‘B’, and inscribed on the bottle are the words ‘Beyoncé’ and ‘Heat’. The fragrance has notes of red vanilla orchid, magnolia, neroli and blush peach; a heart of honeysuckle nectar, almond macaroon and crème de musk, with giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean and amber.

Beyoncé’s Heat, licensed by Coty, will be available in three sizes — 1 oz. eau de parfum for $39; 1.7 oz. eau de parfum for $49, and 3.4 oz. eau de parfum for $59. Also for sale will be a 6.8-oz. Gold Sparkling Body Lotion for $24. The complete collection will be available this February in the U.S. at approximately 2,000 department and specialty stores, (including Macy’s where Bey will make a personal appearance to Herald Square on Feb. 3.), as well as in Canada and Latin America.

Are you ready to “Catch the Fever“?

Source: WWD

Would you wear: YSL’s black lipgloss?

 

We’ve heard all the quotes: ‘black is back’, the ‘blacker the berry…’, ‘once you go black…’, etc. But when it comes to lip color, do you dare to go black? Yves Saint Laurent’s limited edition YSL Gloss Pur Black challenges you vamp it up. Last season was all about dark lips: deep reds, plums and maroons, but black lip gloss is the vampiest of all. Go with a smoky eye for a total goth look or lighter makeup for a glamorous look. YSL’s black lip gloss is mysterious, edgy, raw and sensual.

Will you go black?

$29, Sephora.com (online only)

Photo: Getty Images

Brow Know-How: Tarte The Toolbox Eyebrow Kit

I confess! I over-tweezed my eyebrows and had no clue how to get them back into shape. I decided to be brave and let them grow out. I grew them out for about a month, and then I couldn’t look at them anymore without wincing. It was time for a trip to Sephora.

Amid rows and rows of cosmetics, I found what I needed: Tarte The Toolbox Brow Kit. Housed inside a mini toolbox are brow wax, powder, pencil, gel, tweezers, 3 brow stencils, brush, and a mini mirror. I was excited to go home and get to work on my eyebrows.

Starting with the stencils, I determined I had a full arch. Using the brush dipped into the wax and then powder, I filled in the stencil outline. Using the tweezers, I removed all the hair outside of the shape I just created. A quick swipe of brow gel and I was amazed at how great my brows looked. You really can’t go wrong with the stencils.

All ingredients are natural too with skin-healthy additions, like cocoa seed butter, shea butter, and vitamin E. The Tarte packaging is ‘green’ too!

Frugal beauty buffs will love that you can get salon quality brow shaping at home for a fraction of the price. Buy from Tarte or in store at Sephora.

Bridal fragrances: J’adore by Dior and The One by Dolce & Gabbana

In planning my wedding, I’ve planned my look down to the last detail. Wedding gown? Check. Floral bouquet? Check. Shoes and accessories? Check. Makeup and hair? Still to be determined. But then it dawned on me that I hadn’t yet chosen a fragrance for the most special day of my life. Since my wedding look consists of a mix of traditional, sensual, glamorous, haute couture and sophisticated, I decided on two perfect perfumes for that big day.

Dior J’adore eau de parfum is “radiant, sensual, sophisticated” and for the “confident, sensual woman who celebrates her femininity”, with notes of mandarin, champaca flowers, ivy, African orchid, rose, violet, Damascus plum, Amaranth wood, blackberry musk.

 

 

 

Dolce & Gabbana The One eau de parfum is equal parts “tempting, modern and glamorous” and its strong scent contrasts with a golden sweetness. The top notes include bergamot, mandarin, lychee, peach, Madonna lily, muguet, plum, jasmine, vetiver, vanilla, amber and musk.

Both J’adore by Dior and The One by Dolce & Gabbana evoke passion, romance and love, which lends the perfect final touch for my wedding look!

What are your favorite bridal fragrances?

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