Three gifts under $50, perfect for cold weather:

Winter Makeup: Estee Lauder’s Holiday Blockbuster is $48.50 with any fragrance purchase at Macy’s. A $250 value which includes eyeshadow and blush compact, 3 lipsticks, 3 lip glosses, lip and eye pencils, mascara, two travel cases, and brush set. Add it to your fragrance gift or keep it for yourself!

Winter Skincare: L’Occitane Shea To Go is $20 at Sephora. A travel size spread of Shea butter products including hand cream, shower cream, body lotion, milk soap, and pure Shea butter. Shea butter is a great way tackle dry skin. Read Bravadora’s article on the benefits of Shea Butter.

Sun-kissed Winter: Stila Gift of Glow Bronzing Kit is $45 at Sephora. A $90 value which targets pale winter skin with a great selection of bronzing tools including an SPF powder bronzer, Lip Glaze in Brown Sugar, eyeliner & brush, and an eyeshadow trio in Gold Glow.

Posted in Cold Weather Beauty, Eyes, Lips, Skin 2 Comments

Philosophy’s Bath and Body products include a fun little three-in-one wash for the hair, in the shower and in the tub. And while you are sudsing away with delicious scents like Coconut Frosting, and The Gingerbread Man, you can read the corresponding recipe on the bottle!

Just like I love to celebrate every holiday, so does Philosophy. So they’ve created a flavor for every occasion which just adds an extra special touch to your festivities. It gives me just the boost I need to get into the holiday spirit! And don’t forget the recipe that you’ll be tempted to make every time you catch a whiff.

Yummy…Yummy Pumpkin Pie and Spiced Apple Cider. Perfect for when the air turns cool and the leaves change colors. Halloween and Thanksgiving just around the corner…

As the temperatures drop and rain and snow fall…warm up with Philosophy’s Double Rich Hot Cocoa and Cinnamon Buns.

Don’t forget about Birthday’s and Valentine’s Day…Try Philosophy’s Vanilla Birthday Cake and Crumb Berry Pie!

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A few weeks ago, I decided to try the Estee Lauder recommended skin care regimen and compare it with Clinique’s. Read about my product review in Part One.

Below is my Clinique recommended skin care routine (also called their 3 step program):

For a face wash, I used Clinique Liquid Facial Soap in Mild. This is a super gentle soap that is developed to be non-drying and claims to not strip the face of protective layers. I felt that it was almost too mild. It was a very basic soap mixture that didn’t seem to do too much.

The second step was the Clarifying Lotion in number Two. This is a toner-like formula that is used to exfoliate the skin and release dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. Clinque claims that the “gentle tingle” will let you know it is working. This tingle felt more like a sting! I’m just not a fan of alcohol based toners.

The third step was the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. This is a basic moisturizer that is developed by Clinique to let your skin have a “drink.” I felt that it gave my skin a greasy residue which I wasn’t pleased with.

Overall, I was not impressed with Clinique’s 3 Step program. I ended up breaking out with some painful zits and my skin felt rough and unhappy. In conclusion, I would have to say Estee Lauder has won this challenge. Try it out for yourself and let Bravadora know what you think!

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