Favorite Mini Beauty Items

Whenever I shop at Sephora, I am always tempted by the little bins lined up next to the register. They are full of small sized of great products to try and test. Some of my favorites are:

Philosophy Purity Made Simple To Go ($10): A great face wash in the perfect size to take on trips or an overnight bag. Although, at 3.5 oz, its too big to bring a plane... stupid TSA rules!

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream Travel Size ($10): A perfectly wonderful hand cream to keep in your purse. It's small yet powerfully moisturizing.

Tocca Candelina Travel Candle Collection ($16 each): These candles are the perfect addition to any travel bag. To add a touch of comfort to a lame hotel room, light one while taking a bath or getting ready for a night out. My favorite is Celopatra, a clean, fresh scent.

Stila's Jade Blossom Perfume Solid ($20): I love the concept of perfume solids. A quick, easy dap and you smell fresh as a garden party on a summer day.

Use Your Common Scents

I took advantage of the Sephora's Friends and Family Discount to pick up Gwen Stefani's new Fragrance L by L.A.M.B. ($55 for 1.7oz.) because I really enjoyed the scent in the store. I still like it, but I am so not satisfied with its staying power. I know that after you spray perfume, your nose gets used to it and you can't smell it on yourself after awhile. But L hardly lasts at all. It is the perfect mix of citrus, floral, and a touch of musk, but who would ever know?! It disappears on me 5 minutes after I spray it. I am so very sad. I'll continue to wear it as an everyday scent until its used up, but I don't think I'll buy it again.

Along with my purchases, I got to pick three sample products. I picked three perfumes because they are the biggest samples available, and as I just pointed out, its best to sample a perfume a few times before purchasing a whole bottle! Well, my favorite one is Tocca's Florence ($68 for 1.7oz.). Not only does the city hold a special place in my heart (Fall '05, oh memories!) but the scent is delicious and quite intense. Of course I like because it has grapefruit leaves in it, one of my ultimate favorite scents, along with something called cabbage rose, a old European garden rose. It is quite floral, but very unique. Darn it, I have such good (read: expensive) taste!

Smell Lovely!

Holiday Beauty Gift Guide: Bath and Body Gift Sets

The best kind of gifts to give are those that they wouldn't spend money on for themselves. A luxurious bath or body product will make your friends feel pampered and loved. Cuz they're worth it, gosh darn it! This holiday, treat your well deserving friends and family to some fabulous bath and body gift sets, sure to put a smile on their face:

LaVanilla Laboratores's Three Wishes Healthy Body Butters ($28) are a sweet treat for the under-moisturized lady in your life. The set includes three 2.75 oz. tubes of wonderful body butter in pure vanilla, vanilla grapefruit, and vanilla blossom. Pure shea and cocoa butter is infused with anti-oxidants Goji Berry and Kakadu Plum, to provide moisture and nurishment.

Got a jet-setting friend who needs a little euro-luxury in her life? Tocca's Bagno da Viaggio in Cleopatra ($48) has everything she needs to feel beautiful and relaxed far away from home. The set includes a body wash, a body lotion, and a candle all in Cleopatra, a crisp, fresh scent of juicy grapefruit and soothing cucumber enriched with almond oil. Molto Buono!

For your friend or relative who entertains a lot, get L'Occitane's Lavender Hand Duo ($32) for their guest bathroom. The set comes with a hand wash and a hand lotion in classic lavender straight from Provance, all in a practical metal mountable caddy.

Anyone would be delighted to recieve Kiehl's Delights ($34), a gift set with travel sizes of some of their best products. It includes Creme de Corps body lotion, Amino Acid Shampoo with coconut, the fab Lip Blam #1, and Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. How Delightful indeed!

And for some good enough to eat holiday pampering, get your buddy Philosophy's Candy Cane Hat Box ($35). The set contains the scrumpcious candy cane shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath, candy cane hot tub/shower scrub, and candy cane lip shine. Sounds delishious to me! Just make sure your friend like candy canes.

Shop Lovely!