Brighten your skin with Lumene's Vitamin C+

A Finnish skincare brand that I am currently loving is Lumene. I have been incorporating their Vitamin C+ products in my daily routine this past month and couldn't be happier. This line contains Arctic Cloudberry which is a rare berry that is grown in a very short amount of time. First their Bright Skin Radiance Nectar is a liquid based gel that you can use alone, or before moisturizing. It's lightly scented and keeps my skin looking smooth and glowing. It's formulated to also exfoliate your skin.
The other Vitamin C+ product I received for review is the Pure Radiance Beauty Drops. There are 28 capsules in the jar- one for each day- and this is my favorite! It moisturizes and also leaves my skin feeling absolutely matte smooth. These are so easy to bring when traveling or just on the go. Definitely have seen an improvement in my complexion after incorporating these products in my routine.

Summer Travel Essentials: Lumene Cleansing Wipes

Wipes are a girls best friend! Especially on these hot, humid days! I recently went to an amazing Lumene event in the city which showcased their different lines. (Note: these Products from Finland are available at CVS stores!)
I instantly fell in love with their Vitamin C+ which I will detail in a separate post later.. But vitamin C+ = brighter skin!
For traveling the Lumene Sensitive Touch- perfect for those who have sensitive skin like myself- carries gentle cleansing wipes to remove makeup, dirt, oil-anything! It leaves your skin completely hydrated which is nice and doesn't leave a residue. You'll feel refreshed and who doesn't like that?

Also I tried their Cleansing Emulsion, for those who want to use a gentle cleanser. Also moisturizing and left my skin feeling amazing! Their Arctic Aqua Moisture Booster is the moisturizer you want for the summer- it is water based and doesn't feel heavy at all. It is completely hydrating and I definitely felt a difference after my first use.

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(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

July Birchbox with Glamour Magazine

This month has been crazy for me- lots of travel and fun! Now that things are winding down, sort of, I am back to my usual gig here! While I was away, I received my Birchbox filled with goodies I wish I had on my trip!

This month's box curated with Glamour magazine focused on your senses! Got some amazing products, including brightly colored headphones as my bonus.

I received:

* Oscar de la Renta live in love sample- this is a beautiful floral fragrance to wear this summer. Keeping it closeby for touchups!

* sheer glo shimmer lotion- From Manna Kadar Cosmetics, this lotion will give you the glow your skin deserves. It's similar to other highlighters I have. 
* Laura Geller Double Dipped Lipstick in Caribbean Kiss- When you can't decide what color to wear, these dual lipsticks are perfect! 
* AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask- Clear our your pores with this awesome mud mask.. have it on right now as I type!

Best Makeup Picks for the Gym

7 Best Makeup Picks for the Gym

Looking good while you work out has never been so easy. See the products that'll last through your next sweat sesh

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup tips article While it feels good to sweat in spin class, it's not as fun looking like a sweaty grease ball when class is over. And with these no-fuss, sweat-resistant products, you can look as good as you feel when your workout is over. See picks

How-to: Get Flawless African American skin

How to Get Flawless African-American Skin

Tailor your routine to fit your skin's specific needs now

This is a TotalBeauty.com skin care article Go beyond the obvious, all-encompassing skin care advice (you know -- like wearing SPF and drinking lots of water). Turns out your skin needs more ethnic-specific attention in order to look flawless. Here's what expert dermatologist Maryam Moinfar says you should do to get your best skin ever. Get tips

Summer Travel Essentials: Conair's new Hairdryer

One of my Summer Travel Essentials is bringing my own hairdryer. I know most hotels nowadays have their own but they're usually the ones on the wall and take forever to dry my hair. For my travels this summer, I'll be bringing the new Conair Infiniti You Reel Folding Handle Dryer. The handles folds neatly into the body of the dryer and the cord also reels into the handle which is perfect. It occupies less space in my suitcase and works like a charm.

Performance-wise? It's fabulous! It's super powerful and leaves my hair shiny and dry in great time. It has 3 heat and 2 speed switch settings (high and low) similar to what I'm using now. I've been using Conair's hairdryers non-stop since I was introduced to their Infiniti Pro Salon Performance AC Motor Styling Tool in 2010 (which I nickname the orange hairdyer.) It's salon-powerful but can be quite bulky for travel, which is why I'm so glad I have the new You Reel dryer as part of my travel essentials.

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)
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Seven Tips for your BEST Skin

7 Tips for Your BEST Skin

Keep your skin looking flawless with these 7 holistic skin care tips

This is a TotalBeauty.com healthy skin article While you may have your cleansing, toning, and moisturizing skin care routine down pat, there's something you're missing in your scrupulous upkeep: everything else. If your skin care routine stops at your bathroom, you're not getting the best skin you can have. From the food you eat to the workout you choose, see how to change your lifestyle habits to get your healthiest skin from within. Get tips

Summer Travel Essentials: Cute workout gear by Marika

While traveling this summer, it's important to also keep up with your fitness routine. (Don't have one? Start one today with quick 15-20 minute jogs or stretching exercises, but be sure to consult your doctor first.) Anyway, there's tons of fitness wear options available out there but for this summer's travel essentials I'm interested in the Marika active wear. I was particularly drawn to Marika when I learned about its Miracles line-active shapewear to make you look and feel slim! At a preview at their showroom in NYC this month, I saw some fantastic products they have currently and are coming up later this Fall, including their new fitness accessories line such as resistance tubes, fitness balls, core balls, yoga mats and more! I'm personally looking forward to adding these to my own collection (except the yoga mats which I have a few already.)

I'm loving their tie-dye and prints for the tops to make it less boring when working out. They also have sports bras that have removable cups which gives you the option to make it however you want it to. Their pants for the Fall also will be available in different lengths which is great since since if your legs are shorter or taller than the regular sizes. I'm also excited to for this fall their coordinating tops and bottoms as you can see above in the purple tank and matching yoga pants.

I received the Marika Tek Trinitiy Tank to review and it's now one of my favorite workout tanks. It's incredibly light and perfect to wear when it's like a hot day today (reaching 90's). Its dry wik fabric absorbs sweat and it just feels comfortable. Its racerback and sporty looking and can easily be worn the rest of your day. This will definitely be packed in my bags for my summer vacation.

Summer Travel Essentials: Dorfman Pacific hats!

Now that you've got your skin protected from the sun, why don't your provide additional coverage to your face and neck with Dorfman Pacific's summer hats? I got a preview of their summer collection (as well as a Fall sneak peek) in their showroom this month and boy, I have never seen so many hats in one room! For the summer, it's important to look for a wide-brim hat (shown below) and depending on your personal taste, in either a cotton or straw material. The bright colorful cotton hats on the left are from the Scala Collezione collcetion is in my personal closet because they're easy to wear, have an adjustable string inside so it fits most head sizes, and it's frankly easy to tote. You can squish it in your bag and take with you wherever you go!

The hats on the top right are from Tommy Bahama and also offer some great colors and styles to wear. If you're interested for more wide-brim hats that scream "luxury resort living" the Callanan Resort collection have some great sophisticated styles and focuses on detailing! As you can see, each hat looks different from the shades of white/tan/beige to the detailing in the ribbon trims and bows.

More Hats below!! I loved the different vibrant ribbons and seashell trims for these hats from the Cappelli Straworld collection. If you're on the wild side, I suggest the hats with the animal print ribbons.  If you're feeling a bit more western and love the cowgirl theme, Tropical Trends has some beautiful cowgirl hats with beaded detailing to complete your western look (shoes not included).

As you can see, Dorfman Pacific has their own and licensed brands of hats to suite whatever your style, preference and liking may be for this summer. It's definitely a summer travel essential!

Summer Travel Essentials : True Natural's Sunscreen & Self Tanner

Summer is my favorite season and is my favorite time to travel! The weather is great and everyone deserves a break in the middle of the year. If you're planning for a weekend or weeklong getaway, make sure you pack my Summer Travel Essentials!

First, sunscreen! You'll be outdoors a lot so you must protect your skin. At this year's International Beauty Show, I discovered the brand True Natural. I met the founder, Uli Jacob, and was so inspired by her passion of an all natural sun protection line. She was excited to tell me that their line was now available at Whole Foods, which means these are accessible.

I myself was happy to learn this natural brand had a sunscreen lotion that is 100% mineral based and boasts an SPF 50. Uli also told me that this doesn't contain titanium dioxide so you don't get the whiteish formula. The baby & sensitive lotion will definitely be in my luggage!

Another intriguing product is their all natural self tanner for face & body. If you're looking for a natural, subtle glow in about 3 hours- this is your go- to product. It's moisturizing as well. Great for a last minute tan w/o baking!

Thanks Uli for introducing me to these wonderful products and letting me review these for my readers!

Stay tuned for more summer travel essentials!

Vaseline's Total Moisture lotions

Yes!! Summer has arrived and while you're wearing your tank and short shorts, make sure you stay moisturized with Vaseline's Total Moisture lotions. Available in three scents and formulas, these lotions all have the Stratys 3-a multi layer moisture system to make your skin absorb the moisture quickly.

Which one is your best fit?

Use Cocoa Radiant - if your skin needs more moisture than normal. Made with cocoa butter, this lotion is perfect for rough knees, bottoms of your feet, elbows and wherever else you may need it. I recommend using this once a week for healthy, glowing skin.

Use Total Moisture with Pure Oat Extract - for the original Total Moisture lotion in a clean, simple scent. It instantly absorbs into your skin and feels great w/ no sticky residue.

Use Aloe Fresh- if you want your skin to feel light and refreshed! Made with pure aloe, this is my favorite everyday lotion for this summer. It keeps my skin cool and moisturized every time I use this.

Note: I received this product for review purposes to share my thoughts with my readers.

Hair Updos for Summer

12 Pretty Updos Perfect for Hot Weather

Leaving your hair down may look cute, but it won't for long when it turns into a sweaty, sticky mess. Stay cool (and looking hot) with summer's prettiest updos

This is a TotalBeauty.com hairstyles article With temperatures rising, we resort to one of two options: chop off our hair or toss it up into a boring ponytail. Well, not this summer! This season, we're wearing one of these chic new updos that'll not only keep you cool, but make heads turn, too. See updos