Spring CLEANing

 

Hello, Beauty Banterers - I’ve missed you! Seems just yesterday I was talking about gifts for the holidays and now it’s Spring. Really? (Well, it’s Spring here on the West Coast – those in the East may beg to differ.)

With the changing of the seasons, I find my skincare, hair care, and makeup all change in different ways. As does my perfume.

Although I have one go-to scent I wear year-round, I like to mix it up a bit from time to time. Come warmer months, the spicier, headier fragrances that work when it’s chilly make me feel claustrophobic. I want something lighter, crisper, and that will tolerate triple digit weather when it arrives (and it will soon enough, ugh).

When the fabulous people at CLEAN told me about the the new additions to their collection, I was thrilled to try them out. The company began almost a decade ago with the quest to create a scent that was simple and, well, clean – I think of it as the simplicity of something like Dove soap only in perfume form.

At the time, I remember being at a party and two different people had just discovered this new, go-with-everything scent. But instead of being a trend that faded, it’s become something of a classic and the CLEAN line has expanded to dry shampoos, lotions, men’s fragrances, and even hand sanitizer.

I am loving the new CLEAN Summer Escape Eau de Parfum ($49). This limited edition scent blends notes of citrus and bergamot with lily, cotton blossoms and coconut water. It’s subtle, which I find nice. I like to wear perfume, not have it wearing me. Especially in warmer months. And the mix of flowers, citrus, and bit of spice work well together.

They also shared the new CLEAN Cotton T-Shirt ($38/$69), an Eau de Parfum that mixes musk, amber, freesia and cotton flower to create a scent that’s fresh and crisp and, again, subtle. The musky tones are there to give you “the feel of stealing and wearing your boyfriend’s tee” but it’s still very light and femme. Personally, I’d love to see them release a linen spray in this one.

You can find the entire CLEAN collection at Sephora (online and in stores), Ulta, and drugstore.com.  xo a.

eco-style sanitizers from jamar labs

I’m not a fan of hand sanitizers or antibacterial products because most of them contain some pretty toxic chemicals (studies have actually shown that washing your hands with plain old soap does the same job). I normally steer clear of germ-fighting products but it seems like everyone is getting sick (me included) and I suddenly found myself wondering if hand sanitizer wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I was close to buying something whenl I received a fabulous alternative from Jamar Labs.

Made in Israel of 100% natural cotton, Jamar Labs has created a line of paraben and phalate-free cleansing wipes that work from head to toe. Believing that “Life is too short to worry about your flip flop feet,” they’ve harnessed the powers of botanicals to sanitize and soothe. wipe your feet wipes are made with eucalyptus, plant-based Vitamin B and menthol to moisturize, deodorize and soothe. I loved the idea. Los Angeles has barely caught on to the fact it’s autumn and I’m still in sandals.

wipe your face cloths are perfect when you’re too tired to take off makeup or whenever you want to hydrate and refresh your face. They’re made with soothing aloe, coconut-derived cleanser, almond oils and chamomile for its antibacterial properties. Most refreshing part (no pun intended) is that they lack synthetic fragrances and parabens I find in most face wipes. Perfect to keep in a bedside drawer or on hand to fix a makeup mishap.

I have wipe your hands in my bag now. They’re made with Vitamin E, lavender, coconut-derived cleanser and chamomile. So you can wipe away germs without the skin stripping effect of so many sanitizers. Wipe away bacteria but hold onto moisturize. It’s brilliant. They’re great for all ages and perfect to throw in diaper bags and gym bags, too.

While I’m not hyper-vigilant about germs, this flu season seems to have already hit and anything I can do to keep away from it, the better. Added bonus to the convenience factor is fantastic eco-responsible. When I’m done I can flush them or toss them knowing they’re 100% biodegradable. The 30-pack sets ($7.95) are perfect for work and home, and the convenient 5-pack sets ($1.95) are great to throw in your purse or glove compartment, too.

Shop online at www.jamarlabs.com to purchase the wipes in both sizes as well as combo packs. xo alex.

CLEAN: A SUMMER Fragrance

People who follow the fragrance company closely know that CLEAN Summer is the latest installation in a long line of incredibly "clean" scents (CLEAN Shower Fresh, Fresh Laundry, Warm Cotton, Lather, etc).

CLEAN is inspired by fresh soaps and refreshing ingredients for that "just-out-of-the-shower" scent all day long....

And CLEAN Summer does not disappoint. It too has that incredible light, fresh summer scent. What is the scent of summer, you ask? Well, let's take a closer look at the notes: Italian Limoncello, Crisp Bergamont, Rose Ice, Mirabelle Plum and Lily of the Valley. And if that's not, the Eau Fraiche is also loaded with aloe vera and chamomile extracts to refresh, moisturize and soothe the skin. The outcome: a beautifully balanced, whimsical and airy floral fragrance (nothing too perfumey or overwhelming) that goes perfectly with a nice tan, the hot summer sun, and a cruise down PCH (or any Ocean highway)... convertible top down, wind blowing, hair tossled... you get the picture!

What is a Eau Fraiche? Unlike a Eau de Toilette or a Eau de Parfum, a Eau de Fraiche has less alcohol which means that it's better for your skin, less abrasive. It also means that the fragrance doesn't last as long. But that's fine by me - especially in summer. A light mist of an intoxicating scent is way better then being inundated with the smell. Although the Eau de Fraiche may not last as long as a Eau de Toilette of a Eau de Parfum, it still leaves a wonderful floral scent that lingers on the skin all day long.

And if you really want to add more fragrance to the mix (although I'm perfectly content with the light and uncomplicated scent the Eau Fraiche offers), try layering with the matching CLEAN Summer Lotion. With notes like grape seed and avocado oils, peppermint and wintergreen leaf extracts (both make the skin tingle every so slightly - check out our post on the benefits of peppermint in lotion HERE), the light-weight, non-greasy lotion refreshes, soothes and offers a stronger dose of fragrance!

Summer in a bottle! We're loving it...

PRICE TAG: $44.95 for the Summer set - Eau Fraiche (2.14 oz) and Lotion (2 oz) - now that's a deal! Click HERE to purchase.