Kicking off the week with a beautiful start! Well, trying to at least.

Last weekend, ugh! — totally floored me. That two-day migraine felt like a symphony of jackhammers in my head, and it was rough. It’s gone now, thank goodness, and I’m feeling more like myself again.

So, earlier today, just as I was about to jump back into the pet assisting grind, I thought, “Ya know what? What I need right now is to do something that makes me feel really, REALLY great, even if it’s just for a half an hour.”

I needed a beauty pick-me-up, so I made a cup of chamomile tea, grabbed a few new fave beauty products from René Furterer, Repêchage, Dolce & Gabbana and Estée Lauder, and told Tabs that I’d back to work in a few.

René Furterer Karité Intense Nourishing Mask

René Furterer Karité Intense Nourishing Mask ($46), available now at salons, beauty stores and online

First order of business: a hot shower and René Furterer’s Karité Intense Nourishing Mask ($46 for a 6.93-ounce jar), a five-minute deep conditioning treatment for dry hair that smoothes and hydrates with a mix of fair-trade shea butter and plant oils.

I just started using it last week, and I think it’s the reason why I had a series of near-epic hair days — like, the best I’ve had in months. Karité adds body, shine and leaves my hair smelling like lilies. I love it!

Repêchage Hydra Dew Illuminating Cream Mask

Repêchage Hydra Dew Illuminating Cream Mask ($38), available now at spas and online

Have I mentioned that I’ve been on a face mask kick? I don’t know, but there’s something about a good face mask that gives me…hope, LOL! I’m also a big fan of sitting on my butt and doing absolutely nothing while I wait for a mask to work its magic.

My skin’s been a little dry lately (you know, ’cause winter) so after I jumped out of the shower, I applied a layer of Illuminating Cream Mask for Normal to Dry Skin ($38 for a 2-ounce tube) by Repêchage, an under-the-radar brand actually carried in spas all over the world. Their whole line contains products with “nutrient-rich seaweed” harvested off the Brittany Coast of France.

After 10 minutes, I tissued off the mask and could almost hear my skin sighing with relief. Ahh…

Dolce & Gabbana Desire

Dolce & Gabbana Desire Eau de Parfum ($93), available now at Dolce & Gabbana counters and online

If I could, I’d hug every single one of the perfumers over at Dolce & Gabbana. I feel like they get me, ya know (says the girl who wore Light Blue on her wedding day)?

Desire’s, a de-lovely fruity floral, is their newest scent ($93 for a 1.6-ounce bottle). It lasts all day long for me and brings to mind overseas adventures, exploring foreign cities at night with a new love.

The official fragrance notes include…

• Top notes: Mandarin, lychee, bergamot and Lily of the Valley
• Middle notes: Madonna lily, Indian Tuberose, jasmine and plum nectar
• Base notes: Vanilla-infused caramel, sandalwood, musk and cistus labdanum (a resin from a Mediterranean shrub)

One spritz and I felt like a new girl.

Estée Lauder French Nude Collection Nail Lacquers in Bittersweet and So Vain

Estée Lauder’s French Nude Collection Nail Lacquers in Bittersweet on the left and So Vain on the right ($20 each), available now at Estée Lauder counters and online

I wrapped up my beauty boost today with a quick at-home polish change using two Pure Color Nail Lacquers ($20 each) from Estee Lauder’s new French Nudes, a five-piece summer collection of neutral shades. I painted my fingers with creamy dark brown Bittersweet and my toes with rosy beige So Vain.

If you can, please take some time today — even if it’s just a 10-minute break with a cup of tea — to do something that makes you feel good. It’s important, you know?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

GLAMGLOW, Caudalie, AMOREPACIFIC, Kate Somerville and Ole Henricksen…and Tabs, LOL!

Wow, it’s been a while since we chatted about skin care. Heck, I think the last time might’ve been last summer? After that trip to the Bliss Spa in SF, when those helpful aestheticians gave me those great product recs.

Anywho, last weekend I noticed I was running low on a couple of things I’ve come to adore, so on Saturday night I stopped by Sephora to restock, and I figured that while I was there, I could use one of my Christmas gift certificates to find something new.

Two of the products I picked up, Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39) and Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème ($39), I’ve loved for a while.

Absolute gold!

Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39) and Caudalie Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème ($39)

Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion

I’ve been breaking out, off and on, around my chin and mouth (hormonal acne…UGH!) this past year, and Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion, when I use it consistently, has helped clear up my skin.

An acne treatment lotion with 5% benzoyl peroxide, it layers well beneath makeup and doesn’t have that funky, tell-tale benzoyl peroxide scent found in so many other BP products.

Now, I get a tight, panicky feeling in my chest when I think about running out and not having a spare bottle around…
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème

Second item: Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème. I love it so much, I’m now on my third bottle.

The lightweight, mousse-like lotion absorbs instantly into my skin, and it’s moisturizing enough to handle the driest patches on my face. And WOO HOO! — it doesn’t seem to make my breakouts worse.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

GLAMGLOW, AMOREPACIFIC and Ole Henriksen

After I re-stocked on the must-have skin care supplies, my basket still felt a little light, so with that gift certificate burning in my pocked, I also picked up…

Ole Henriksen Truth to Go Wipes, GLAMGLOW Super-Mud Clearing Treatment and AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Enzyme Peel

AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Enzyme Peel ($60)

AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Enzyme Peel

GLAMGLOW Super-Mud Clearing Treatment ($69)

GLAMGLOW Super-Mud Clearing Treatment jar

The Super-Mud!

Ole Henricksen Truth to Go Wipes ($15)

The pack of the Ole Henricksen Truth to Go Wipes package

I plan spend a couple weeks getting to know these new products, but if I strike gold I’ll let ya know.

If you’ve discovered any skin care lately that you absolutely love, please share! I’m especially curious to hear about your body care faves.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

Royal Apothic Perfectly Perfect Hand Creme ($20 for a 4-ounce tube)

Here’s a look at Royal Apothic’s Perfectly Perfect handy work, also known as their $20 Hand Creme, which I spotted today over at the Anthropologie store at the mall (I swear, I could spend all day in that store).

Despite being based out of Los Angeles, Apothic, a three-year-old fragrance line, aims for a British vibe, and the scents I’ve tried all seem light, fresh and floral to me, which I like.

Today their hand creme caught my eye.

Cute packaging, yeah? I tried it on right there in the store, and my hands just lapped it up. It left my paws lightly scented, too, like a citrusy jasmine.

The Holland Park scent is my favorite of these. It has notes of lemon, magnolia, peach, jasmine, orange blossom, muguet, white musk, pink grapefruit and anemone flower.

They also have some eau de parfums…

Royal Apothic Perfectly Perfect Hand Cremes ($20 each)

Holland Park Eau de Parfum ($15 for a 0.05-ounce bottle)

Kensington Garden Eau de Parfum ($15 for a 0.05-ounce bottle and $32 for a 2-ounce bottle)

Holland Park Eau de Parfums ($15 and $32) and Hand Creme ($20)

Balmoral Rain Eau de Parfums ($15 and $32) and Hand Creme ($20)

Meyer Blooms Eau de Parfum ($32 for a 2-ounce bottle)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The new Tarte BB Tinted Treatments in Fair, Light, Medium and Tan ($34 each)

BB creams have been around for years, but it seems like they’re having a moment.

The Sephora by my house even has a special section for ‘em, an area dedicated to BB creams, among them the new Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm, the latest batch of 10-in-1 Beauty Balms from Stila and some older creams from Too Faced and Smashbox.

I perused shelf after shelf crowded with tubes standing at attention, each one promising some combo of sheer coverage and skin care, like anti-aging benefits, priming, moisturizing — you name it.

Tarte’s new BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer SPF 30 and its white packaging caught my eye (is that “BB” font Helvetica Neue Ultra Light?).

Most of the tubes were smeared with makeup, and dirty, and not in a dirrrrrty Christina Aguilera kind of way. Without thinking, I tried to wipe them clean with my fingers (it was one of those, “holy crap, I’m REALLY my mother’s daughter” moments), but no luck. Apparently, it was going to take a cleanser more powerful than my thumbs.

Just as a heads up, if you decide to bring one of these home, you might not be able to keep the tubes pristine for long.

The product comes in four oil-free shades with broad-spectrum SPF 30 (protects against UVA and UVB rays) — Fair, Light, Medium and Tan — each of which are $34 and can be worn as a primer beneath your regular makeup or all by themselves for light or medium coverage.

Tarte claims all of them will last 12 hours and offer a bunch of skin benefits. First, they’re supposed to be moisturizing, supposed to have anti-aging properties, supposed to diffuse the look of fine lines, and bolster skin’s elasticity.

Of the four, Tan probably comes closest to matching my NC42 skin.

From the left: Fair, Light, Medium and Tan

I didn’t try it on my mug in the store, but based on feel of the formula in the swatches and the semi-opaque coverage, it reminded me of NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer.

The coverage definitely seemed fuller than Tarte’s Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer, which I’ve used before and loved for its sheer, barely-there coverage.

I also took a look at the Fair shade, the lightest of the four, which seemed to live up to its name. I’m guessing it might be popular as it’s currently sold out on Sephora’s website. If you’re very fair and have a hard time finding shades you match, it might be worth considering.

These have a subtly dewy finish to ‘em — not necessarily a shimmer or shine — but just a hushed glow, so if you like the look of skin that’s not too flat or matte, you might really like these.

They seem promising. I think I may have to head back to the store this weekend to grab a sample from the nice Sephora gals (and the one lonely dude).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

All aboard the Chanel No. 5 Trolley, bound for San Francisco’s Union Square!

Toot, toot! Now boarding the Chanel No. 5 Trolley.

Chanel created the Trolley as an art installation of sorts, filled it with stories and lore about the iconic No. 5 fragrance, parked it in front of Macy’s in San Francisco’s Union Square last weekend and opened it to the public for free…

Come on! Let’s check it out. I booked a ticket and saved you a seat.

Our destination today? The world of Chanel No. 5…

What’s that, you ask? Can you take a picture with the male models before we board? Of course! By all means.

[SNAP!]

Um…just so you know, you’re grinning like a Cheshire cat in that picture.

Oh, hai!

Unfortunately, Brad Pitt couldn’t make it today, so we’ll be on our own. It would have been neat to bend his ear about No. 5, but apparently he’s on location filming a Chanel commercial with Tabs…

The trolley from the front

Picture Mr. Pitt behind the wheel…

Feel free to move about the trolley, and check out the different exhibits and Chanel-esque details…

Oh, look here! A placard with five fun facts about Chanel No. 5…

1. There wouldn’t be a No. 5 without jasmine and May rose

There are four members of the No. 5 fragrance family, or what Chanel calls “interpretations” of the fragrance.

1. The Parfum
2. The Eau de Toilette
3. The Eau de Parfum
4. The Eau Premiere

All four share two signature base notes, May rose and jasmine.

Chanel heightens and softens the different notes in each of them to “interpret” the fragrance in slightly different ways. According to Raj Mangat of Chanel’s Fragrance Development Education Team, it’s a process that makes No. 5 unique in the fragrance world.

“The fact that each interpretation of the fragrance is different,” says Raj, “nobody else does that. What perfume companies [usually] do is create a pure perfume, and then dilute it, so it becomes eau de parfum. Then they dilute it again, and it becomes eau de toilette. It’s the same scent but less potent. I like to think of the Chanel scents as sisters with the same DNA, but each one has her own personality.”

May rose and jasmine don’t just appear in No. 5, though. The notes are found in all of Chanel’s fragrances. “They’re kind of like our little signatures,” says Raj.

2. Chanel refers to the Parfum as the haute couture gown of the No. 5 family

Chanel No. 5 Parfum

The first drops of Chanel No. 5 Parfum, the eldest sister in the No. 5 family, were born back in 1921. May rose and jasmine feature prominently in the scent, so if you’re fond of heavily floral fragrances, you may favor the original Parfum interpretation of No. 5.

Like a haute couture gown, Raj says, the 1921 Parfum “is rare and precious.”

3. Sandalwood expresses itself in the Eau de Toilette, the second sister in the No. 5 family

Chanel No. 5 Eau de Toilette

In 1924, three years after introducing the Parfum, Chanel launched the Eau de Toilette.

They heightened its sandalwood notes, giving it more of a woody quality than the more floral Parfum.

The Eau de Toilette is often called the “tweed jacket” of the No. 5 family and is considered a casual version of the scent.

4. Decades pass between the release of the second and third interpretations of No. 5…

Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum

More than 60 years pass between the 1924 release of the Eau de Toilette and the Eau de Parfum in 1986.

Why the long wait? According to Raj, it’s “because prior to the 1970s, there was no such thing as an eau de parfum.”

A parfum and an eau de parfum contain different concentrations of fragrant oils, with a parfum typically having higher concentrations, which lead to a more intense scent.

“Traditionally,” says Raj, “fragrances were the pure essence of the parfum or the pure perfume as we know it. Jacques Polges, our current perfumer, wanted to create an eau de parfum and keep it true to the original, but give it its own interpretation.”

To accomplish this, Jacques, who’s headed Chanel’s fragrance line since 1978, heightened the bourbon vanilla note, giving the No. 5 Eau de Parfum a sweeter quality.

5. In the Eau Premiere, the latest entry in the No. 5 family, notes are turned down, rather than up

Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere

Last, but not least, the newest version of No. 5, 2007′s Eau Premiere.

Unlike the first three interpretations of No. 5, in which different notes were heightened, in the Eau Premiere, which premiered in 2007, notes were softened. The jasmine and ylang-ylang notes were escorted to the background, giving the Eau Premiere its sparkling quality.

The new limited edition No. 5 Bath Soap

The new limited edition No. 5 Bath Soap, 10.7 ounces, $75

Since the Chanel No. 5 fragrances all share the same notes, they also work well with Chanel’s No. 5 body products, including the new large, limited edition No. 5 Bath Soap ($75), available now at Chanel counters and chanel.com

I just recently started using it, and let me tell ya, I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to shower!

LOL! It’s just so indulgent and fancy. It even comes with its own soap dish (that’s classy), but I guess it should be for $75…

And the bar itself is HUGE. A whopping 10.7 ounces.

It builds up into a lush lather with lots of silky bubbles, and I love how when I step out of the shower, my skin stays softly scented with No. 5 for hours.

And I like the way the scent goes with the Eau de Premiere, which is my favorite family member of Chanel No. 5.

Sure, it’s unbelievably expensive for a bar of soap, but what a special gift it would make for a Chanel No. 5 fan.

The new limited edition No. 5 Bath Soap

PRICE: $75 (a 10.7-ounce bar)
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Chanel counters and chanel.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+/A- (a lovely, albeit outrageously expensive, Chanel indulgence)

Well, looks like we’re arriving at our destination. I hope you enjoyed our little trip on the Chanel No. 5 Trolley.

If you’ve tried any of the different interpretations in the No. 5 fragrance family over the years, let me know if you have a favorite in the comments. I can’t get enough of the Eau Premiere.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen