LIERAC Sensorielle - Sensory Oil with 3 White Flowers

White flower lovers, rejoice! If you happen to love body, face, and hair oils too, head for your closest LIERAC source (CVS for me). LIERAC launched Sensorielle, "Sensory Oil with 3 White Flowers," in Collection Blanche (Huile Sensorielle aux 3 Fleurs, $34) this spring.

In April, I read about this gorgeous oil in WWD's Beauty Inc. It was featured in an "In Stores Now" feature. So, I hopped in my car and drove to the closest CVS. I had to have it - right then and there. It wasn't in stock, but knowing that the closest CVS has lost its beauty expert, I decided to try two other nearby stores. I was obsessed! I didn't find it that day, or the next, or even a few weeks later. One day in June, as I was strolling by the LIERAC display, it caught my eye, and it was finally mine. It was worth the wait!

White flowers (camellia, jasmine, and gardenia) join argan, sweet almond, grape seed, and hazelnut oils in this multitasking elixir for body, hair, and face. The luxurious sensory oil provides 24-hour hydration that nourishes and softens the skin and hair. The fragrance is absolutely intoxicating. It's light, refreshing, and relaxing.

Sensorielle provides long-lasting moisture. I've been using it on my body before bed, and I drift off to sleep feeling cleanly moist. It's a dry oil, meaning it doesn't feel greasy, and it absorbs quickly, leaving behind a sublime scent that I can smell many hours later. Last night, I happened to awaken about four hours after I had applied it. Always testing, I smelled my arms to see if the white flowers were still there. They were; it was a light, comforting scent, one that helped me drift off again. Eight hours later? I could still smell it.

It has a spray cap, which I love, except that the spray dispenses as a stream. If it were diffused, I could spray it right onto my target areas. Instead, I spray it into my palm and apply it with my hands. The good news is that my hands are left with a divine smell, since the oil itself absorbs so quickly. I don't bother to wash it off.

I have never used Sensorielle on my hair. I'm not a big fan of oils to de-frizz or hydrate my hair. My hair is too fine and will go limp with only the suggestion of weight (or humidity). I'm sure those who love argan and other oils for their hair will love Sensorielle too. I do plan to use it in my bath water, as soon as I get a second bottle. For now, I don't want to waste any of this precious elixir by mixing it with water.

You can find Sensorielle at your favorite source for LIERAC products or at LIERAC's Web site. It's a must-have for white flower lovers!

Update 7/12: I forgot to mention that Sensorielle is a limited edition. The bottle tag reminded me today.

Photo courtesy of LIERAC

LIERAC MICRO-ABRASION

LIERAC Paris is on my short list of "most favorite" skin care product lines. I was recently given a new product, MICRO-ABRASION ($38), which I have been using for a couple of weeks. It has become my go-to exfoliator!

It's hard to wax poetic or find inspiring language to describe exfoliators. They are somewhat like utilities. You can't live without them. Exfoliators keep your skin clear and bright and banish the dead skin cells that gunk up your pores and make you look dry. If you don't use an exfoliator regularly, it's likely your skin isn't as radiant as it could be. You may even look older than you are!

Not all exfoliators are alike. There are chemical and physical exfoliators, and within each category, there are huge variations in formulation and effectiveness. Not only that, some are way more gentle on the skin than others. I have a "rough time" with many physical exfoliators, often called microdermabrasion products. Some contain large particles that tear up my sensitive skin, leaving my face looking like it had a collision with asphalt.

I'm happy to tell you that LIERAC's MICRO-ABRASION is nice and gentle. It has claimed an exclusive spot in my shower. Officially called MICRO-ABRASION Stimulating Smoothing Cream for the Face, this pro treatment contains a high concentration of tiny alumina crystals (25%) to polish the skin and urea (3%) to make the process comfortable. Both ingredients - tiny particles and lots of cream - make this a great exfoliator for all skin types, and particularly sensitive skin.

LIERAC says you will achieve instant smoothness when you use it. Naturally, it polishes off dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. Additionally, by massaging it in for two minutes, you will achieve deeper cleansing to encourage re-oxygenation of your skin and prepare your skin for the skin-care treatment products you use. The result will be better toned, ideally moisturized, and glowing skin. Your pores are likely to look tightened too. Four minutes a week, and you will look better! How hard is that?

The directions say to use it once or twice a week. I have been using it twice, as directed. Naturally, I keep it away from my eyelids. My sensitive skin is happy, and so am I!

You can find MICRO-ABRASION at the LIERAC Paris Web site, CVS Healthy Skincare Stores, and online sites. Check LIERAC's Store Locator for other sources.

Photo courtesy of LIERAC

LIERAC Hydra-Chrono for Anti-Aging Hydration

How I love LIERAC's Hydra-Chrono line! I use both the Hydra-Chrono Baume Extrême ($50) and the Hydra-Chrono Crème Intense ($50). I tend to use the Crème Intense in the warm months and the Balm Extrême in the cold months, but I mix it up. Lately, I have been using Baume Extrême exclusively because the cold, dry air is trying to dessicate my skin! Even in the heat of summer, if I feel dry, I reach for the Baume Extrême.

Both moisturizers contain an aqua-pump complex and moisturizing agents to trap moisture and restore the skin’s hydrating systems. Enriched with an innovative combination of active ingredients, Hydra-Chrono plumps the skin from within, leaving it perfectly moisturized. When your skin is hydrated, wrinkles are less pronounced. So, you look young and refreshed!

The Baume Extrême ingredients include hydrolyzed almond protein, glycerin, apricot kernel oil, safflower seed oil, and porphyridium cruentum extract (derived from a type of red algae and containing the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid, the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, and other skin-friendly ingredients such as polysaccharides), and NMF (a moisturizing complex, also known as Natural Moisturizing Factor, found in the corneum layer of the skin and comprised of hygroscopic, water-soluble substances that regulate this layer's selective permeability).

The Crème Intense shares many of the same ingredients and also features coconut oil and shea butter - both extremely hydrating.

Available at LIERAC's Web site, CVS, and Beauty.com, Hydra-Chrono has a very slight rose scent that smells great on application and then disappears - perfect for those of us who don't really like scents left behind from any product other than the fragrance we have selected.

LIERAC is a fabulous line, still better known in Europe than the United States. LIERAC hopes to change that! LIERAC products are priced mid-range, so it won't break the bank to give one a try. If you are looking for a great anti-aging moisturizer, I'd start with Hydra-Chrono! There are formulas for combination, dry, and super-dry skin. Even if you have oily skin, LIERAC has a solution for you. Check out their Web site where you can search for products by skin type.

Photo courtesy of LIERAC

LIERAC Will Be at Crystal Couture!

LIERAC Paris will be at Crystal Couture in Crystal City (Arlington, Virginia) on Thursday, February 4, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. Our Mid-Atlantic representative from LIERAC and her knowledgeable helpers will be there providing mini-facials, product information, samples, and tips on how and where to purchase LIERAC products. It will be a great time for you DC-area gals to try the brand, so stop by their booth!

I am a big LIERAC fan. I use Gentle Cleansing Milk, Hydra-Chrono, and Creme Mesolift regularly. I love them for their rich moisturizing properties! I also love the fact that I can pop up to my CVS to get them.

Crystal Couture will be about "Wild, Sexy, Fashionable Fun" - with at least three runway shows each hour and free hair styling and makeovers next week (February 1 through 6). Don't miss out on this free event if you live in our area!

To find updates about Crystal Couture, follow the Crystal City Business Improvement District on Twitter @ccbid or become a friend on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of LIERAC

LIERAC Coherence Giveaway Contest Winner

Congratulations to Huguette E., who was notified by e-mail that she won the Cohérence Age-Defense Firming Serum ($64), an intensive lifting serum that lifts, firms, and diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. Formulated with ASC III Collagen Accelerating Vectors (6%) to stimulate the natural synthesis of Collagen III, or "the Collagen of Youth," and alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid, citric acid, wheat protein, and hyaluronic acid, the serum contains anti-aging ingredients known to work. Huguette, I hope you like it!

We had some very convincing entries, although not as many as I had expected. That means I have to do a much better job of telling you how wonderful LIERAC Paris products are!

Our winner was selected by independent judges, all of whom work in the beauty industry. I'm glad they made our selection - I was convinced by every e-mail that we had a winner.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for our next giveaway. It will be posted tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of LIERAC Paris

LIERAC Paris Coherence Giveaway Contest

LIERAC Paris makes some of my favorite anti-aging products, which I have reviewed here, including Creme Mesolift and Hydra-Chrono. I was introduced to LIERAC products at CVS Healthy Skincare Stores.

Cohérence Age-Defense Firming Serum ($64) is an intensive lifting serum that lifts, firms, and diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. Formulated with ASC III Collagen Accelerating Vectors (6%) to stimulate the natural synthesis of Collagen III, or "the Collagen of Youth," and alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid, citric acid, wheat protein, and hyaluronic acid, the serum contains anti-aging ingredients known to work. LIERAC promises a difference in 21 days.

I always use serums under my moisturizer, mixing up my own cocktail of effective ingredients. Would you like to try Cohérence? Why not enter to win this one?

Best Things in Beauty has one Cohérence Age-Defense Firming Serum to give away. To enter the contest, e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and tell me why you are a perfect candidate to try this product. The most persuasive entry will win. It won't hurt to be over 40! I'll nab a small team of independent judges (in the beauty industry) to select the winner. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 18, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. The contest is open to United States and Canadian residents (addresses).

I'll be posting this contest on Free!Grechen, which you know by now is my favorite contest site. Good Luck! Get your entry in early so you don't forget as the week passes.

Update: Two days have gone by, and there are only three entries for this contest! I'm amazed. Doesn't anyone else want this wonderful freebie?

Photo courtesy of LIERAC Paris

Discounts Galore Today

What's a girl to do when she gets offers like this?

Today (and you can still call Neiman Marcus and ask for Carol Summer at Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie at (202) 966-9700), you can 20% off all Laura Mercier! Check out the gift sets, which are great values. This is an incredible sale.

The Skinny's sale of Organic Apoteke products started today. Here is your invitation to join The Skinny. Organic Apoteke is a line of rejuvenating products that are said to make your skin feel new and fresh. The star of the Organic Apoteke line, Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum ("rasayana" is actually Sanskrit for "rejuvenating"), combines the benefits of six serums in one. In clinical trials of over 400 participants, wrinkles were reduced by 60%, sagging by 21%, and trans-epidermal water loss by 44% over an eight-week period. Check out the Organic Apoteke products at this video. I want Sicilian Orange & Mandarin Body Oil ($23.50). Hope I can get there before it sells out. I've been peeling out the credit card a lot today.

It's Lierac Day at CVS. If you have a CVS Healthy Skincare Store near you, stop by before they close. They have lots of great samples. Hydra-Chrono Balm and Creme Mesolift are two of my favorite moisturizers, and their price is right! Just ask Kathy Shoreman at (703) 243-8088 or your local CVS Beauty Manager what Lierac product is best for you.

Last, but not least, BeautyTicket is having a 20% off sale of all YSL. Use code YSL20 at checkout. Today only.

I've been saving money by spending money!

Photo courtesy of The Skinny

Lierac Gentle Cleansing Milk

Here I go again - raving over a Lierac Paris product! I have been using Lierac's "Lait Demaquillant Douceur," or Gentle Cleansing Milk ($26), for four or five months. I use it most nights to remove my makeup and get ready for my bedtime skin care regimen. The cleanser is made for dry and sensitive skin, and I can testify that my dry, sensitive skin likes it. It cleans without stripping my skin of its natural moisture (and there isn't much of that left!).

The cleanser easily removes all makeup except for the tiny residue of mascara under my eyes, and no gentle cleanser I use removes that. I follow with a quick swipe of eye makeup remover. After cleansing, my skin feels soft and smooth. Of course, I love the convenient pump dispenser. Who really wants to fumble with a screw cap at the end of a tiring day?

The Gentle Cleansing Milk includes moisturizing agents, calming and softening poppy and calendula extracts, and hyaluronic acid (very good) - and it's alcohol-free (even better). The brochure that comes with it says that the cleanser is based on "ultra-gentle surfactants that respect the skin's hydro-lipidic film and pH level." Works for me!

I love the fact that I can pop up to my CVS Healthy Skincare Store to buy more when I run out. No time-consuming trips to the mall! Not that I don't love to get in a little shopping now and then, but if I need a daily necessity, I want to be able to get my hands on it quickly. You may find this product called Gentle Makeup Remover Lotion (drugstore.com). I'm not sure about that translation since I do remember from my school days that lait is milk.

If you have dry or sensitive skin, I think you'll like this Lierac cleanser.

Photo courtesy of CVS.

Lierac Paris New Creme Mesolift

Lierac has another hit in my book! I just finished a one-week trial of Creme Mesolift, a new anti-aging cream. Supplied with samples by DrugstoreBeautyPro, I used them every night for a week over my Prevage MD.

The experience and results? Really good!

First, my misgivings (read on...don't let this part scare you off). When I read the ingredients, I was afraid. There is was: my nemesis Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) listed as part of the active ingredient cocktail. I am extremely sensitive to Vitamin A products; they render me red and peeling, neither of which are a pretty sight. Going back a number of years, I remembered my awful experiences with Retin-A and Renova, which I had tried at my dermatologist's urging to prevent that monthly hormonal breakout (no problem with that these days - there is a benefit to menopause). Then I remembered using cosmetic products with far lower concentrations and getting the same awful reactions. My wonderful dermatologist told me, at that point, to avoid Vitamin A products (duh!). So, there I was, faced with wanting desperately to try this cream. I threw caution to the wind and went for it. Was I glad!

The Retinyl Palmitate is way down on the ingredient list, which means there isn't much of it in the cocktail. The rest of the ingredients are very good for my skin, including Vitamins C, E, B5, and B6; hyaluronic acid; and minerals.

The name comes from the dermatological procedure of mesolift, a series of micro-injections with a pool of vitamins (A, E, C, D, B, K) that provide amino-acids to allow better protein build, minerals that guarantee the ionic balance of the injection, coenzymes to activate a biochemical reaction, and nucleic acids to restructure the tissue. Those elements all together can revitalize and tighten loose skin in the face and neck area. I saw the results on a relative, and they were amazing. I'm not recommending the procedure, just giving you a little context.

I digress. Back to the cream. It has a nice texture that spreads easily, has a heavenly peachy scent that is pleasant during application (but disappears almost instantly), and simply feels good. The first night after use, I thought my face looked fresh and radiant in the morning - definitely a sign to keep going. Now that I have used it for a full week, I can definitely give it a thumbs up. It will take a place in my bathroom next to my wonderful Lierac Hydro-Chrono. I guess I'll have to alternate weeks. I love them both.

You can purchase Lierac products at CVS Healthy Skincare Stores (the upscale ones that carry French skin care products) and online at drugstore.com. One of my fabulous readers said she got hers at Duane Reade in Manhattan. If the cream (not the serum) isn't on the shelf where Lierac products are sold, it will be very soon. Look for it!

Lierac Hydra-Chrono

Oh, how I love Lierac's Hydra-Chrono line! I use both the Anti-Aging Hydration Extreme Balm and the Anti-Aging Hydration Comfort Cream. I tend to use the Comfort Cream in the warm months and the Extreme Balm in the cold months. Of course, even in the heat of summer, if I feel dry, I reach for the Balm, which includes botanical oils of apricot and safflower.

Available at CVS in stores and online ($50) and Beauty.com, both products have a very slight rose scent that smells great on application and then disappears - perfect for those of us who don't really like scents left behind from any product other than a fragrance we have selected. Both products are filled with moisturizing agents that are a perfect complement to an anti-oxidant that, when used alone, may not provide as much hydration as we need. Hydra-Chrono includes many plant-derived ingredients, including red micro-algae and natural amino acids, that please those of us who are fans of products like Darphin. For those who prefer less oomph, there is a Hydra-Chrono Anti-Aging Hydration Refreshing Fluid.

I also use the Gentle Makeup Remover Lotion, which, true to its name, is gentle and comes in a pump bottle. Easy to use and easy on the skin!

This is a really nice line, better known in Europe than the U.S. CVS hopes to change that, with Lierac available in their Healthy Skincare (upscale) stores. There are products for all face and body needs. They are priced mid-range, so it won't break the bank to give one a try.

Photo courtesy of CVS.

The Bedtime Skincare Routine - Prevage MD

As promised yesterday, I will describe the evening skincare routine. As with morning, it starts with cleansers, often Giorgio Armani's Crema Nera Mineral Cleansing Balm or Lierac Lait Demaquillant Douceur, gentle makeup removers appropriate for dry and/or sensitive skin. If I end up looking like the darling girl raccoon outside, I use a gentle eye makeup remover under my eyes. One of my favorites is made by Vichy and another by Korres (more on them in a later post).

Then I apply Prevage MD on my face and neck and Prevage Eye on my upper and lower lids. You must use antioxidants, and I have found that Idebenone at the 1% concentration in Prevage MD works well. If you Google Idebenone, you will find that it's a powerful antioxidant. Supposedly, its small molecule allows it to penetrate the skin more deeply than many other products. It blocks or neutralizes free radicals and reduces fine lines, wrinkles, roughness, and dryness, while improving tone, smoothness, firmness, and overall appearance. It got a lot or press when it was introduced, and I have found the claims to be true. Prevage Eye is a moisturizing treatment that also includes Idebenone, so you get the dual benefit of treatment and moisturizing in one product. I noticed an immediate improvement in my skin when I started to use these products. While their list price is expensive, a resourceful gal can find deep discounts on the Web.

I follow the Prevage MD with a moisturizer. At night, I switch off a lot, but my favorites are Lierac Hydra-Chrono Baume Extreme, available at select CVS stores, and Cosmedicine Private Nurse, which you can purchase at Sephora or Ulta. Both products are super moisturizers with anti-aging ingredients. They feel good and last all night, even with my face on a cotton pillow case.

To top that off, I use a 12% Lactic Acid moisturizer on my hands and feet right before I go to sleep. Sounds time consuming? It's not, and the difference this routine makes in my skin makes it all worthwhile. I wish I had developed these "habits" long ago, but "back then" we didn't know about free radicals, antioxidants, or the ravages of those baby oil sunning days.

Why I Can't Live without Creme de la Mer

La Mer, as it's known to its legion of devotees, is my miracle moisturizer. I have never found a better moisturizing product.

That's not to say that it's my one and only skin treatment product. In fact, it's the whipped cream on top of my chocolate and raspberry napoleon. Call me crazy, but here's the routine.

We have to describe morning and night separately, so today we will start with morning. After cleansing with Kinerase or Lireac cleanser and applying an eye cream, I apply Radiance, a terrific product that contains 15% Argireline® (Acetyl Hexapeptide-3) and 10% Matrixyl® 3000 (Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 & Tetrapeptide-7) to help reduce the depth of lines and wrinkles. Argireline® and Matrixyl® 3000 are combined with 10% hyaluronic acid to help the skin hold moisture to create an intensive skin rejuvenation treatment. I have tried multiple products with Matrixyl 3000, and this is my favorite. I follow this with La Mer Concentrate, a serum that builds the "foundation" for Creme de la Mer. My dry skin slurps anything I put on it, so the use of these two treatment products actually allows me to use less cream.

The final application is Creme de la Mer. I put a drollop in my palm, blend it down with my finger, and pat it all over my face and neck. Any left over gets wiped onto my chest - I don't want to waste a precious drop! Once I finish, my skin is dewy and young, not dry and tired, a miracle in my book. Even without a stingy application, my foundation applies beautifully and stays put. My base products have changed over time, but the finish with Creme de la Mer never does - it's a keeper.

For those of you whose skin isn't as dry as mine, La Mer makes a lotion and assorted other products tailored to various skin types--great alternatives for summer. Head over the the La Mer Web site or visit your favorite department store and see if you can talk your way into a sample. It's the gold standard of creams! Extra added benefit? It heals burns, bug bites, skin irritation, and even blemishes. I know it seems counterintuitive to put a moisturizer on top of a blemish, but it works.

Photo courtesy of La Mer.