caudalie vinosource creme sorbet + eau de beaute beauty elixir {rave review}

Caudalie is an amazing skincare company featuring high quality ingredients, including many extracts from grapes and grape seeds, commonly known to have outstanding antioxidant properties. I'm always on the quest for my perfect skincare routine, and I was thrilled to receive the opportunity to try out several of their skincare products! I was highly impressed with both products, and I can't wait to share my experience with you. I've literally rambled on and on about these products to my friends and family, and several friends have even received these products as gifts from me recently! They're so good that I can't stop my mouth from gabbing on and on with the rave reviews. Read on if you're interested in a superb moisturizer and unique facial spray!

Caudalie Vinosource Creme Sorbet I have officially found my holy grail moisturizer for my sensitive combination-oily skin. This moisturizer manages to be extremely light and non-greasy while simultaneously leaving your skin moisturized and velvety smooth. Grapeseed polyphenols, organic grape water, and Vinolevure combine to soothe and moisturize skin while protecting against free radicals. I use this moisturizer morning and night after my cleanser and toner, and I love that it doesn't leave any greasy film or residue. I also love, love, love the scent of this product- it's a very delicate fruity scent. I think this creme sorbet would be a perfect moisturizer for sensitive skin ranging from normal to oily.

Caudalie Eau de Beaute Beauty Elixir I am so happy that I was introduced to this product. Since receiving this product, I have already bought several as gifts for friends and backups for my own supply. Caudalie Beauty Elixir is a refreshing spray that you can use before applying your moisturizer and throughout the day to refresh your look. The Beauty Elixir is described as a half-serum, half-toner mist containing several essential oils, including rosemary, orange flower, and peppermint, and grape fruit extract. I have found this to be an essential purse product for the perfect pick-me-up throughout the day. It refreshes your makeup, and I've found that it's helped slow oil production throughout the day. Whenever I'm feeling a bit shiny, I've been spritzing this beauty elixir on my face rather than caking on the powder. This product was a lifesaver during my honeymoon in the Caribbean!

Products were sent for review consideration; however, all opinions expressed are my honest and genuine thoughts.

Liz Earle Toner and Moisturizer {review}

It's no secret that I've had a bit of a love affair with Liz Earle this year (documented here). As soon as I tried the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, I knew it was love. Cleanse and Polish continues to be my daily cleanser, so I was more than delighted when the lovely ladies at Liz Earle gave me the opportunity to try out their Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer and Skin Repair Light Moisturizer!

Beautiful packaging as always

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Review + Giveaway {closed}

This summer was a huge skincare overhaul for me. I've been trying products left and right, and thanks to the lovely ladies at Liz Earle I have discovered the most amazing cleanser. I'm always skeptical about products that are super hyped up on beauty blogs or YouTube, but Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish totally lives up to the hype. It is AMAZING. 

First of all, please let me say a few words about Liz Earle's completely gorgeous packaging. My Cleanse & Polish cleanser and muslin cloths came neatly packed in a beautiful light green reusable bag, and the entire package was wrapped in beautiful tissue paper and secured with a sticker. I'm a huge sucker for pretty packaging, so my first impression of Liz Earle was definitely an A+.

 

And now on to the star of the show, Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.This cleanser contains rosemary, chamomile, cocoa butter, and eucalyptus essential oils. Like I said earlier, I was skeptical about this product because of the hype, but then I read the instructions. 

Phase One: Massage gently onto dry skin over your eyes, face, and neck to purify, soften, and stimulate circulation.

Um, what? Apply to dry skin? I'm not sure how this works, but it's genius. The cleanser feels almost like a lotion on your dry skin, and somehow this product melted away even my waterproof eyeliner without any irritation or leaving behind a greasy film. Amazing.

Phase Two: Rinse the pure muslin cloth in hand-hot water and wring out before gently polishing off the cream. Finish by splashing off your face with cool water. 

Each cleanser comes with two muslin cloths. The hot cloth gently polished off all of the remaining cleanser and left my skin completely make-up free and refreshed. No residue, no irritation, and no stinging. Each time I use this cleanser, I'm shocked at how smooth and soft my skin is. Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish cleanser works great on my combination/oily skin, but it's suitable for all ages and all skin types.

 If you're interested in purchasing any Liz Earle products, now is the time. Right now, there's a promotion where you'll receive a free Skin Savers set ($29 value) when you purchase a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer from Liz Earle. You can learn more about this promotion here.

Giveaway:

Thanks to the lovely ladies of Liz Earle, one lucky Ashley Brooke reader will receive a Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser with two muslin cloths! 

Mandatory Entry:

After following Ashley Brooke, please leave a comment with a valid email address that I can contact you at if you win!

Extra Entries:

+1 Entry: Check out Liz Earle's website and let me know your favorite products

+1 Entry: Like Liz Earle on Facebook

+1 Entry: Like Liz Earle on Twitter

+1 Entry: Subscribe to Liz Earle's email newsletter

+1 Entry: Follow Ashley Brooke on Twitter

+1 Entry (Each): Enter any other giveaway on Ashley Brooke

+2 Entries: Add this giveaway to your sidebar

+4 Entries: Write a blog post about this giveaway

This giveaway will end on Sunday, September 4th, 2011 at 11:59pm

FTC Disclaimer: I was sent products for review. Liz Earle is providing the giveaway prize. I am not affiliated with Liz Earle, and all opinions stated are 100% honest and genuine.

Montagne Jeunesse Facial Masks Review + Giveaway {closed}

One of my pre-wedding goals this summer was to get my skin in shape. As part of my weekly skincare routine (which I'll be posting soon!), I've been using Montagne Jeunesse's facial masks to fix my facial problem of the week. I love that the masks are packaged with the perfect amount for 1-2 uses because my skin has different problems every week. You can find Montagne Jeunesse's masks at Walmart for around $1 each, so I recommend stocking up on several different kinds! Montagne Jeunesse masks are also vegetarian and PETA-approved. 

Fruit Smoothie, Passion Peel-Off, Mud Pac, Face Tonic, Clean-Up Mud

Fruit Smoothie: This refreshing mask is made with raspberry, mango, apricot, peach, and pomegranate and is a perfect gentle mask for dry to combination skin. This mask smells delicious, and my skin felt clean, refreshed, and slightly moisturized after use. 

Passion Peel-Off: I have a bit of an obsession with peel-off masks. They're just SO fun! Passion Peel-Off is a deep cleansing mask formulated for all skin types. It contains pomegranate, passion flower, raspberry, grape, cranberry, and Vitamin E and also smells delicious. Unlike regular masks, peel-off masks dry to a thin layer and gently peel off your face. Don't worry, it's absolutely not painful and is actually quite addictive.

Mud Pac: Mud Pac is a more traditional deep cleansing mud mask for normal to oily skin. Yes, it will make you look like a monster, but the Dead Sea mud is quite refreshing and your skin will thank you. My skin felt a bit tighter and less oily after using this mask. 

Face Tonic: This may be my favorite mask. Unlike the other masks, Face Tonic is a sheet mask. Basically, a thin sheet of fabric-like material is soaked with skin tonic. You place the face-shaped sheet over your face and let the tonic sink into your skin. Like the Mud Pac, you will definitely look a bit scary in this mask. There's something about the sheet mask shape that is definitely a bit disturbing, but I LOVE that there is no clean-up or mess, no remaining bits of masks hidden on your face, and the plant collagen and Pelvetiane seaweed did seem to calm my face quite a bit. I used this mask on sunburned skin, and my face was definitely less sensitive and less red after using this mask. 

Clean-Up Mud: Clean-Up Mud is formulated for acne-prone skin and contains aloe vera, willow, rosmeary, and witch hazel to treat problem areas. I really liked this mask. My skin felt tight, less oily, and deeply cleansed after using this mask, and my skin was not irritated at all.

Overall, I think that Montagne Jeunesse masks are awesome. They're fun, relaxing, and super cheap. I'd highly recommend these for spa nights, and they'd make amazing stocking stuffers over the winter holidays!

Giveaway

Thanks to the generosity of Montagne Jeunesse, one lucky Ashley Brooke reader will receive five Montagne Jeunesse masks! 

Fudge Sauna, Face Tonic, Strawberry, Souffle, Green Tea Peel-Off, Chocolate Masque

Mandatory Entry:

After following Ashley Brooke on GFC, let me know what your favorite skincare product is! 

Please leave a valid email address that I can contact you at if you win!

Additional Entries:

+1 Entry: Follow Montagne Jeunesse on Facebook

+1 Entry: Follow Montagne Jeunesse on Twitter

+1 Entry: Follow Montagne Jeunesse on YouTube

+1 Entry: Subscribe to Montagne Jeunesse's Email Newsletter 

+1 Entry: Follow Ashley Brooke on Twitter

+1 Entry (Each): Enter any other giveaway on Ashley Brooke

+2 Entries: Add this giveaway to your sidebar

+4 Entries: Write a blog post about this giveaway

This giveaway will end on Sunday, September 4th, 2011 at 11:59pm

FTC Disclaimer: I was sent products for review. I am not affiliated with Montagne Jeunesse and all opinions are 100% honest and genuine.

Artisan Naturals Skin Care

I recently had the opportunity to try out a few products from Artisan Naturals' skin care line, and I was impressed with all of their products! First of all, their entire line has No animal testing, No parabens, No synthetic fragrances, No artificial colorants, and No petro-chemicals. 

Soothing Aloe Cleanser

This gentle, sulfate-free cleanser was a lifesaver this summer. During my pre-wedding vacation in Florida and my honeymoon in the Caribbean, I was in the sun nearly every day. Sunburned skin doesn't get along with some of the other cleansers I have, but Artisan Naturals' Soothing Aloe Cleanser was gentle enough to not irritate sunburned skin while still ridding my face of oil. The scent is great too-slightly floral with a hint of citrus. The ingredients of this cleanser,  including centipeda cunnighamii extract, panthenol, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and neroli essential oil, are anti-inflammatory agents to calm and soothe irritated skin. I wish that the packaging was sturdy glass like the other products in the line, but overall, I highly recommend this cleanser if you have sensitive skin or are suffering from a sunburn!

Lemon Cypress Exfoliating Face Mask

I really enjoy using this mask; however, it's definitely a different consistency than most masks. The mask feels more like a thick moisturizer with gently exfoliating jojoba beads. It doesn't harden on your face like a mud mask would, but after 5-10 minutes, your skin feels squeaky-clean and refreshed. In addition to the wonderful formulation, I really love the natural lemon scent. This is a great mask for all skin types, but if you have dry skin, I'd definitely follow this mask with a moisturizer. The glass packaging is great as well!

Replenishing Toner

First of all, let me tell you that this toner has been in my purse every day of the summer. This toner was by far my favorite product of the bunch! This floral-scented spray toner is incredibly refreshing and definitely not as harsh as a normal toner. While this toner helps to control oil, it's also lightly moisturizing, so you can re-apply it throughout the day as a touch up for oily skin. The glass spray bottle was so convenient to spritz on throughout the day. I'm going to need to repurchase this soon because after a few months use, I'm running extremely low!

Zinc and Aloe Clarifying Serum

I've been taking extremely good care of my skin the past few months in preparation for the wedding and honeymoon, and miraculously, I barely had any breakouts at all! Every time I felt any sign of a breakout, I added a dab of this clarifying serum  to any trouble spots. It's a slightly watery gel consistency, and it is a very gentle acne serum. I would recommend this for people with sensitive skin who suffer from occasional breakouts, but I'll have to keep you posted on how well this works on more severe breakouts as soon as my skin goes back to normal!

Overall Opinion:

I think that Artisan Naturals is a really great natural skincare line. If you're looking for a paraben-free line or products that work well on sensitive skin, I'd definitely research this line to see if there are products that interest you! All of these products were gentle and nourishing to my sun-damaged skin, and they've become a summer staple for vacations! 

For more information on Artisan Naturals' line of products, check out their website and Facebook!

February 2011 Favorites!

Hey everyone!

This month I've become obsessed with quite a few products. I'm going to post a more detailed video on my YouTube Channel, so I won't bore you with too many details here! I'll include links to make it easier for you to find these items online :)

Skincare

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel

This month I rediscovered my love for Mario Badescu's Botanical Facial Gel. I used this cleanser in high school and then COMPLETELY forgot about. Thank goodness I happened to see it online one night! This cleanser is not soap-based, so it doesn't lather at all, but it's really effective at controlling oil without completely drying out your skin. LOVE. You can buy it here!

Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub

Another skincare fav for February is Neutrogena's Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub. I don't know about you, but I really like it when skincare products just feel like they're working :) This scrub's menthol content gives it a really addicting tingly cooling sensation. You can buy it here!

Exuviance Moisture Balance Toner

One of the girls working at my Ulta store recommended this toner to me. I'm usually a sucker for toners with high salicylic acid content, but she insisted that I try a gentler toner this month. The Exuviance Moisture Balance Toner smells ridiculously incredible- kind of an apple-raspberry-floralish scent- and it's has miraculously helped control my oily skin this month. It's kind of expensive, but I've only gone through about 1/4 of the bottle in one month. You can buy it here!

Make-Up

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Ave Princess

Oh my goodness, I cannot say enough good things about this bronzer. This is definitely my holy grail bronzer, and I will have to do a more detailed review on it asap. Tarte's Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Ave Princess is literally everything I could ever want in a bronzer. In real life, it's darker than this photograph, but the color is just the most perfect slightly shimmery bronze color. The powder gives good color without being so pigmented that your skin looks streaky, and the coverage lasts even in high heat and heavy humidity. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Do yourself a favor and buy this now! 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero

I used to be a huge StyliStyle eyeliner fan, but Urban Decay has converted me once again. Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero is the perfect black eyeliner Highly pigmented, smooth application, super longlasting, and just the right amount of waterproof-ness! It will stay on your waterline all day, but it comes off easily with makeup remover. I have these pencils in several colors, but Zero is definitely my favorite! You can buy it here.

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Sheer Color Lipgloss in Illume

Since spring is just around the corner, I've been reaching for lighter lip shades. Smashbox's Illume lip gloss is the perfect pinkish-nude color with just the right amount of shimmer. I'm not super crazy about the brush, but I love the texture and color of the gloss! I've been wearing this gloss almost every day! Buy it here.

Maybelline Great Lash BIG Mascara in Blackest Black

No matter how many high-end mascaras I try, I keep coming back to Maybelline. They just have the best mascaras for the best price. I'm currently in love with the Great Lash BIG collection, especially the color Blackest Black. I brush is ridiculously big, and the mascara builds volume and length without clumping or smudging. I highly recommend you go buy some!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows III NYC Palette

I have a problem. I cannot stop buying Urban Decay palettes, BUT I definitely do not regret buying the Book of Shadows III. First of all, the palette lights up! How cool. Urban Decay eyeshadows are so luxuriously siky and super pigmented, and I loved the mix of bright and neutral colors in the palette. I got another one of my FAVORITE 24/7 Eyeliners in Zero and Ransom along with their awesome Primer Potion. This palette was limited edition unfortunately, but you can still buy one here! Unfortunately, it's quite a bit more expensive than it originally was!

Nail Products

Essie Nail Polish in Turquoise and Caicos

It's been cold in LA lately, so I've been lusting for summer almost every day. I can only be excited about sweaters and boots for so long! I need sunshine! Essie's Turquoise and Caicos is such a pretty light turuoise. The coverage is slightly sheer, so I used about 3 or 4 coats to get it really opaque and beautiful. You can try it for yourself here!

Hair Products

Davines Nourishing Vegetarian Miracle Deep Conditioner

I'm constantly on the lookout for deep conditioners for my color-treated, dry, and damaged blonde hair. My hair stylist recommended Davine's Nourishing Vegetarian Miracle to me recently, and I really feel like my hair is much stronger and more resilient since I started using it. I love this formula because while it's super moisturizing, it is not greasy or heavy at all. It's so light that my stylist recommended using it EVERY time I washed my hair before my normal conditioner. Awesome product. Buy some here!

That's all of my favorites for now, but I will be adding some additional favorites to my video....so be sure to check it out and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!