The Princeza Guide to Bedtime Beauty

It really is no secret that I happen to be a high-maintenance girl in almost every sense of that concept. My natural "girliness" drives almost everything I do and experience throughout my day and as such I embrace it wholeheartedly and openly. The tomboy nature of my childhood has all but died out now and pink sparkly-shiny things seem to dominate my existence and my surroundings. There is nothing wrong with that, right?

This femininity naturally extends into how I approach my beauty regiments and nothing illustrates that more than my bedtime rituals. Each and every step of this routine is designed to relax, comfort and elevate the beautification process, which is something I look forward to especially on those really bad days. It might sound like I am putting way too much thought into this and over-complicating the whole experience but that is exactly the point when you are doing something you love. At least whoever goes to bed with me will be able to reap the benefits of my silky, fragranced self :-)

For better overview I have divided the bedtime beauty process in several steps so you can see just how seriously I can take this!

1. Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness 
I try to shower each night before bed for two reasons - I have a thing about being clean all the time and more importantly I value my sleep immensely so the chances of a morning shower are usually slim to none.
The scent can be very important for bedtime use so I try not to choose any "perky" or "energizing" scent combinations. A gentle, soothing and moisturizing formula is always a must so that along with the fragrance requirement can make my choice somewhat difficult.
One that hits all those points and is one of my favorites is the This Works Deep Sleep Shower Gel ($28.00 for 8.4 oz) and the Cowshed Lazy Cow Soothing Bath & Shower Gel ($25.00 for 10 oz)

2. Butter Yourself Up 
I firmly believe that smooth, silky and soft skin is one of the top attributes of our femininity. Not only does your skin feel more comfortable with proper moisturization but it can also elevate your confidence like nothing else, regardless of the given situation. Bedtime pampering gives you the perfect opportunity for this because as we all know your skin renews and rejuvenates itself best during the night so arming it with some extra emollients can only amplify that effect.
My personal collection of body lotions and rich body butters are quite extensive but the ones I reach for more often during the summer months are Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter ($42.00 for 8 oz), Barr-Co. Fine Shea Butter Lotion ($24.00 for 16 oz) and the amazing The Body Shop Divine Calm Body Butter ($20.00 for 6.75 oz).

Bedtime 1 with The Body Shop , Anthropologie, Josie Maran

3. Amplified Bedtime Skincare Routine 
I already have a very extensive night time skincare routine with serums, eye creams and heavy duty moisturizers already in place. I like to refer to this as my core regiment and the major theme here is once again regenerate and rejuvenate in order to help the skin's natural nigh-time repair cycle. The products may change but their purpose remains relatively the same.
Every few nights I try to elevate the core with some additional weapons from my bathroom cabinet that really make a difference in both my skin quality and feel.
I am talking about overnight hydration masks (Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask), resurfacing treatments (Dr. Brandt Overnight Resurfacing Serum), targeted imperfection creams (Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel) and nightime eye serums (Ole Henriksen Truth is in the Eyes Vitamin C Peel Concentrate)

4. Luxury Girly Necessities 
These steps illustrate my high-maintenance nature best. They are obviously not must-have's and most probably don't have all that many major skin or body benefits but are complete indulgences of the beauty world and as such my favorite perks of being a girl. Taking the time to add these little steps to my bedtime make a huge difference when it comes to calming, comforting and preparing me for that lovely slumber time we all need more of.
Deeply moisturizing treatment hand creams take care of the most overlooked but so important body part and only take a few minutes to apply so I really have no excuse when it comes to using them. I keep several mini tubes on my bed-stand and the ones that always stand out are the impossibly cute LUSH Tiny Hands Hand Lotion ($8.95), Compagnie de Provence Wild Rose Shea Butter Hand Cream ($5.50 for 1 oz) and Lollia Relax Shea Butter Handcreme ($25.00 for 4 oz)

Bedtime 2 with Lollia, Compagnie de Provence, LUSH

Moisturizing and nourishing lip treatments are always a must for me and the ones that I love the most (right now) are Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm ($36.00), First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy ($15.00) and the new Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss ($3.99)
My eye lashes get some extra help and conditioning with the Mavala Eye-Lite Double Lash Night Treatment ($18.00) and L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum ($14.99)

Bedtime 3 with Lush, Disney, Prada Candy

5. Bonus Point Steps 
You are probably rolling your eyes by now but I promise I almost done! The finishing touches to this elaborate bedtime indulgence parade are a quick spritz of perfume (PRADA Candy), dusting powder on the sheets (LUSH Silky Underwear Dusting Powder) and maybe a pillow spray (DREAM Pillow Mist)

I think its pretty obvious at this point that I have an obvious cosmetic fetish and rest assured I am fully aware of this but I would still gladly recommend all of these products to anyone who is looking to make their bedtime routine a little more luxurious!
After all beauty products are wonderful perks of our feminine existence and we are all worthy of a little luxury :-)

I hope you enjoyed a tiny glimpse into my beauty product world

Do you have a bedtime routine? What is your favorite part?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Favourites - L'Occitane Cleansing and Softening Almond Shower Oil

After reviewing one of my favorite things - the L'Occitane Amande Concentre de Lait, I realized that I should talk about  my other favorite thing that i almost always use with the first. These two favorites are amazing individually of course BUT when they get together in my shower, their awesome powers combine and make me feel at least ten times as fabulous. 

Some of you already guessed what superhero I am talking about (plus the title kind of gives it away, duh!) but a proper introduction is still in order! 

Enter the amazing L'Occitane Cleansing and Soothing Almond Shower Oil!

Description;

This customer favorite, with its divine texture, helps to hydrate and tone the skin. It foams up when in contact with water, creating a luxurious lather. It will leave a satin-like softness all over your body, and a delicious sugary scent. A great product for men & women.

Key Ingredients;

Rosemary

Grape Vine

Almond Tree

First of all the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil has got to be one of the most indulgent and decadent body cleansers I have ever come across. In fact before I   tried this I didn't really have any kind of a strong opinion when it came down to body washes. Sure, I had tried a fair number of them but never really noticed any kind of a big difference when it came down to performance or how my skin felt afterwards. 

Well the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil changed all that with a single use! Isn't instant gratification great, you guys?

As the name implies this really is an oil-based body cleanser that is to be used just as a regular body wash in your shower. With the Almond Shower Oil I prefer to only use my hands but that's only because I feel that using a loofah or my salux causes me to use more than normal. Since this cleanser is definitively a little spendier than some of my other choices, I tend to ration it and use it only a couple of times a week, usually when I feel I need a bit more pampering. 

The texture of the L'Occitane Almond is definitively lighter and runnier than the average body wash but don't underestimate the hydration kick this "liquid gold" gives. The first time i used it I was a bit concerned because of that feature but what really annoyed me was the "light foaming" action. 

I kind of have a slight bubble addiction happening - for the longest time I just couldn't get past the notion that I could be clean without the "bubbling action". Fortunately my now-extensive use of cleansing balms changed my mind about the "foam crack" so when the shower oil only foamed a bit, I decided to give it a chance and keep an open mind for once. The bottle is designed well, its very easy to hold on to and the pump is amazing as well so no need to freak if I drop this during one of my many "clumsy" moments. 

The scent of the Almond Shower Oil is very similar to the Amande Concentre de Lait but maybe a touch less sweet, with some added "freshness" to it. Nonetheless the fragrance is still comforting to me, invoking nostalgic memories and a sense of calm each time I am wrapped in its goodness...

L'Occitane indicates that the shower oil can also be used for shaving and I have read a lot of reviews confirming that fact however I love this so much that for me that would feel too wasteful! 
It's just too good to be used for secondary things like that :-)

My favorite pampering formula has got to be: dry-skin body brushing, then warm shower with my Almond Shower Oil followed by the Amande Concentre de Lait. This combination makes my skin soft, silky, smooth, hydrated, comforted and ready for my favorite pj's, a soft bed, fluffy pillows, ice tea and a good book. In fact I think I will be engaging in just that kind of activity this evening! 

The L'Occitane Amande Concentre de Lait and the Almond Shower Oil can be found on the L'Occitane website, our trusty Sephora  and Amazon. 

**Just a quick hint, if you love this and want to save some money, so your pampering sessions can become more frequent consider getting the refill 500 ml size, which is only $34.00 The other sizes are - a mini 75 ml for $10 and a bigger 250 ml for $24.00. My math skills are not stellar but the refill sized 500 ml is definitively your best choice and its available only on the L'Occitane website. 

I hope this was a helpful review! 

Have you tried the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil? What is your favorite pampering combination? 

XOXO

ANJA  

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Review - Haus of Gloi Handmade Soap in Vice

I am no fan of solid bars of soap and i honestly don't remember the last time I used them without feeling "unclean" or at least un-rinsed if you know what I mean. No matter what brand I tried and regardless of their "no-residue" promises I always felt like my skin was either coated, irritated or dried out once i was out of the shower. The brick like shape was sadly too masculine for my girly ways too (i know, ridiculous!). For that reason I haven't really explored this new world of hand-made soaps, which are suppose to be gentler, moisturizing and made with natural ingredients, spiked with natural oils. I am very set in my ways when it comes to certain beauty habits.

If there ever was a company that had a chance to get me to explore the "soap world" then it would have to be Haus of Gloi. I absolutely love everything about them and the things they make (just check out the rest of my Haus of Gloi reviews here!) so it wasn't long till I stumbled upon their handmade soap section and got seduced once again.

Since I have been eager to try some more of their fragrance options the Vice Handmade Soap description was just too irresistible for my weak little mind.

Fragrance;

Steam billows rolling off a vessel of fresh made Turkish coffee, marshmallow goo tainted by graham cracker crumbs, toasted hazelnuts and blanketed in black chocolate

Ingredients;

Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit Oil, (organic and sustainably harvested) elaeis guineensis (palm) oil, water, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), sodium hydroxide, oryza sativa (rice) bran oil, fragrance and essential oil, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, coconut milk, titanium dioxide.

First of all the Vice fragrance is ridiculously good and even though when I first smelled it the scent seemed too strong and chocolate dominated but now I cant get enough of it and I feel like carrying a slice with me every where as a little pick-me-up. There is nothing wrong with that, right?

Once I got over myself and actually used this soap in the shower my judgments and preconceptions melted right into the drain and just like that I was on board. The lather was creamy, silky, fragrant and plentiful, giving it a very spa-like performance and feel. It rinsed easily and left my skin feeling soft, silky and slightly fragranced. Paired with the glorious Vice Pumpkin Butter this is my favorite indulgence and the experience itself is pampering, luxurious, glamorous and very comforting.
How great is it that a soap can make such a difference!

The Haus of Gloi Handmade Soaps have such a great formulation that it feels a little unfair to compare them to regular soap bars because the quality is literally off the charts.

Its the only bar of soap I will ever use and I already have my eye on a few new scents that are just aching to be ordered.
My top picks for now are: Lavender Sugar, Peach Mama and Troika

Check out the Haus of Gloi Handmade Soaps and the other products this awesome vegan company makes here and let me know what your favorite choices are!


XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Bliss - I Like Big 'Butter' and I Cannot Lie Set

Bliss World Spa is a New York based multi-channel spa and retail skincare company, founded by my fellow Canadian, Marcia Kilgore in 1996. The story goes that Ms. Kilgore started Bliss from her own student apartment where she personally preformed the now world-famous facial and body treatments using her friends as test subjects. Her personal struggle with skin imperfections inspired her to pursue a career in the skincare industry and help others with similar problems. The rest is history!
Today Bliss World Spa's are world renowned, with locations all over the world, signature treatment developments, luxury retailer demands, spa-inspired products and fans flocking to hoard some of their most popular items. With beauty awards lining their walls Bliss World Spa's are one of the top innovators in the cosmetic industry and they are now a household name.

One of the Bliss most popular releases would  have to be the signature scented Body Care lines, which includes - body, bath and hair products, all infused with the same fragrance. These include the Lemon+Sage, Blood Orange+White Pepper, Minty, Vanilla+Bergamot and Unscented. 

My favorite Bliss scent infusion is definitively the Lemon+Sage version, which is surprising since this is not a fragrance that is expected from a girly girl like me. The combination of the lemon and "fresh sage" translates into a strong citrus-like scent that is so uplifting and crisp that I would almost label it as energizing and mood boosting. Its a perfect way to start your day each morning for a little "perk-up".

Bliss often has bundles, minis or general gift sets that allow you to try more of their products or stock up on your favorites, while spending less.
The I Like Big Butter and I Cannot Lie is an irresistible combination set of extra-large sizes of my regular Bliss body care products. The fact that its a value set definitively gives it some extra brownie points!

Contains;

Lemon+Sage Body Butter (14 oz)

Lemon+Sage Soapy Suds (16 oz)

Bliss Description;

O-M-G, look at this bundle—it is SO big! This real ‘thick and juicy’ duo features hefty helpings of our legendary lemony moisture cream and liquid lather. So ladies (yeah), ladies (yeah), does your bod feel super-soft? Then turn around, squeeze it out, even Bliss Girls got to shout—baby got ‘bath’!

Lemon+Sage Body Butter Description;

Marvelously moisturizing, our famous, fabulous, fresh-citrus scented body butter is so incredibly effective that a single squeeze can make rough and scaly skin 'history'.

Lemon+Sage Soapy Suds Description;

This citrus-scented liquid soap whips up a luxe lather that cleans and conditions for supremely soft skin. Use as a body wash to shake up your shower, or pour a bit into the bath for a more stimulating soak; either way, it’ll make routine foaming much more fabulous. Paraben free


The Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter holds a special place in my heart because it was one of my first Bliss products I purchased myself  and basically my informal introduction to higher-end body products. Aside from the energizing scent the thing I love most about this "cream" is the fact that its texture is a lot lighter and creamier than the conventional body butter formulation. Its exactly that feature that makes this so much easier to work with for those dry days when I don't necessarily have too much extra time to wait around before getting dressed. It makes my skin silky smooth, lightly fragranced and comfortable all day long. I really can't find anything wrong with the Bliss formula and I really appreciate the convenient tube packaging.  

The Bliss Lemon+Sage Soapy Suds is multi-purpose body cleanser that preforms great as a body wash, bubble bath and even as simple bath soak. Its definitively one of the underrated products in the Bliss body collection but I think I could say that about the majority of body washes available in the beauty market today. My expectations of a body cleanser are quite simple - creamy lather with bubbles, no residue leftovers and a fragrance I can at least tolerate! The Lemon+Sage Soapy Suds fulfills all of those with the bonus perk of a fragrance that I love and find extremely uplifting especially during those groggy mornings when the get-up and go seems so difficult.
While I do really love the Soapy Suds, aside from the lovely fragrance I can's say that the formulation is all that different from all the other body washes I tried that were less expensive than the Bliss version. I am far from disappointed and I love using this in my morning shower but its definitively not a must have item for me.  

In conclusion I love the Bliss "I Love Big Butter And I Cannot Lie" Set because of the product combination, their performance and the value. However the star of this bundle is definitively the Lemon+Sage Body Butter ($10 to $35) and its something I would repurchase on its own for sure. The Lemon+Sage Soapy Suds ($21) while a joy to use is a bit underwhelming in comparison with its body butter counterpart. 
That said I would definitively get and use the Soapy Suds if I was to luck out and find  it in another gift or value set. 

The Bliss "I Love Big Butter and I Cannot Lie" set is often available at Blissworld and most Sephora stores. You can purchase the Lemon+Sage products individually as well at both locations.


Did anyone else try the Bliss Lemon+Sage products? What do you think about other Bliss products?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)