The Beauty Alchemist

Chanel Chance Hand Soap and Body Lotion

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:18:00 +0000

Love a high end hand soap? Chanel has launched hand soaps and body lotions in all the Chance fragrances. This will up your guest bathroom look.

The Liquid Soap comes in a large 13.5 oz bottle and can also be used as a body wash. It's lightly scented and not drying.

The Body Lotion is the same size 13.5 oz bottle as the soap, listed with 95% naturally derived ingredients. It's lightly moisturizing. More than many scented lotions but not heavy. The fragrance is strong but blends down as it dries. A great way to get lotion and scent in one step.

There is also a body and hair oil .

Chanel Chance Hand Soap is $95

Chanel Chance Body Lotion is $100 at Chanel.com

*gifted, no obligation

Chanel La Mousse Cleanser

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 21:38:25 +0000

Chanel's La Mousse Cleanser is a light foaming mousse that gets skin clean without feeling dry or tight.

You need only a small amount and it removes makeup well. It has a light scent and feels moisturizing on skin. It's a thick mousse and the tube is good sized at 5 oz so it will last long.

Chanel La Mousse Cleanser is $65 at Chanel.com

*pr sample

Avon Wild Country Boot Perfume

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:03:00 +0000

Avon has brought out Wild Country in a boot bottle.

The women's scent is a light fruity floral EDP and new . Notes include mandarin, vanilla and tonka. The men's , woods and green cologne with notes of lavender, geranium and sandalwood . The top is a splash not a spray on both .

Most people are looking for ways to budget buy , these 5 oz EDP bottles are $24.99 each and great for the teens and tweens who want to get into fragrance but don't want to to spend a lot.

With that price point it's much more affordable. You can shop Avon here online .

Espieve Sunscreen

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 04:34:00 +0000

We all know sunscreen is year round and awhile back I got to try a new SPF. Espieve was founded by a mother and esthetician .

Espieve Body Spray Sunscreen is a mineral based spray that goes on light with SPF 25. The formula is somewhat moisturizing without being greasy and leaves no white cast. It blends right in . It has several seed oils along with hyaluronic acid and vitamin e while being reef friendly and cruelty free. There is also little fragrance.

Made in the USA they also have lip balm, tinted and non tinted sunscreens and a nice brush that you can use to brush in your SPF or makeup.

Espieve Body Spray Sunscreen is $40 and available at Espieve

Chanel Chance Eau Splendide

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:19:00 +0000

Chanel debuted the new Chance Eau Splendide with a little music. A record by the face of the fragrance singer Angèle

The new scent is fun and fruity but not super sweet with green notes of rose geranium and cedar wafting through along with rose, violet , iris and raspberry. I am not a berry fragrance fan in general but I like this one, it's not a berry scent but more green floral. The violet is prominent along with the rose and the berry but also the cedar to keep it from heading in a sweet direction. It's a beauty for Summer , it wears softly but still has staying power with medium sillage .

To hear the record go to my Instagram page .

Chanel Chance Eau Splendide is an EDP and is $143 for 1.7 oz and $176 for 3.4 oz

Eau D'Italie Acqua Di Positano Fragrance Travel Sizes

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:34:00 +0000

Eau D'Italie @eauditalie_official has a new fragrance , Acqua Di Positano. Sunwarmed, salty and citrus , it's a beauty.

Heavy on the orange blossom but soft orange blossom, blooming off a salty ocean breeze with petitgrain adding more citrus and driftwood bringing light woods. It's bright and sunny and easy to wear. The driftwood gets a little musky at the drydown conveying that warm skin in the sun feel with the citrus and orange blossom staying in the scent too.

Eau D'Italie and Altaia are also now available in travel sizes. I love when a brand does this. Easier to take with you yes, but also more affordable. The 10ml of Acqua Di Positano is 55$. Travel sizes are also available in the Signature scent, and Altaia's Don't Cry For Me and By Any Other Name are $68.

Eau D'Italie is exclusive to www.beautyhabit.com in the US.

*gifted no obligation

RoC Derm Correxion Firming Serum Stick Advanced Retinol

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 19:19:00 +0000

It's hard not to like skincare in a stick. So easy , so portable. And also cute. @rocskincare RoC skincare's new Firming Serum Stick is all of these. It's been awhile since I had tried any of RoC's newer launches and when I saw this online , I knew I had to try it. Fun fact, I was a RoC official ambassador at one point many years ago . I still have the badge on my blog page.

The new Firming Serum Stick is a clear gel like formula with retinol that you turn up and swipe on. It's not sticky and is lightly moisturizing . It glides on easily, no muss, no fuss. How much easier can skincare get ? A big plus ? It really works. I've been using mine for about 3 weeks but I noticed a brightening pretty quickly, some smoothing and I had been using another retinol product previous to this one. After a couple days I noticed a difference. I've been using this on the backs of my hands too. And they've gotten much smoother.

I often moisturized with a cream over it but not always. When it's colder I need some extra moisture, when it's warmer like today ( almost 90') not so much. If you are drier skinned than you'll want to add a cream over it. I didn't find it drying to my skin, but most retinols I've used in the past weren't either. And again, I did usually add something on top of it. Unfortunately I don't know the % of retinol here as it's not listed. By the way it's worked I'd say a decent bit.

The Serum Stick also has glycerin for moisture and cranberry fruit extract and ascorbic acid for antioxidants and newer ingredient THPE that is said to tighten and contour , while working with a retinol. I found this quote online from a RoC press release "Firming THPE, whose efficacy is clinically proven and was published at the American Academy of Dermatology, lifts, significantly improves facial contours, and increases skin's firmness by 1.9 times, while slow-release Pure RoC Retinol continually boosts elasticity and reduces lines and wrinkles."

If you want to see a video of this, hit up my Instagram post here -https://www.instagram.com/p/C6WgnKSubfo/

*gifted, no obligation

AKT London All Over Scented Deodorant Balm

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:11:00 +0000

When was the last time your deodorant had a scent profile ? And you looked forward to applying it ? The new AKT deodorant balms do that. Made in the UK with scents of violet or citrus ( the ones I have here, there are others) they smell that good .

I haven't done much with the more natural all over deodorants, I've tried a couple here and there but none really worked that well for me. I admit I sweat, and when it gets warm, a lot. Not much is going to stop that sweat on me, I've used used clinical ones in the past as they worked . But most natural deodorants and many aluminum ones haven't completely stopped odor either. AKT does .

AKT SC .05 Ext. Columbia Rd. smells amazing like you've gone through a field of Violets on a rainy spring day while SC .01 Ext. Orange Grove is a crisp green citrus . Rind, fruit and a little of the tree itself. They keep the odor at bay all day , all night and into the next morning., I had no breakthrough. I still had perspiration but again I'm not expecting anything to fully stop that. And hey we all sweat but we hopefully don't reek of it.

The formula is a thick balm that comes in a very apothecary chic aluminum tube you apply wherever you need or want it . AKT also has a "key" made from heavy brass that you can get to make turning the tube extra easy. You don't need that per se, but it does make it easier to use. It acts as a little bit of fragrance too, with that you might want to tailor your perfume, if you wear it, to coordinate because these do not have a strong scent but it's not a light either. You can smell it but you have to be close.

There are five fragrances available along with a discovery set and a starter set. I believe there is a unscented option on the UK website. Price wise these are higher than many but not at luxury brand level. Each tube is 29$. For me, it's something I will definitely want to keep on hand. Elevate the everyday is something I say and this does just that.

website AKT London

*gifted, no obligation

Eau D'Italie Liquid Soap and Body Lotion - Fig and Berries

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:46:00 +0000

Do you love luxe hand soaps ? I do, I admit. They're a real treat. Elevating the everyday I guess we'd call it and I am all for that.

As a fan of Eau D'Italie's fragrances it wasn't hard to imagine I'd love their newest releases of liquid hand soap and body lotion.

Both liquid soap and lotions come in eight different scents housed in 300 ml pump bottles. All the fragrances sounded quite good but I went with Fig & Berries. The hand soap is lightly scented with a green , berry fragrance. It's not overly noticeable but soft. The soap itself is a thin liquid that doesn't lather too much , which I like, but gets hands clean without drying them out thanks to coconut and olive fruit oil . Do I love this, yes. I use it sparingly so it doesn't run out too quick.

The body lotion is well scented , not too thick or too thin lotion and moisturizes nicely with shea butter and almond oil . It dries pretty fast too, leaving a soft scent trail behind. Fig and Berries is slightly sweet and woodsy with plenty of fig and blackberry. The lotion is more strongly scented than the soap with more of the berry and fig.

With Easter and Mother's Day coming , these make great gifts . Useful but deluxe selfcare, who doesn't want a little bit of Italy, the Amalfi Coast and Positano where the brand originates from, by the bedside or vanity ? It's all La Dolce Vita.

Eau D'Italie hand soaps, body lotions and fragrances are exclusive to Beautyhabit.com in the US. You can find the full selection online .

*gifted, no obligation

Byroe Skincare

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 04:26:00 +0000

I was introduced to Byroe this past Summer and it's been love . The brand calls it Superfood skincare as they use upcycled fruits and vegetables in their formulas.

Three that I am loving right now are:

Truffle Eye Serum- The Mom also signs off on this one. She just told me she's almost done hers. Ok, but I'm not giving my tube up. The lightweight creamy serum moisturizes well with three different hyaluronic acids, shea butter and avocado peptides, smoothes a little and feels so silky on the eye area. It works well under makeup or at night. I use it both times of day. It's also the rare eye treatment that comes in a 1 oz tube so it lasts longer and a little goes a long way , you don't need to apply a lot.

Pumpkin Pro Retinol Cream - One of their newer products, this uses upcycled vitamin rich pumpkin along with retinol derived from calendula , bakuchiol and botanical oils and extracts. It's very hydrating , thick ( and orange) but doesn't stay sticky or heavy on skin and is very gentle. It can be used day and night ,a great multi tasker to get treatment and moisture in one. The Mom was out of face cream a couple weeks ago so I gave her the remainder of my jar and while she was not sure about pumpkin before trying it, she absolutely loves it . It's been smoothing and hydrating but gentle and is another product where you don't need a lot . Plus slathering on the orange tinted cream is kind of fun.

Kiwi Detox Gel Cleanser- I love a good green gel cleanser and I swear even though I know cleansers aren't on your face long enough to do a lot beyond cleanse, my skin feels smoother after using this. There's BHA in salicylic acid, AHA in citric acid and PHA in gluconolactone in there for smoothing. Arnica to soothe and a list of vegetable and fruits extracts inlcuding Kiwi . It's very easy on skin, works well for oily/combo skin with no dryness / tightness. Plus it looks and smells good .

You can find a lot more info at the brand's site https://byroe.com/

*products provided for testing

Estee Lauder Legacy Collection Perfumes

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 22:40:00 +0000

I was very glad to get a set of samples of the new Estee Lauder Legacy collection from my friend Kathy . I will admit to not being overly familiar with many of the originals, the only one I own is an older solid of White Linen, which is in the jeweled rocking horse. I can't even remember when I tried the others. So I can't compare the new vs old well. I've got my quick takes on the line.

Knowing Legacy- I have an original bottle of Knowing but I haven't found it yet. The Legacy version brings a feel of smoky leather, blackberry underneath rose with a lot of patchouli and sandalwood. It has a lot of sillage, one spray of this sample lasted hours.

Estee Legacy- Floral and chypre like. Pretty , bright, a warm aldehydic floral embrace. The florals include carnation which gives a good hit of spice, jasmine , ylang, ylang and rose. I get wafts of all of those and the honey note while not prominent adds a touch of sweetness that lasts . It dries down sweetish, floral and musky with good sillage as they all have. This is my favorite of the quintet.

Private Collection Legacy- Mossy, chypre like, green, aldehydes. A very old school , cool, metallic feeling to it. This one has galbanum, rose, sage, basil, oakmoss and you can clearly smell many of those herbal notes as well as the oakmoss. It's aromatic, very elegant & high end smelling and dries down soft, close to skin with light sillage.

White Linen Legacy - Fruit , powder , aldehydes. The rose here is very powdery, vintage lipstick like with a lot of vetiver and labdanum . As it dries down it's more a soft focus rose with the aldehydes in the background . White Linen is the only one of these I have. It's an older solid but mine smells a bit warmer and more woodsy and strong than the Legacy version. This one is a good example of just how robust these scents are. It was still on my hand after rubbing with astringent & a shower later.

Azuree Legacy- Bold right off, this has big sillage, a power scent. Chypre like and very herbal with a lot of spices. There's sage and oakmoss , plus clove and patchouli. Jasmine is listed as note but it's in the background. Malle had them add cumin and in the drydown it's there . This is spicy & dusty leather on me.

It's going to be interesting to see how/if these appeal to younger buyers which I imagine is at least part if not mainly the goal here. The modern updates are well done but will these still very old school type scents attract them ? I would love to see younger enthusiasts embrace or at least know some of the scents that are considered "old" now. And will those faithful to the originals gravitate towards Legacy versions ? I think they should give them a try or sniff. You can have both versions.
As a brand and as a company Lauder is having some trouble right now. Sales are down. While they have great products they haven't managed to capture the younger clientele or grab a lot of anyone's attention . The brand is in need of it's own reboot in a way. The beauty marketplace is crowded and there hasn't been anything innovative or unique coming from EL in awhile Will this new line do it ?

The Legacy line is on sale now and bottles are $ 280 each at Bergdorfs

* this post contains an affliate link

Payot Lisse Skincare Cream and Serum

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 02:11:00 +0000

It's been awhile since I used Payot @payotus skincare but back when I did I loved it. Still do. Payot, if you're not familiar is a historic over 100 year old French brand most often found in their famous pharmacies but also available here in the US via their website.

Two new products housed in the signature curved glass containers are the Plumping Booster Serum and Wrinkle Smoothing Cream from their Lisse line. The Mom has been asking for a new moisturizing cream so that went right to her. I went with the serum.

The Wrinkle Smoothing Cream is a lovely, light but very moisturizing, whipped feel traditional face cream with hyaluronic acid , glycerin and herbal extracts like wild pansy Mom loves it. She said it's not greasy or heavy and does seem to smooth some.

The Plumping Booster Serum is neat in that it's a jarred serum and has a bouncy gel cream feel to it. It's very lightly moisturizing, and dries fast making it great for under makeup or under the cream. It has a higher dose of hyaluronic acid according to the brand along with herbal extracts . This has been nice for the warmer weather, it's very humid here so I only use a serum .

Both of these are fragranced, it's a soft herbal floral scent , not too strong but not light either. Very soothing and fresh I think .

Payot uses varying percentages of natural origin ingredients in their products, the actual number is noted on the boxes which are made of recycled paper and the Lisse jars of 20 % recycled glass.

These are bringing a certain touche à la français to our vanities and I'm here for it.

More at : https://us.payot.com/

The cream and serum are $58 each.

The Serum

Burberry Goddess

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 21:17:00 +0000

Goddess is the new Burberry scent and it's going to be their newest pillar fragrance. The vanilla and lavender scent comes in a hefty square bottle which reminds me of a few men's fragrances and the medallion is metal not a label .

Like florals for spring, vanilla and lavender isn't reinventing the wheel, but it's also a popular combo.

I personally am not a big vanilla fan. Most people are but I'm fine with to being the odd woman out. It isn't the first time. Maybe I don't love vanilla but I knew this was going to be a big release into fall and so I still wanted to try it.

It is very vanilla right off but not as much a creamy gourmand one. Lighter and less foody, even a bit sharp, but still very much vanilla. They say they have used 3 different vanillas ( one per the perfumer Amandine Clerc- Marie is " Firgood™ , also known as vanilla caviar, used for the first time in a fragrance. This innovative new ingredient adds a sweet, rich, and animalic vanilla) along with the lavender and it also smells somewhat woodsy. Warm woods along with some super light ginger . The lavender does show up as an aromatic waft throughout but isn't strong.

There are other scents out there with a similar scent profile. I don't have many of those handy so I can't compare but if you do and give this a sniff, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Goddess is pretty enough and leans a little masculine at times. Sillage is medium. I think it will blossom more in the cold when it will be cozier but regardless, it will be popular .

It does come in a purse size which I'm always for and the bottle is refillable.

Chanel Douceur D'Equinoxe Blush Duos - Fall 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 01:06:00 +0000

Chanel's new blushes for Fall are that pretty. They know how to pull us in . Douceur D' Equinoxe are blush duos with a separate shade in the double C. There are 2 colorways - Beige Rose et Mauve and Beige et Corail. Both are very wearable and spot on for the season. The pigment is medium and buildable., These don't go on with bold color payoff but aren't light either. They are a satin finish with the tiniest bit of shimmer that doesn't show too much on skin.

The leaves are embossed in and not an overspray. They are really nicely done .

There are two new nail shades as well and this one is a perfect pumpkin orange called Ete Indien.

*gifted

Blue Lizard Sheer Lotion Sunscreen

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 01:57:00 +0000

The Memorial Day weekend is here in the US and it's become the signal that summer is here or almost here. It means being outside more, sunnier days and lots of sunscreen.

I've been trying out the Blue Lizard @bluelizardsunscreen line of mineral based sunscreens . I have the Sheer Lotion versions for Face and Body Broad Spectrum 50+ with blue light protection.
These are both a pretty thick sunscreen. You will feel them on until they are rubbed in but once set they don't feel super heavy and they blend in easily. There is a slight white cast initially but that does fade. I'm pretty fair so once I rubbed them in and a few minutes went by, I didn't notice much of a cast on me. The box does say " dries clear" and for a heavy mineral SPF I think they do pretty well in that area.

I haven't used them on my face as these are very moisturizing, so even the face one will be too much for my oily, sticky face in summer. They both have shea butter, aloe leaf juice , papaya, ginko and cucumber extracts, and vegetable, marula and rosa canina seed oils. That makes them both very creamy and adding a good bit of moisture along with SPF. I love using them ( yes the face one too) on my arms especially because there I can use the moisture .

The Face SPF is titanium dioxide 9% and zinc 6% face
The Body SPF is titanium dioxide 9% and zinc 8%

#gifted, no obligation

Altaia Any Day Now Perfume

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 01:50:00 +0000

Any Day Now is the newest from Altaia, celebrating the 150 year history in Argentina between the two families of the husband and wife team behind the brand.

Any Day Now is a spicy rose, a favorite scent type for me. It's a
dark rose mixed with musk , woods and spice . A rich rose at the beginning with a sharp tone to it at times. This is a rose with edge. Her thorns haven't been stripped away but she's not super prickly either.

The woods and the rose mingle pretty equally most of the time . Think of roses nestled into the fallen logs of cedar ringed woods and you get the idea. By the full drydown it's a softer scent wearing closer to the skin, ambery rose with less bite and the patchouli giving it some warmth and depth.
A romantic scent. One for an assured grown up.

In the US exclusive to @beautyhabit .

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @thebeautyalchemist and on tiktok @beautyalchemistog for more perfume and makeup.

*gifted*

Gucci Eternite De Beaute Luminous Matte Finish Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 21:40:00 +0000

Gucci has released a new foundation , it's matte like the previous formula but this time a luminous matte- Eternite De Beaute 24HR Wear Breathable Foundation Luminous Matte Finish

I have the older version Fluide de Beaute Fini Naturel so I can tell you they are different. It does look like maybe the Fini Naturel is being phased out too as it's not showing up many place for sale. The new version has a cream colored cap where the older is the Gucci pink that a lot of their packaging sports.

The new Eternite De Beaute Luminous Matte foundation is a beauty . I like it better than the former version. It is what it says - luminous and matte. Not a flat matte and not a dry matte which the earlier version was a little . This one gives you a good glow up without any shimmer, pearl or mica. There's no actual shine you just look brightened. It is full coverage , I don't even feel the need for concealer even under my eyes. That area could have used a little but without it , just the foundation, it was still pretty good.

The formula has glycerin early on in the ingredient list and hyaluronic acid further down . So it does have hydrators and that gives it a more creamy feel on the face than some mattes. It wears very well, the longwear claim is true, without oxidizing and or fading all day. I did feel like I have makeup on , it's lightweight but not a barely there feeling. Again this is truly full coverage though and I love a full coverage foundation so it works for me.

This will be my warm weather foundation , it is a little more matte than I can use right now , my skin is combo but drier in the non T Zone areas . This needs a good moisturizer beforehand if you're not oily. If you are you'll be fine as is. In Summer this will be spot on for my humidity sticky, oilier skin.

Gucci rarely disappoints with their makeup and this is another win in my beauty book.

____________________________

*gifted, sample from brand*

Kiss My Face Goat Milk Body Wash & Moisture Shave

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 00:57:00 +0000

I had used a few Kiss My Face products years and years ago . Always liked them and whatever I used including shampoos worked well. They've been off my radar awhile though so when they reached out to try some samples I was happy to hear from them.

Kiss My Face has been doing the cruelty free, natural beauty thing since 1983. It's a very saturated space right now but not when they started , not even when I last used them .

The Goat Milk Rosemary Tea Tree Body Wash is really nice. It's lightly moisturizing with sunflower seed oil , argan oil and shea butter. It doesn't lather a lot, rinses off well and the scent is subtle herbs and citrus .

There's also Cedarwood and Bergamot Moisture Shave which is geared towards men and facial shaving but it's easily used for legs etc. It's very,very creamy and moisturizing . It helps to get a close shave and feels good on skin which I would think would make it a good pick for men's faces. The scent is very cool cedar and citrus that is much stronger than the Body Wash.

They also have a nice selection of hand soaps that I want to check out and suncare. Everything is well priced too I think, with the 16 oz Body Wash coming in at $9.99 at KissMyFace.com

Altaia Atacama

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 23:57:00 +0000

The newest fragrance from Altaia is a beauty. I've been wearing it almost every day for a couple weeks and with my fragrance collection that's saying something. I don't wear the same one over again too often.

Atacama celebrates the line's South American heritage and was inspired by the the Atacama desert. It's the highest desert on earth and also the driest (parts are covered with dried salt) but also one that with a little rain brings out the blooms of pink mallow flowers throughout. I'm a geography and travel buff but I admit I had never heard of it so it was interesting to learn about it. To see how beautiful it is when the flowers bloom check out the second slide.

The scent is not exactly desert like but it is dry. Also creamy and beachy with a suntan lotion feel but nothing too overt , nothing that screams sunscreen. More like the coziest sunbaked beach day with the salty breeze, fragrant flowers nearby and damp driftwood .A lush jasmine , freesia, clary sage and tonka are the main notes here along with cashmere woods. The jasmine combined with the sage, a note I tend to love and then the tonka makes it cozy and nuzzly as it dries down ,with a hint of vanilla sweetness. I can't stop sniffing myself when I wear this.

Atacama has good lasting power, I get whiffs of it most of the day . The sillage is light to medium.

Available at Beautyhabit.com

Mystic Sunset by Eau D'Italie

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 01:16:00 +0000

Italian Summers and La Dolce Vita , it's the stuff of movies and yes, perfume. Eau D'Italie takes us there with their beautiful creations and their newest scent Mystic Sunset, draws us into the warm evening near the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Eau d'Italie is the fragrance line from the family behind the legendary Le Sirenuse Positano hotel in Italy and is exclusive to the fabulous, you want everything beauty retailer Beautyhabit. I remember Eau D'Italie well from years back when I went to NYC on sniffing excursions. It has been some time since I visited with the line and they recently revamped their look.

Inspired by the setting sun over Positano's bay and created by perfumer Marie Salamagne, the heavy weighted glass bottle holds the scent of cassis ( blackcurrant) , osmanthus, cane sugar , saffron, jasmine and cedar.

I am not always a fan of cassis, it depends. Here I really like it, as it's not too sweet or overdone. More the fresh fruit that's not overripe, maybe even a little tart. The cane sugar also doesn't make it too sweet but is just enough. The light florals are barely there and mix nicely while the saffron keeps it all a little dry. The cedar definitely shows up as it dries down but in no way overwhelms the rest of the scent.

Mystic Sunset is sunny , calm, easy to wear and subtly sultry. Not shy but not too bold it takes you away without leaving your yard. Can't get to Italy ? Go there via scent .

Eau D'Italie Mystic Sunset is available at Beautyhabit

Chanel La Pausa Spring/ Summer 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:24:00 +0000

A little sunshine for your day -Chanel style from the so pretty La Pausa S/S22 color collection. This line brings the gold and bronzes for eyes with a pop of color for lips in their new balms. It's your trip to the Cote d'Azur without leaving home.

The eye quad Mediterraneen is all gold kissed shimmer shades. These are creamy , blend well and have good pigment. They are not dark but also not sheer except for the top left shade which goes on with a lighter look on than the others. I've been wearing this so much. It's pretty perfect for an easy but not so basic eye.

The Blush Lumiere comes in two shades, I have Peche Rose, a warming terracotta peach with a tiny bit of shimmer. It's a gorgeous color with medium pigment. It looks like it will go on deeply colored but it doesn't making it easily buildable. There is a deeper brown bronzy shade as well .

The Rouge Coco Baumes come in an extra chic Summer ready white case. There are several shades of pink , nude and more. The red shown is In Love. The balms are nice , I love a tinted balm, but don't get them to wear against cold temps. They have light moisture and an almost matte pigment rich finish. Not for the cold weather unless you layer a heavier balm over them. They are def a Spring lippie but for then, they're perfect. You'll look good popping one out of your season ready straw bag .

Tiffany Rose Gold EDP

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:22:00 +0000

New from Tiffany & Co. is Rose Gold EDP.

It's sparkly, fruity and light . You get blackcurrant right off , it reminds me a bit of a bubbly sweet rosé like the old Asti Spumantes I drank as a young adult. Then you have musk and woods start coming in with a soft , non powdery dry rose . This could be the iris note but I really don't smell much iris to be honest. Musk and ambrette are the drydown and it's very musky , light musks nothing heavy .

Overall this isn't anything unique , it's the Tiffany association that people will go for and I have no problem with that. It's pretty , light and easy to wear if not unlike something else you've sniffed. I can think of many people I know who'd be thrilled with it for a gift.
My favorite Tiffany remains the unfortunately named &Love For Her, cool cologne like citrus floral.

Something else fun is if you buy Rose Gold from Tiffany's you can have the bottle engraved.

Tiffany Rose Gold is $ 108 for 1.7 oz

Maybelline The Colossal Long Wear Mascara

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:16:00 +0000

Maybelline generally new rocks the mascara game and their newest is The Colossal long wear. I have the waterproof version because my eyes often laugh at "long wear ". I need super durable mascara. The Colossal has a large wide spoolie (mega on the packaging) and the formula is thick but not overly wet or gloppy. I like that. It adds volume and length with 1 coat but 2 gives much more of both and it is buildable without looking spidery. I've done 3 coats with no problem. It is definitely long wear, going all day with no smudge ,runs etc. The claim is 36 hr wear but I don't know about that. I haven't tried keeping it in that long , wash your face every night peeps.

By late night it's worn off some ,still there but not as "new" looking. It removes easily with cold cream but doesn't wash off . It really holds onto lashes. Again though non waterproof might be different.

Solid winner for me and I've given one to The Mom and she really likes it too. If you need long wear with a big lash look The Colossal has got it.

Alpyn Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:54:00 +0000

While I've visited the Southwest many times I've never been to the West , but Wyoming has always been high on the list of beautiful places to see. Alpyn Beauty is based in Jackson Hole, uses the plants of the area in their skincare and is inpired by the Alpenglow there that bathes everything in a warm pink light at Sunset. If skincare can bring a little of that to me, I'm in. I can visualize sitting in a field of wildflowers, the snow capped Tetons in the distance and maybe a moose or elk grazing across the meadow. Ok, that might be over the top but it's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The Line Filling Eye Balm is my top pick, but then again I am all about the eye creams. This is lightweight with medium moisture that also smoothes and fills a little. That makes it perfect for under makeup and day wear.

I also really like the Creamy Bubbling Cleanser. I also love a good cleanser and while it's something you don't really need to spend a lot on, I'm all for a more luxe one. Self care right there. This gets the makeup off, isn't drying and has a light herbal scent leaving skin feeling soft after rinsing.

The Calming Midnight Mask is one I'm still playing with. It's got a lot of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid , sweet almond and sunflower oils, shea and mango butter, but it's lightweight. It also has bakuchiol( my first product with this ) and melatonin. For drier skin it might not be enough but as we move into warmer weather I think this will be great for my combo skin. It sinks in fast, leaves no sticky feeling and smells good . Alpyn's site does rec using this over a moisturizer which I am not doing so if you are drier , that would be the way to go.

Alpyn Beauty Calming Midnight Mask is $ 68

Alpyn Beauty Line Filling Eye Balm is $ 62

Alpyn Beauty Creamy Bubbling Cleanser is $ 36

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Facial Drops

noreply@blogger.com (Beauty Alchemist) — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:43:00 +0000

It's sunny season almost and that means self tanner season for those of us who like to be bronzed. And I do, I love being tan but I'm not about to bake myself in the sun, first we all know that's not good for you and I'm not a big fan of the heat, so faux it is. I've been a fan of L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze line having used many iterations of it over the years . This year brings face tanning drops you add to your fav moisturizer.

The directions say add 5 or more drops to a pea size spot of moisturizer , mix, then apply to face. The tanning serum is pretty moisturizing itself with hylauronic acid and a lot of slip . I've been blending it with my day cream but I think it could be used alone to be honest. Last night I used mostly drops with a little night cream and it worked fine. I'm getting good results with this, the first use I had a light just barely noticeable tanned look, the second a day later more bronzed but not dark or overdone or orangey. ( for reference , I have fair skin) .

On application you have a hint of tint and then it takes 6-8 hours to fully develop. The color is lasting too . With washing my face twice a day I wondered how it would hold up, but the 2 applications Saturday and Sunday still had some color through Wednesday when I did another round. With the drops you can add more or less for the color you want and how often.