Winter Revival: Beauty Picks 2018

Sunshine, streetcar rides, beignets, and temperatures well above 40 degrees, oh, New Orleans, how I will miss you. Unfortunately, I will be back in Pittsburgh come Monday after my impromptu trip to my home away from home in The Big Easy this weekend. (Want to see what I’ve up too in New Orleans this weekend? Be sure to follow me on Instagram and check out my Story Highlights!) Which that means along with missing my daily dose of sugar from having beignets for breakfast, I will also be coping with biting winds, dropping temperatures, hot showers and dry air from indoor heat, which does absolutely nothing for a girl’s skin and hair! However, in light of to the abysmal weather that the ‘Burgh has this time of year, I decided that this was a great time to sneak away for the weekend to enjoy some warmer weather, R&R, and treat myself to some skin and hair reviving treatments too! And since I’m sure many of my readers back up north are also feeling the winter beauty struggle as well, for today’s post, I’ve decided to compile a list of my top twelve winter beauty products for 2018 to share with you all. 

1. Harvey Prince Organics Ageless Exfoliating Bar Soap

To kick off my winter revival list, I decided to start with Harvey Prince Organics Ageless Exfoliating Bar Soap. This product is contains notes of BuPink Grapefruit, Pomegranate, Mango, Jasmine, Tuberose, YlangYlang, and Sandalwood, giving you a fresh, sensual, luminous scent that everyone will love. This soap also lathers nicely, giving you a nice thick foam to wash your face, body, and hands with, and Ageless Exfoliating Bar Soap also reduces dry skin by gentley exfoliating your skin, leaving it soft and smooth.

Buy It Here: Harvey Prince Organics Exfoliating Bar Soap

2. Fango Mud Therapy Mask

If you’ve been a long time reader here, you probably recognize this product from a number of Instagram posts last year, as well as a different, limited addition, version of this product from my collaboration with Harvey Prince Organics. You should also know that the reason this product is making my beauty essentials list for a second year in a row is because though Harvey Prince no longer provides their Fango Mud Therapy Mask, Borghese does and it is still the absolute best face mask out there! This mask leaves your skin feeling clean, refreshed, and unbelievably smooth after just one use. And though this product is great for year round use, its extra helpful in the winter due to the fact it provides deep moisturizing benefits, which is crucial for reducing dry or chapped skin from being out in the cold winter weather. 

Buy It Here: Borghese Fango Mud Therapy Mask

3. philosophy Miracle Worker Fix

Though I do not have an issue with wrinkles, I do occasionally have issues with bags under my eyes (I blame it on lack of sleep between working and being a college student), so this year I decided to try philosophy's Miracle Worker Fix, and I have to say that it really does work! I've been using it for about three weeks now, and again, though wrinkles (what this product is primarily used to reduce) are not an issue of mine, I have noticed a significant improvement with the bags under my eyes and a reduction of puffiness. 

Buy It Here: philosophy Miracle Worker Fix

4. Harvey Prince Organics Hello Body Butter

There are simply not enough positive things I have to say about Harvey Prince Organics Hello Body Butter. This stuff is absolutely amazing! For starters, you can use this body butter on both your body and face without fear of potential breakouts because this product is designed to help nurture sensitive skin. Next, just like all of Harvey Prince Organics products, it is 100% cruelty free making it a great choice for smoother skin without harming any of our fury friends. The reason I say this product is so amazing though is because it leaves your skin feeling very soft and smooth, which we all know can be hard to maintain in the winter time. It is also very easy to apply and isn’t overly heavy and oily like some other body butters. And last but not least, this body butter smells absolutely amazing. 

Buy It Here: Harvey Prince Organics Hello Body Butter

5. L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Hair Care Routine (Shampoo, Conditioner, Leave In Cream, and Lustrous Oil Serum)

These next products are again some of my all time favorite go to products that I have been using for years, and these products would be L'Oréal Paris' Extraordinary Hair Care Routine. This routine includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Leave In Cream, and Lustrous Oil Treatment. All of these products are infused with oils that help bring dry, brittle, weather damaged hair back to life. Each of them are light weight and apply easily, they also show immediate results— I'm talking shinier, softer hair after just one use! And in case you would like a cruelty free option, I have included Harvey Prince Organics Hello Shampoo and Conditioner as well. Much like L'Oréal's Extraordinary Hair Care Routine, this shampoo and conditioner set smell amazing, and give life back to damaged hair. 

Buy These Products Here: L'Oréal Extraordinary Hair Nourishing Shampoo, L'Oréal Extraordinary Hair Conditioner, L'Oréal Extraordinary Hair Leave In Cream, L'Oréal Extraordinary Hair Lustrous Oil Serum, Harvey Prince Organics Hello Shampoo, Harvey Prince Organics Hello Conditioner.

6. Harvey Prince Organics Keravegan Hair Masque  

To go along with my L'Oréal Extraordinary Hair Care routine, once to twice a week I pamper myself with a little something extra and that something extra is Harvey Prince Organics Keravegan Hair Masque. The reason why I feel this masque is essential for the winter time is because due to its soothing ingredients it really helps bring dry, dull, lifeless hair back to life. After just one use, much like the L’Oréal products, you see a difference. Your hair will feel soft and silky, plus with the added bonus of some extra shine.

Buy It Here: Harvey Prince Organics Keravegan Hair Masque

7. Julep Black Canvas Primer

Next on the list are my go to primers this year! I actually have both the Illuminating & Mattifying primers from Julep and I have to say I love them both. The Mattifying primer specifically, made my skin look so smooth and even, and it was incredibly light weight, which works great for me when I'm spending time down south. Each of these primers apply easily and are comfortable for all day wear. These primers also do not clog your pores and leave your skin feeling smooth and looking even. And the best part? This primer actually smells amazing and is 100% cruelty free!

Buy It Here: Julep Blank Canvas Mattifying Primer, Julep Blank Canvas Illuminating Primer

8. bareMinerals BarePro Liquid Foundation

I'm sure many of my long time readers know that my absolute favorite makeup brand is bareMinerals, and this liquid foundation is a great addition to their makeup family! Though I generally use their powder foundation, bareMinerals BarePro liquid foundation is perfect for winter because along with being light weight and comfortable for all day wear, it also benefits your skin. How, you ask? Since bareMinerals BarePro foundation has a SPF of 20, it protects your skin from sun damage as well as helping keep your face moisturized.

Buy It Here: bareMinerals BarePro Liquid Foundation  

9. Maybelline’s City Minis Palettes

This next item on the list was actually a surprise for me! Though I love eye shadow, I very rarely buy any palettes that aren't by Dior, TooFaced, or Chanel. However, recently in a campaign I had with Influenster, I received Maybelline's City Mini's Palette in Rooftop Bronzes and absolutely fell in love with it! The main reason I love these palettes is because they have such a wide range of color and are incredibly versatile. The colors are also rich and long lasting, which isn't that all a girl wants in an eye shadow?

Buy These Products Here: Maybelline The City Mini Palette Chill Brunch Neutrals, The City Mini Palette Downtown Sunrise, The City Mini Palette x Shayla, The City Mini Palette Rooftop Bronzes, The City Mini Palette Urban Jungle

10. Dior “My Rose” Blush

Though this is not a new product on the market this year, Dior's "My Rose" blush is still my absolute favorite. This blush is light, easy to apply, and lasts all day (and night!) long. The reason why I am so partial to this particular color is because I feel the light pink tones compliment my porcelain skin tone nicely and keeps my daily makeup looks appearing fresh and natural.

Buy It Here: Dior “My Rose” Blush

11. Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colour

Chanel's Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colour is hands down my winter lipstick this year! Firstly, Chanel offers an extensive range of colors so its easy for people of all skin tones to find a color suitable for them, and each of the colors are incredibly rich, giving you the perfect pout. The other reason why i'm loving Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colour is because much like the name suggests, this lipstick doubles as a lip balm and keeps your lips hydrated and prevents them from getting chapped, even in the cold winter weather.

Buy These Products Here: Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colour

12. Olay Daily Facial Makeup Wipes

To finish off my winter revival beauty picks, I chose to share the latest makeup wipes I have been using and those would be Daily Facials by Olay! Though I used to get my makeup remover from Clinique, I made the shift to Olay's Daily Facials for a few reasons. One, Clinique's makeup remover, while it works great, comes with a hefty price tag. So, being a broke college student, I'm been scaling back where I can. Clinique's makeup remover also was not travel friendly, and with how much time I've been spending travelling back and fourth between the 'Burgh and NOLA, easy to pack makeup remove is a must. Which is how I stumbled upon and tried Olay's Daily Facials. These wipes honestly work just as great as my Clinique makeup remover and are a fraction of the cost. It's also important to note that these wipes are specifically for sensitive skin, meaning it will not dry out your skin and will help keep it soft and smooth.

Buy It Here: Olay Daily Facial Wipes

What are your go to cold weather beauty remedies this year? Let’s share our tips, tricks, and favorites in the comments below or you can tweet me about it at @StarkRavingChic. Later dolls, I have streetcar to catch and a smoothie to grab!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Love what I’ve been posting on my Instagram but aren’t sure where to get the goods? No worries! I am  a proud member of the rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it family! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here! 

Harvey Prince Organics: Fragrances

From a young age I was always very particular about fragrances, perhaps this is because my aunt and grandmother collected them when I was a child and each of them always wore amazing scents (for instance my grandmother was always a fan of Dior's J'adore). Due to this, I now have a great appreciation for quite the variety of fragrances, however I have also learned that scents are extremely personal and can even help sooth the person who is wearing them during stressful situations. (Aromatherapy, anyone?) So in my own perfume cabinet, I have many fragrances that I find soothing, each of which I generally reserve for particular situations (e.g. weekends, date night, work, photo shoots, and runway shows). And recently, I had the pleasure of working with Harvey Prince Organics, who sent me all kinds of goodies including a bunch of their awesome beauty products, and three full sized bottles of their most popular perfumes! Which all three I have come to love and wear quite often.  

Harvey Prince Organics

For those of you that may have missed my post last week about Harvey Prince Organics, you can read it in full here after this article, but let me give you the highlights about this company first before diving into the review:

• Harvey Prince was founded by two brother whom were determined to make the perfect fragrance for their mother as a Mother's Day gift. 
• The name of the company is the combination of the boy's alta maters, Harvard and Princeton.
• The brand launched in 2007, but rebranded in 2015, changing their name to "Harvey Prince Organics" and is now committed to making and supplying the best cruelty free beauty and fragrance products on the market. Yep! That means none of our furry friends are harmed in the production of Harvey Prince's products!

Perumista

The first fragrance that I tried by Harvey Prince Organics was their Perfumista. The reason I decided to try it first was due to the fact it was the most potent scent of the three. This fragrance has hints of jasmine, lily of the valley, sandalwood, and amber, giving it a very daring feel. I would say that this is the type of perfume I would wear for a night out with my girl friends or to a party because this perfume will undoubtedly make you stand out (in a good way of course!)  and make you the star of the show due to its bold scent.

Hello

This next perfume, Hello, is a light, happy, and subtle scent. This perfume is absolutely perfect for everyday wear to the office, a business meeting, or to class. This fragrance consists of light hints of lemon, white grapefruit, mandarin, forsythia, and vanilla making it incredibly welcoming and greets people with a smile. I loved this perfume because it is incredibly welcoming and in my opinion is quite the conversation starter! (Perhaps it just lets the world around you know that you are as sweet as your perfume!)

Sincerely

The last fragrance that I got to try, Sincerely, is honestly my favorite of the three (though it was a close second to "Hello"). The reason this is, is because I love its exotic scent. Much like how this perfume is described on Harvey Prince's site, this scent let's the people around you know that you are invigorating, mystical, and often unpredictable. With notes of clove bud, sandalwood, and French bergamot, this scent is perfect for the boho babe who has soul consumed with wanderlust and a deep love of nature.

Final Thoughts

Much like Harvey Prince Organics beauty products, I also loved their perfumes and will be purchasing these fragrances again after I run out. I would recommend any of Harvey Prince Organics fragrances to my friends, family, and of course to you, my readers! So remember if you would like to try any of these three scents, or a different fragrance from Harvey Prince's vast selection, you can use my promo code "starkravingchic40" to get 40% off your order.

What are some of your favorite fragrances and some scents that you connect with? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic!  Later, babes!

Xx, Bree

Harvey Prince Organics: Hair & Skin Care

One thing I am always on the hunt for is new and different beauty regimens. Whether they are new skin care products, body washes, or hair care products, I am always on board to give it a whirl! The reason this is, is because I am a firm believer in making small changes to your beauty routine throughout the seasons so it remains effective. And I'm sure if you've had a look at my beauty routine, you know how I have an abundance of goodies ranging from Beautycounter facial scrubs to lush bath bombs and bubble bars. For this post,  I am sharing some of the newest hair and skin care products I have tried recently, and am thrilled to announce that these products came from my newest collaborator and sponsor, Harvey Prince Organics! Also, my readers will be thrilled to know, that I'm not the only one who will be getting a little treat out of this post, since Harvey Prince Organics is now one of my sponsors, after you read this article and decide if you want to try a product or not, I now have a promo code with Harvey Prince that will save you cash! (If you follow me on Instagram, you may already have this promo code from my post last Wednesday!) 

About Harvey Prince Organics

 Before I dive headfirst into my reviews of Harvey Prince's wonderful products (Which I totally want to do because they worked so perfectly!), I'm sure all of you would like a little more background on this company, assuming you are like me and hadn't heard about them until recently.

How Harvey Prince started was with a simple and sweet idea: two brothers wanted to create a perfect perfume as a Mother's Day gift, and as a result their first fragrance "Ageless" was created. However, that's not the only unique thing about Harvey Prince, they're name holds an interesting story as well. You see, the younger of the duo graduated from Harvard University and the older from Princeton University, so they combined the names of their alma maters and came up with Harvey Prince, and their brand was born in 2007. 

However in 2015, Harvey Prince was reborn as Harvey Prince Organics, and was then recommitted to creating the best vegan and cruelty free fragrance, skin, and hair care products. That's right my friends, Harvey Prince Organics, is a Beauty Without Bunnies company and is one hundred percent cruelty free! All of Harvey Prince Organics products include all three Leaping Bunny, PETA, and Choose Cruelty Free stamps on their products. Meaning none of our furry friends were harmed during the testing of Harvey Prince's perfume, skin, or hair products. And now that you have some background on this deeply committed cruelty free company, let me tell you about the awesome hair and skin care products their representative, Michael, sent me complimentary to try and review. 

Keravegan Hair Masque

The first product I tried from Harvey Prince Organics is the Keravegan Hair Masque. The reason I chose to try this product first is due to the fact the winter weather really wreaks havoc on my normally luscious locks, and this Keravegan Hair Masque is made too smooth and soothe your tresses. This product left my hair feeling very soft and rejuvenated, so much so my little, five year old  cousin (who enjoys playing with my hair when I see her at family dinners) even commented on how soft and smooth my hair was after using it! This hair masque also made my hair look more alive, bringing out its pretty, natural, shine.

Sea Salt Texturizing Mist 

As many of you know, normally I always wear my hair pin straight, simply because, that's just how it is naturally and will only stay curled or styled with a ton of hairspray (as you can see here). With that being said, I absolutely loved this Sea Salt Texturizing Mist. The reason is, is because this mist added depth and texture to my hair and made it look naturally wavy. Though you won't get to see this product in action until my post for Ritani on February first, this mist really does give your hair the look of beautiful wind swept locks that you normally would obtain after a day at the beach. 

The Original Fango Mud Therapy

This product is honestly probably the product I was the most excited to try! Though I loved my charcoal mask from Beautycounter, I had finally ran out of it and was ready to try something new, and I have to say I honestly preferred the Harvey Prince Organics Fango Mud Therapy Mask! (Don't worry, Beautycounter, I still love your Nourishing Cream Cleanser and Nourishing Night Cream.) The reason why I preferred this mask is because I felt it wasn't as harsh on my skin, while still leaving my face feeling deeply cleansed and rejuvenated. This mask worked wonders on my face and left it feeling smooth and clean, and even made my skin look more vibrant!

Hello Body Butter

Lastly, I had the opportunity to try Harvey Prince Organics Hello Body Butter. This lotion has become my new favorite body lotion due to the fact that it has restored my rough, dry, winter skin back to its normal, soft and smooth state. (Which made John really happy, because if we are being honest crocodile skin doesn't exactly scream "let's cuddle!") This body lotion is not only ultra moisturizing, but also smells amazing too! And that's because it is infused with Harvey Prince's best-selling "Hello" perfume, which has hints of citrus layered with summer forsythia and notes of white grapefruit, wild verbena, and Tahitian vanilla. Giving this lotion a refreshing and welcoming scent. 

Final Thoughts 

As I'm sure you've already assumed, I loved my Harvey Prince Organics experience which is why I have decided to share it with all of you! In closing I just have to say I will be using this company's products for years to come and these products have definitely become a staple in my beauty routine. And lastly, if you already love Harvey Prince Organics or want to try Harvey Prince for the first time, you can use my special promo code "starkravingchic40" to get 40% off your next order!! 

Have you ever tried Harvey Prince Organics? If so what's your favorite product?! Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. Later, babes!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Wanna know more about Harvey Prince Organics perfumes? Stay tuned for next week's post where I will be featuring three of the fragrances that Michael sent me! These include Hello, Sincerely, and Perfumista. (Along with some of their accompanying lotions!)