Heaven + Urth Beelieve Hydration Balm

Heaven + Urth Beelieve Hydration Balm came into my life at exactly the right time. I'm constantly having to deal with the ups and downs of hormonal breakouts coupled with juggling a few vital products with active ingredients like retinol and beta hydroxy acid. It's a tricky dance that I must do twice a day, and every day I must find my comfort, somehow. Now, without exception, I need a product that heals and reinforces the skin barrier while sealing in serums and treatment products. It also needs to be natural and organic and let my skin breathe all day and night. Beelieve Balm has filled each one of my requirements and is such an important part of my regimen now. 

I've had to give up almost all balms I've loved, as they tend to clog my pores and one of my main goals right now is to keep them clear. Beelieve Balm is different in its formulation than other products in the same vein I had been using. It targets dehydration, lines and wrinkles and all degrees of dryness without just sitting on top of the skin. It's deeply penetrating and healing. Every one of the ingredients are helpful for troubled skin (except for those few who are averse to essential oils), and they all work in tandem to make my complexion absolutely glow. 

Ingredients: olive oil, beeswax, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, calendula oil, vitamin E, lavender essential oil, sweet orange essential oil

I always make sure to cleanse and exfoliate first, because it doesn't matter what you put on dull, old skin cells-- your skin just won't work as well. I use just a tiny pea-sized dot of balm warmed between my hands. That's all I need for my face and neck, and I still have a teeny bit left over to use on my cuticles and hands. I also use the balm on the ends of my hair and to tame flyaways, I use it on my dry elbows and heels, as a lip balm, makeup remover, overnight moisture treatment for skin and hair and under-eye line smoother. It's got the most beautiful, high quality lavender and sweet orange essential oils, which are universally uplifting and soothing.

Crystal + Tanya

The product is priced well and lovingly crafted by people who know a thing or two about the struggles of creating and maintaining healthy skin: they are aestheticians, skin care experts and best friends Crystal Surmanian and Tanya Robertson.

The effects of Beelieve on the skin are rapid and simply beautiful, and the longer I use it, the better my skin looks, feels and acts. My skin appears smooth, plump, glowing and hydrated. I wake up in the morning and dryness and dehydration are but a distant memory. Or was it a nightmare? Either way, supple, healthy skin is mine, and I'm not giving it back.

[Heaven + Urth Beelieve Hydration Balm is available in a 2 oz size jar (pictured above) for $39 and a 4 oz size for $73. Shipping is free, and the adorable little wooden spoon and a jute pouch are included with your jar. Product sent to me for my consideration.]

Beauty Spotlight Team Special Post: My Top 5 Favorite Lavender Fragrances

Lavender has been used in soaps, cleaning products and laundry detergents for so long that it's gotten a bit of a bad rap for fine fragrance. It's unfortunate, but I hope that with my list below, your curiosity might be piqued by these scents and you'll give lavender the chance it deserves to delight you. These are some of the tiny slivers that make up the whole of my joy and obsession with lavender over the years. Below, find a quickie guide to what I think are the best lavender fragrances; giving equal billing to the widely available as well as the super-exclusives. In short, this is how I get my lavender fix.

Guerlain Jicky
Lavender, vanilla and civet: a trio of notes that have caused many perfume lovers to swoon uncontrollably. First launched in 1889, Jicky has been subject to some inevitable changes, but it still smells good. It's one of the most perfect unisex fragrances in the world. Vintage Jicky is definitely worth seeking out, if even just a small vial. It contains little twists and turns that make for a memorable ride.

Penhaligon's Lavandula
The traditional flourish of Penhaligon's fragrances is something I find rather irresistible. Lavandula is an extremely friendly example of how the British fragrance house create timeless scents that are crowd-pleasers and inspire fierce brand loyalty. Lavandula is multi-layered with spices and aromatic herbs with a gorgeous amber-vanilla drydown. There's never an inappropriate time to wear it.

Caron Pour Un Homme
Caron's classic fougere has been a favorite of mine for years, and I often find myself craving its powdery cocoon. A huge bottle can be had for a song (search the discount sites), so I always have at least one on hand. When you're looking for a light, every day lavender-based scent, Pour Un Homme is your man.

Serge Lutens Encens et Lavande
Encens et Lavande is one of the many fragrances by Christopher Sheldrake for the house of Serge Lutens, and it's one of my favorites. It's an exclusive perfume available in the US at Barneys NY store on Madison Ave. and online via the Serge Lutens website. It has notes of Lavender, Rosemary and incense so enchanting and unusual, it gives itself away as a Sheldrake creation immediately. There is something brutish about it which contrasts beautifully with the classical aromatic elements, creating an impression so memorable that I often lament its exclusivity.

Vero Profumo Kiki
Now for something completely different. Vero Kern's joyous Kiki is voluptuously fruity, bright and tirelessly optimistic. It sends lavender to a faraway island where politics and religious dogma don't exist, and clothing is optional. I love that she releases two versions of her fragrances; an eau de parfum and an extrait-- it's fascinating and decadent for a collector to compare them. In Kiki's case, I only slightly prefer the eau de parfum, where the lavender, passion fruit and caramel do a sultry, symmetrical Balinese dance that you wish would never end.

tarte Pure Maracuja Oil For Summer Skin Care

[note: this post contains non-affiliate sponsored links from tarte]

I never get tired of talking or writing about oils. Ever since they first came into my life, my perspective on skin care in general has been forever changed. One of the things some people wonder about come summer time is how an oil might benefit their skin in place of a traditional moisturizing cream, or even if an oil would be appropriate for their skin type at all. That's when an extremely versatile, light and vitamin-packed natural oil like tarte's Pure Maracuja Oil (which is passion fruit seed oil) comes in handy, because it suits practically everyone.

When your goal is to create the perfect canvas for your makeup, the smooth application of Pure Maracuja Oil melts seamlessly into the skin and layers well with other products. It won't ever pill or feel thick and heavy on the skin, and it makes blending your foundation and concealer much easier. Hot, humid summer weather can change the consistency of your makeup and how it wears on the skin, and a judiciously used natural oil is one of the best equalizers.

When a vitamin and antioxidant infused natural botanical oil goes down on the skin first, it protects the skin and brightens the complexion all day long underneath your makeup. It helps to prevent skin aging by deterring cell oxidation- a crucial step in any anti-aging protocol.

Maracuja oil in particular has several valuable benefits for the skin:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Anti-itch
• High in Vitamin A (a natural form of retinol) and Potassium
• High in skin-brightening, antioxidant Vitamin C 
• High in beta-carotene, phosphorus, flavonoids and calcium
• Balances sebum production
• Leaves skin feeling satiny without any greasiness
• Essential fatty acids replenish and rejuvenate the skin
• Skin looks and feels firmed

As you can see from the list above, there are quite a few benefits for acneic and sensitive skin, as well as combination, oily, mature and dry/dehydrated complexions. There aren't a whole lot of oils which satisfy the needs of so many different skin types simultaneously. It's brilliant.

tarte is responsible for really popularizing maracuja oil. It's one of the brand's strongest signature ingredients, alongside Amazonian clay. tarte is very particular about how their oil is produced: the passion fruit is sustainably harvested, and then the nutrient-rich seeded pulp (referred as the "alma" or soul of the maracuja fruit) is extracted. The oil itself is cold-pressed to maintain all of its powerful natural nutrients. I feel very heartened by tarte's mainstream popularity and that of their Pure Maracuja Oil-- it has served as another bright spotlight on the benefits of using natural oils for skin care.

tarte Pure Maracuja Oil (1.7 oz, $46)

Ready to take your maracuja a step further?
tarte has a slew of gorgeous products infused with their maracuja oil, but the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer ($24) comes in 8 shades and really shows the enduring strength of the marriage between skin care and cosmetics. It delivers a shot of lightweight moisture to keep the delicate undereye skin hydrated all day long while blending away dark circles and other imperfections. What this means is that the concealer will work more effectively because the oil helps to plump up any fine lines around the eyes.

tarte Creaseless Concealer ($24)

Using Pure Maracuja Oil underneath your makeup or infused into it is a really smart way to give your skin its daily vitamins. For grab-n-go convenience, Pure Maracuja Oil also comes in a handy Rollerball (0.60 oz, $17), which is perfect for dabbing anywhere on the face for an instant glow or for blending into your favorite lip products, cream blush or bronzer for totally customized looks which cater to your particular skin care needs. It works wonderfully for dry cuticles, hands and flyaway hairs as well.

tarte Pure Maracuja Oil Rollerball (0.60 oz, $17)

It didn't used to be feasible to walk into your local department or beauty store and be able to buy a beautifully packaged, all-natural botanical skin oil that would please even the most discerning natural skin care aficionado. I, for one, am totally tickled by that fact, and tarte has definitely done their part to make this a reality.