I came across this exceptional company when I was in New Hampshire and bought a few products as gifts.  Farm + Sea is a family-owned business based out of Massachusetts that specializes in bath-and-body care and home fragrance products.  Everything they do is handmade in small batches using quality ingredients and carefully chosen, seasonal scents.  Their mission very much aligns with my shopping ethos too: provide quality, thoughtful products that enhance your life.

Inspired by the utilitarian beauty of farms and the transformative power of the sea in her New England upbringing, founder/owner Mary Swenson uses the power of scent to evoke a memory or create a mood through her products.  All their products are nontoxic and contain only phthalate-free essential oils for a clean, subtle scent.

The bath and body care line includes body lotion, body oil, salt and sugar scrubs, roll-on perfume, liquid hand soap, and whipped soap.  I haven’t tried the whole line but can attest that the body lotion – which is really a cream – is absolutely wonderful.  Softly scented, it goes on like a dream, and is very nourishing.  The Lavender & Coconut Lotion is my favorite of the many they offer.  The body oils are perfect for the dry, colder months when you need to replenish more.

While I am typically not one for candles, Farm + Sea’s remove nearly all the reasons I don’t burn them.  They are made from a custom blend of coconut and soy waxes, premium oils that burn clean and slow, along with cotton wicks that are soot free when properly trimmed.  If you prefer a smokeless option, their home collection also includes diffusers and a linen + room spray.  

Supporting a small business that puts so much care into their good-for-you products is always a great idea!

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare is a cult favorite for many reasons.  Among his best sellers is my newfound love, the FDA-cleared, LED light-therapy full-face mask: DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro ($455).  It’s three treatments in one, hands-free, and cordless – designed to combat aging and acne.  And it’s not just me – Allure Magazine awarded it a Best of Beauty Winner this year and Elle Magazine awarded it the Best Overall LED Face Mask for 2023.

Since our skin cells absorb light energy similar to the way plants do, the mask features 100 red (anti-aging) LED lights to smooth wrinkles, boost collagen, even skin tone and texture, and reduce sun spots.  Plus 60 blue LED lights that clear mild to moderate acne.  You choose your light setting – red, blue, or both – and after the programmed treatment time, the mask automatically shuts off. It is safe for daily use, even for sensitive skin. 

While I love all that, what I love the most is that for once I can be lazy about my skincare routine!  I’ve had a pretty involved nighttime skincare routine for years now, so the last thing I want to do is add something else to the mix.  But I use this in the morning before my eyes are even really open.  I keep it by my bed and just pop it on while I’m still waking up – and three minutes later, I’ve already accomplished something.  It’s so easy, I’ll run it twice or move it to my décolletage if I want a few more minutes in bed. I have even fallen back asleep while it is on. Like most things in life, consistency is key – but this device scores so high on simplicity, ease of use, and results that it gives new meaning to the term beauty sleep.

When I first arrived in the Big Apple – the famous among some circles, esthetician Joanna Vargas invited me for a facial.  I was completely floored and felt extremely fancy and very special going to her Madison Avenue spa.  Vargas is known for treating Julianna Moore, Sofia Coppala, Jake Gyllenhaal, and other frequents of the red carpet.  The facial was wonderful; I highly recommend her technique!  But one of the products that was recommended to me when I left was Biologique Recherché Lotion P50W (5.1 fl oz, $70) and I’ve been using it since.  Lotion P50W is a gentle, balancing, vitamin-rich, facial-toning lotion that exfoliates, rebalances, and moisturizes skin.

LOVER® Cosmetics, which I featured back in the Fall 2022 newsletter, just introduced a collection of kits and for a limited time is including a FREE make-up application lesson that will ensure your morning routine and subsequent touch-ups are a breeze.  I love LOVER’s dedication to clean, simple beauty with its 5-step guide, online tutorials, and customizable kits.  But now, LOVER is offering three different pre-filled magnetic palettes comprised of the most wearable colors and founder Ashley Rodden will even teach you how to use it!

Rodden says, “the shades in these palettes are some of my best sellers; they work beautifully together and on a variety of skin tones. But I am most passionate about helping women feel their best and I love teaching women to apply makeup.  So, I’m including a virtual one-on-one application lesson to celebrate the launch and help people to see the kit’s simplicity.”

With conviction, I can say that the best part of this is the free online makeup tutorial when you purchase a kit in April.  I experienced her online class back in the fall using my own makeup collection and learned many tips and tricks that I keep using.  So even if you don’t need the kit, schedule a tutorial and see how great you can look.

Winter can turn great skin into a frenzy with just a little redness.  Whether it’s due to dry freezing temps, wind-chapped cheeks, or runny noses – skin can turn varying shades of red. But for me – it’s a year round issue. I was born with Angel’s Kisses on my eyelids and forehead.  These red birthmarks usually fade away, but with skin so thin my sister calls it translucent, I still have remnants.  I’ve learned the best way to tackle is a great skincare routine and green color correctors.  It may not be easy to be green, but it is definitely effective.  Here are my favorite redness reducing products whenever redness flares up.

In the winter after cleansing, I use SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel a soothing gel serum with botanical ingredients that calm and hydrate skin. If you’re prone to dryness like me, I occasionally mix in a hyaluronic acid serum that really helps to lock in hydration and plump up the skin. This is all before my all time favorite day moisturizer, Avene’s Redness Relief Soothing Cream spa 25 – it’s green lightweight formula disappears into the skin and does not cause breakouts.  After sunscreen, I do a light layer of First Aid Beauty’s Hello FAB Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer. It evens tone, gives a dewy look, is great all by itself, but it’s amazing under makeup.

There are a lot of green color correctors on the market, but Clarins Base SOS Green Primer and Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid win every time. These two products are complementary, effective, and simple.  Clarins Base SOS has a soft texture and coverage of BB Cream.  Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Corrector is thick like a concealer, but blends beautifully and makes redness disappear.  I follow this with setting powder and carry on with my makeup.  Alternatively, if you have naturally oily skin – you might like the Flesh Foundation Stick.  My assistant has tried everything under the sun, and loves Flesh’s Foundation Stick because it is the only thing she has found to cover her redness and keeps her from being too shiny.  Happy Holidays!

Tommy’s Corner: Beauty Sleep

Tommy, our makeup guru, is back in our Beauty corner! This season, he’s filling us in on how to manage beauty and beaut rest. Sweet dreams indeed.
________

New York truly is the city that never sleeps, but who wants to live like that?  One week I am definitely am running empty is New York’s Fashion Week. It’s me and my kit in tow, running from one show to the next.  So at the end of the day, there’s nothing I love more than to indulge in every moment of beauty sleep.  I wake up rested and ready to do it all again.  Here’s how I do it and you can too.

1) A PRACTICE IN HUMIDITY: Hydrating is a lifestyle, and for me, a humidifier is no exception.  I fill it as soon as I’m home.  This way, my train of thought becomes setting up for a successful evening, sleep, and next day.  Coming home becomes a pattern of centering and bettering myself.

2) LAVENDER: On my pillows. On my sheets. In my humidifier.  I use organic lavender drops for aromatherapy everywhere and anywhere I can.  I’ll purchase pure lavender oil, even this aroma therapy spray, but more often than not I make my own home-and-linen sprays by mixing essential or fragrance oils with alcohol in a  spray bottle.

3) SILK PILLOWCASES: According to aesthetician/blogger Caroline Hirons, you have two  beauty lives, the one “before silk pillowcases, and the one after”. If ever there was an investment for your beauty sleep, it’s this.  I love waking up to my skincare on my skin and not in my pillowcase.  More skincare on your skin means it’s working where it needs to be.

4) BONE BROTH: If you don’t believe that bone broth is an ancient youth elixir for replenishing the collagen in your skin and joints, then you might want to know the glycine in bone broth can help to induce sleep.  It’s almost like a cup of warm milk, minus the inflammatory risks.  Bone broth makes for a guiltless nighttime treat, all year long.

5) SKINCARE OVERNIGHT MASKS: Sleep masks are shortcuts to bedtime for me when time is of the essence (pun intended).  I’ll incorporate a sleep mask three to four times a week: they’ll seal in any skincare below and improve their performance, attracting moisture like a water-loving comfort blanket

________

Read his full article here!

New York City makeup artist and consultant, Tommy Napoli, has been creating beauty his entire life. Artistically-inclined since the first crayon, he has training in over 200 brands.  Tommy is a former east coast Lead Artist and member of traveling Team Tilbury for high-fashion makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury.  In addition to being an expert makeup artist, he is an artistry and development educator, and independent product expert and consultant. His clients include Edun, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany Masterson, Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece, Kate Capshaw Spielberg, and me. 🙂

Tommy and I met at Bergdorf Goodman before he left to start his own company, but he’s popped over to our Beauty Corner to provide his tips for keeping your look fresh this fall.

KQ: How is fashion translating to makeup right now?
TN: From velvet to high-shine to corduroy, texture is big this fall season–– and it’s certainly no exception when it comes to the world of beauty. Don’t overlook the fun and versatility of incorporating various textures and shine to your facial wardrobe.  
KQ: How can someone achieve this when they are getting ready?
TN: High-impact eyes are in and Charlotte Tilbury has decoded how to dress your eyes for any occasion, any skillset, and any age. The number-coded eyeshadows (from one to four–– cleverly, “desk, dusk, to disco” eyes) make it easy for makeup wearers of all levels to style their eyes.  
KQ: You know I love a multi-tasker. Is there one that is particularly great for fall?
TN: Totally. The Dolce Vita Luxury Eyeshadow Palette incorporates four of this season’s latest colors, and is a fantastic way to bring out your natural high-shine element – your eyes. Champagne pearl, russet red, smokey brown, and molten copper: these colors leave no eye color unamazing (it’s seriously magic), and the textures are universally flattering and give lids a younger, smoother appearance. 
KQ: Sign me up!  Anything else we should be thinking about?
TN: This weather is a great opportunity to incorporate some of your summery hues with fall-time colors: peachy-pinkie blush and lipsticks pair beautifully with sultry warm burgundies and coppers. Play around!
KQ: I shall. Thanks for your tips Tommy!