Bath and Body Works Holiday Gift Guide

Bath and Body Works is a great place to get your holiday shopping done all at once! It's been a long time since I shopped in-store, and it was a fun experience to get to know the new holiday assortment and discover new scents. As I picked up gifts for myself, I also grabbed a bunch for family. 

The 3-wick candles are at the top of my gift list, as well as the cleansing gel and foaming hand soaps, along with festive holders to pair them with. There are great gift under $20 including the Winter Candy Apple body wash, body cream and fine fragrance mist set, but it's also easy to create your own gift set. Don't forget to pick up stocking stuffers such as the PocketBac anti-bacterial hand gels + holders, hand cream and lip products (scrub, mask or lip gloss), all great for travel or to throw in your bag. With many promotions changing from week to week, it's great to mix and match products and fragrances. 

Some of the new fragrances this season include Woodlands (men's collection), Luminous and Northern Brights Eucalyptus & Pine. If you want to shop for holiday scents I recommend Winter Candy Apple, Bright Christmas Morning, Winterberry Ice, and Snowflakes and Cashmere. 

A must-have for me during the holidays are candles and hand soaps in a traditional pine fragrance and Bath and Body Works has a few options, including Tree Farm and Fresh Balsam which I both love. For year-round scents, check out Champagne Toast, Aromatherapy Lavender + Vanilla and Chasing Fireflies.

- Kim Weling

Lotte New York Palace Mother's Day Beauty Event

On Saturday, May 11th, Lotte New York Palace hosted the third annual Mother's Day Beauty Event in partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue.

The Villard Ballroom was transformed into a beauty pop-up for hotel guests and attending media, filled with makeovers, special gifts, and a rose-themed gift with each purchase to celebrate this year's "Roses" theme. Featured brands included Alexander McQueen, Acqua di Parma, Aerin, Bottega Veneta, Chloé, Clé de Peau Beauté Clive Christian, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, NARS and Nest Fragrances.

Throughout the event, live entertainment was provided by New York City-based jazz duo, Actute Inflections. The Lotte New York Palace Spa & Fitness Center offered complimentary hand and chair massages in the Red Salon.

Check out highlights from my afternoon of beauty as I visited each brand. 

Estée Lauder showcased Re-Nutriv skincare collection and spring makeup palettes. Estée Lauder created my eye look using the La Dangereuse eyeshadow palette by Violette filled with sparkle, pearl and matte finishes, along with the Sly & Sultry Deluxe Eye Crayon by Violette.

Chloé showcased three fragrances, including the classic scent that I actually keep at the office, Love Story, and the newest fragrance, Nomade, a floral scent with notes of Oakmoss, Freesia, and Mirabelle Liquor.

Bottega Veneta showcased their ultra-luxe Parco Palladiano collection inspired by an olfactive journey through a Palladian Garden, in Italy. One of my favorite scents in the collection is XIV Melagrana.

Alexander McQueen highlighted, Celtic Rose, a delicate aromatic floral perfume. 

Lancôme previewed the Absolue collection, which launched a rich cream, soft cream, eye cream, oléo-serum and eye serum in January. The luxurious line revitalizes to result in luminous, bright skin. 

Lancôme Spring Collection

Nest Fragrances displayed perfumes and body creams including Wild Poppy and Cocoa Woods. Wild Poppy has aromas of pear, raspberry, and apricot infused with hints of Himalayan jasmine and Rose de Grasse. Cocoa Woods has the essence of bittersweet cocoa wrapped in sequoia wood and white sandalwood, blended with exotic hints of tiare blossom and Thai ginger.

Nest Fragrances Rose Noir & Oud candles and diffusers

Wisteria Blue rollerball and Grapefruit candle

Clive Christian Noble Collection - Rock Rose is one of my favorites with top notes of Tarocco Orange, middle notes of Rock Rose and bottom notes of Lavender. 

Clive Christian 1872 and Original Collection No. 1

Clive Christian Private Collection

One of the Acqua di Parma fragrance picks: Note di Colonia VI 

Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneao Collection, with Fico di Amalfi as one of my favorites, with  top notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Grapfruit and Citron, heat notes of Fig nectar, Pink pepper and Jasmine petals, and base notes of Fig wood, Cedar wood and Benzoin.

I'm really excited about the new line of Acqua di Parma candles ($69) and diffusers ($97). They smell absolutely amazing!

For my makeover, I had tried Clé de Peau Beauté The Foundation, with SPF 21. I was amazed at how well this foundation moisturizes, radiates and illuminates my skin. I can't say I've ever come across a foundation like this one! This foundation has medium coverage and is also acts as a primer. I also tried on Clé de Peau Beauté's concealer and lipstick.

Clé de Peau Beauté Synactif skincare contains MACC-PD, which strengthens the lymphatic channel and results in youthful, refined facial contours.

Nars showcased new palettes for spring/summer, including the limited edition Summer Lights Face Palette and new Endless Orgasm Palette

- Kim Weling

Valentine's Day Beauty Gifts

These are some of my top beauty picks from skincare to fragrances to indulge in this Valentine's Day, from KORRES, Image Skincare and Caswell-Massey.

KORRES Greek Beauty Sleep set ($24) is a brightening Vitamin C duo improves the appearance of uneven skin tone and texture for brightening and hydration. I love the scent of the Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil, which is infused with real rose petals and boosted with Super Vitamin C. The Wild Rose oil locks in moisture and boosts radiance when you apply it after applying your cleanser and serum in the morning, or you can also mix a few drops into your foundation for a hydrating, dewy glow. At night you can layer it under the Wild Rose Sleeping Facial, for added moisture, brightening and anti-aging benefits. 

The Wild Rose Vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Facial should be applied at night right after you wash your face. This night cream is lightweight and makes your skin feel super soft and moisturized the next morning.

Image Skincare First Class Skin Favorites ($45) is the perfect set to pack, with travel-friendly ORMEDIC® balancing facial cleansing gel with aloe leaf juice and green tea, VITAL C hydrating anti-aging serum that brightens the skin and softens the appearance of wrinkles and supports skin elasticity, and PREVENTION+® daily matte moisturizer SPF 32 for broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection with micro-sponge technology that absorbs surface oils for a flawless, shine free finish - all in a silver reusable clutch! 

Caswell-Massey collection in collaboration with New York Botanical Garden includes fragrances, hand creams and bar soaps. Since I like masculine unisex fragrances, one of my favorite scents in the collection is RÒS, developed with the Master Gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden and Senior Perfumer Laurent Le Guernec from a living floral 'Scepter'd' Rose' that bears three roses on each stem, blossoming throughout the summer in the southeast promenade of the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. 

This sophisticated scent with a masculine character bears top notes of Citrus and a heart of Dark Spice, Amber & Anise. Other fragrances in the collection include Beatrix, Gardenia, Honeysuckle and Lilac. Since the process of developing the scents is so unique, all of the fragrances smell very much like the actual flowers at the New York Botanical Garden! They really are the best smelling florals out there!

- Kim Weling

Nordstrom Beauty 2018 Holiday Gifts and Exclusives

MAC Shiny Pretty Things Goody Bag, now $29.63

Every time I get a glimpse of Nordstrom Beauty's gift sets and exclusives for the holiday season, they keep getting better every time! This season, Nordstrom Beauty has your favorite beauty brands and must-haves that you'll want to check out! 

Some of the exclusive festive offerings include Charlotte Tilbury, Diptyque, La Mer, MAC, Tom Ford, Jo Malone and more. You'll find everything from luxury sets to mini stocking stuffers across cosmetics, fragrance, skincare and men's grooming. There are plenty of gifts under $50, skincare sets and treats for yourself! These limited-edition offerings will be available at Nordstrom.com and Nordstrom stores.

While shopping, Nordstrom Beauty Stylists are on hand to help customers found the perfect mkaeup, skincare and fragrance products across all brands and counters. They can help you in-store, by phone at 1.800.7BEAUTY or online.

You can try almost any beauty product in-store before you buy it and if a sample is not readily available, once can always be made for you.  Nordstrom also always has free shipping and free returns!

Fresh Sugar Wanderlust Lip Set, $53 ($85 Value)

Lip treatment set to nourish, protect and tint

Winky Lux 

Deborah Lippman, Lanolips, Smashbox, Stila

Urban Decay

Charlotte Tilbury Stars-In-Your-Eyes Palette, $75

Yves Saint Laurent Mini Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick Set, $60

Mini limited-edition lipsticks in five stunning shades

MAC Shiny Pretty Things Lip Kit

Ten little lipsticks in a shiny pretty pink metallic box

Benefit Goodie Goodie Gorgeous Set, $29

Benefit Confection Cuties Set, $19 ($36 Value)

Benefit Triple Decker Decadence Set, $39 ($89 Value)

Anastasia Sultry Eyeshadow Palette, $45 

Includes 14 shades, from golden mattes to bronzy metallics

BECCA

Luxe It Up Mini Luxe Lip Color Set, $116.25 ($243 Value)

Trish McEvoy Portable Beauty Voyager Collection, $98

Trish McEvoy The Power of Makeup Planner Collection Holiday 2018, $250 ($520 Value)

Atelier Cologne 

Versace Bright Crystal Set, $99 ($168 Value)

Clé de Peau La Crème

La Mer

Kiehl's 

Jo Malone

Acqua di Parma

Jack Black Classic Shave Set, $39

Murdock London The Cologne Collection, $54

Antica Farmacista

- Kim Weling