Musings of a Muse

Ok so whoa.

I totally had an enlightening experience when I got home from work today. Yes, occasionally these things occur for the Muse. I straightened my halo and skincare enlightenment was mine but only temporarily as I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be doomed again but for now I’m in my special place and experiencing nirvana.

Muse! Muse! How did you become enlightened?

So you know how I’m a total creature of habit when it comes to my skincare? Lush Cosmetics for this Muse all the way! Today I broke that rule when I started playing around with Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Be Weil Collection…dontcha love it? Be Weil? Ha! The corny factor makes me giggle myself silly. The Muse is easily amused to say the least.

First off I completely adore Origins offhanded marketing on Dr. Andrew Weil! It appeals to the Muse’s sense of humor and actually makes me look at the products in a new light.

Here’s a picture of Dr. Andrew Weil and Origins proceeds to ask on it’s website What does a 66 year old man with a white beard know about beauty?

You now have my attention Origins! Aside from looking like Santa I’m thinking Dr. Weil probably knows next to nothing about this Muse’s beauty regime….turns out I’m wrong and he’s right. He does know a thing or two about beauty…skincare in particular.

Dr Weil doesn’t only look like Santa but he’s also giving skincare away like Santa! The new Origins Be Weil Collection is chock full of awesome products all in full sizes and all for $79.50 USD! It’s a New Year soon and you may be looking for a new skincare regime or you might be immune to your old one so here in lays a great excuse to try something new and at a really great price tag.

I normally avoid doing skincare reviews until I tried said items for a few weeks or months but I seriously couldn’t resist blogging this because at first touch, first sniff, and first look I kinda got the vibe this could be a good one.

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Be Weil Collection includes all of the following products:

• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser 1.7 oz
• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Conditioning Lip Balm with Turmeric
• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Body Cream 4 oz
• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum 1 oz
• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream 1 oz

I know the entire Mega-Mushroom thing sounds kinda weird. I was thinking along the lines of this:

But I promise it’s not strange at all! The entire line has a wonderfully pleasant herbal scent and an incredible texture ad formula. One of the main things that really caught and held my interested was how well all of the lotions, creams, and serums in the collection effortlessly glided and absorbed into my skin. The formula is outstanding in that aspect and really felt pleasing and cooling on my skin. I can’t do a more detailed review of each item as of yet but I will once I’ve used them for a spell so today I’ll just give you the bare bones of each product and what it’s used for.

The Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum sounds like an absolute dream for all skin types.

Do you have skin sensitivity? Extreme dryness? Redness? Hyperpigmentation? Lines? Wrinkles? Puffiness? Are you a flusher-blusher? All of these diverse skin conditions have something in common, what Dr. Weil calls “the fire within.” Sometimes it’s barely perceptible, but it’s there, proceeding unnoticeably until it sets into motion a cascade of unwanted events.

Of course extreme dryness caught my eye and I can picture this calming my dry skin and creating a nice layer of protection against harsh winter weather! It seems an ideal item for use after my regular nice cream for added moisture. I’m looking forward to testing it out further.

The Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream also sounds amazing and as I mentioned above it sinks into skin so easily!

This remarkable face cream with Hypsizygus ulmarius and Chaga mushrooms immediately helps quiet and calm skin. By mirroring the amazing process that sends Narcissus Lily Bulbs into dormancy as a means of “self-protection”, it signals skin to conserve its energy to optimize its defenses against age accelerators. Skin has the ability to maintain a stronger, healthier, more youthful appearance. This patented technology is further supported by Menyanthus and Heather extracts to keep skin firm; Fucoidan from Okinawan seaweed to discourage moisture loss and Vitamins C and E to defend against destructive oxidation.

I’ve already used the Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser tonight but I do need to test further before giving my full review. Here’s what the site has to say about it:

This extremely gentle, milky lotion cleanser features a proprietary, signature blend – Hypsizygus ulmarius, Cordyceps and Reishi Mushrooms, Ginger, Turmeric and Holy Basil – as well as skin soothing Bisabolol from Chamomile and Licorice Extract. It quickly removes makeup, dirt, debris and impurities without upsetting skin’s naturally protective lipid balance and keeps even highly sensitive or reactive skin calm throughout the cleansing process.

For your body you’ll want to try out the Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Body Cream, again totally love this since it glides on and absorbs so wonderfully! It’s soft, fluffy, and simply sinks in upon contact with the skin! My knees and elbows are thanking me at the moment!

This intensely emollient cream with my signature blend of Hypsizygus ulmarius, Reishi and Cordyceps Mushrooms, Ginger, Turmeric and Holy Basil, along with Larch Tree Extract, wraps skin in deeply satisfying moisture. Natural “skin-identical” lipids including Murumuru, Shea, Cocoa and Cupuacu butters help reseal skin’s vulnerable surface against incoming irritants. Skin is completely comfortable and its vital barrier is well-protected against potential damage.

And lastly the Plantidote Conditioning Lip Balm which looks like a great little stick to have around come the colder weather when the Muse’s lips start cracking and chapping!

This highly emollient lip healer with Turmeric, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba, Sunflower and Sesame Seed Oils, Muru Muru and Candillila seriously helps heal dryness and relieve roughness. Rapidly restores softness and smoothness to overly parched lips.

Overall, I do have to say I’m pretty impressed and that’s saying alot considering how picky I am about skincare. I highly recommend checking out Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Be Weil Collection as it’s quite an interesting selection of good quality items. I’ll be doing a deeper review of each item after I’ve used them for few weeks but if what I seen so far is anything to go on I’d say I should be a happy camper. I’m currently debating and I think I may indulge in two more sets as gifts for friends as you can’t go wrong for the price taking into consideration the size of each item. I’m actually making a good excuse to do an order because the Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Eye Serum has caught my eye and you know how the Muse is on an epic journey to discover the very best eye cream around!

I’m really feeling this one and although I haven’t done a deep enough review to warrant it I’m sticking a Muse Approval on it just for the value alone and the formula which impressed me on touch!

Do check it out at www.origins.com or at your local Origins counter!

Tried this already?

Love it?

Want to try it?

Love Origins Skincare?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Volcanic Ash Review

Lush Paradise Regained Review

La Mer Gifts of Beauty Holiday 2008

Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil Review

Etude House Aqua Sherbet Skincare Review

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask Review

Aquafina Facial Spray Review

I’ve already did prior reviews on Lush’s brand new facial moisturizers Skin Nanny and Vanishing Cream and today I’ll be wrapping up my review with Lush Paradise Regained Facial Moisturizer.

The Muse remembers a few years ago when Lush Gorgeous Moisturizer was $69.95 USD. In recent years the price has steadily climbed upwards to $85 USD. The Muse swears by Gorgeous and has been using it for quite a long time but as it reached the $85 USD mark the Muse began to sweat bullets at spending so much on her facial moisturizer. However, she did decide that she must do what she must do because indeed Lush Gorgeous is nirvana for her skin.

Recently, Lush introduced Paradise Regained and of course this Muse rushed right out to purchase it and try it out for herself unknown to her that this would be the day she found a cheaper option to her beloved Gorgeous.

Although Gorgeous is facial cream nirvana for me I actually prefer Paradise Regained over it as it has some options that Gorgeous doesn’t offer. Paradise Regained is advertised as a mature skin moisturizer but I think it’s perfectly fine for any skin type. It’s light, it’s refreshing and pure perfect for combination, dry, or normal skin types in my humblest. The moisturizer contains an array of fresh fruits to brighten and revive skin. If you seen some of my Summer FOTD’s you may have spotted a certain dullness to my skin, after using Paradise Regained I feel like my skin has a new life and it been glowing once again!

The formula is very similiar to Gorgeous in that it’s very light and absorbs quite easily. It has natural ingredients to protect skin from the effects of the sun and plenty of wonderful fresh fruits to whiten and brighten the complextion. Taking into consideration what wonders Paradise Regained has done with my skin I have no question that it can easily replace my pot of Gorgeous and at half the price!

Honestly, it’s well worth trying out as it’s a fabulous day cream that isn’t too oily, keeps skin fresh and dewy, erases signs of fatigue all while brightening your skin!

The Muse absolutely loves it and it’s easily become a staple morning moisturizer for her! She recommends checking it out for yourself and gives it a big mighty Muse Approval for purchase as she blames all her good skin days on it lately! Paradise has truly been regained as my skin was lackluster before and now it simply glows!

Picking Apart My Best Feature…My Skin!

Lush Skin Nanny Review

Lush Vanishing Cream Review

When I first seen Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Collection I was on the fence about whether or not I’d like it or not. I’m normally a foody/fruity type of girl which means I prefer my bath and body products either sweetly scented or scented like some sort of food. I’m a real girlie-girl when it comes to scents and I’m really peculiar and particular about what sort of scents I enjoy using to scent my bath, body, and perfume products.

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Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere looked like something more along the lines that my sister would like. She normally loves comforting blends and I normally prefer a bit more of a sweet factor to mine which is why I was so surprised when I tried out some of the Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Collection! I liked it! Alot!

It’s a rather comforting scent that really appeals to my nesting side. When the colder weather sets in the Muse goes into nesting mode and likes to stay home cuddled up on her couch with good friends or family to watch a movie on TV or catch up on some Tivo. I think we all have that rather strong urge to just veg out when the colder weather sets in and nothing feels more comfortable than laying up in bed under a warm comforter and reading a good book or watching some telly! This is the vibe I get from the Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Body Lotion I recently tested out!

The scents is a comforting blend of beautiful vanilla with a really fresh, comforting base. It reminds the Muse of fluffy towels, soft cotton sheets, and plump down comforters! It’s not your typical Bath and Body Works vanilla blend it’s more of a cocktail of really warm vanilla with faint traces of cake or vanilla frosting. It’s just a super comforting smell that’s too complex to really explain. I’ve only tried the lotion so far and I must say it’s quite a luxe moisturizer and keeps my rough elbows and knees happily moist and soft! The formula is quite thick but it manages to absorb easily into the skin leaving behind soft skin and a beautiful, lingering scent.

The Shea Cashmere Collection also includes hand cream, foot cream, shower cream, and more! It’s worth heading into Bath and Body Works to have a peek and a sniff plus right now they have a slew of gift sets that are too tempting to resist.

The Muse liked this one alot and thinks it’s especially lovely for the Winter! Do check it out for yourself at www.bathandbodyworks.com or at your local Bath and Body Works.

Oh by the way L@@K:

Lambie Socks! Ahhhh! The Muse’s feet are so happy!

The Muse’s Wishy List: Bath and Body Works Lambie

Bath and Body Works Liplicious Lip Color and Lip Sugar Scrub Review

Bath and Body Works Holiday Collection 2008

Bath and Body Works Sleep Collection Review

Ok, you know all that hype about how La Mer is food from the Gods above (only Blue Bunny Bunny Tracks Ice Cream is comparable as far as the Muse is concerned) ….

The Muse says it’s true.

Yes, it’s expensive but honestly well worth your money. I’ve tried various samples of La Mer and honestly it’s no wonder J-Lo fills her bathtub with it and bathes in it. If the Muse had her money she’d do the same thing!

If you’re looking for a super luxurious gift this Holiday Season or wanting to finally take the plunge and find out if the hype that surrounds La Mer is all true you can indulge in some of the super luxe gifts that La Mer has on offer!

I honestly can’t begin to afford some of these amazing gift sets but it doesn’t hurt my lemmings none the less! A girl can dream and drool! However, I do have my eye on two of the gift sets and considering that I’ve been thinking about taking the plunge into skincare nirvana recently I might as well go with a gift set which includes a few items instead of a single one item!

The Signature Collection $240 USD

Includes:
Creme de La Mer 1oz
La Mer The Lifting Face Serum 15ml
La Mer The Eye Concentrate 5ml

I do have my eye on this one as it includes almost everything I want. Taking into consideration that La Mer Eye Concentrate is $165 USD and Cream de La Mer is $130 USD you can see how this actually works out to a value in the long run! This little guy is exclusive to Bloomingdale’s for a very exclusive time so if you wants it better head on out and grab it before it’s gone!

The Luxury Essentials $630 USD

Includes:
Cream de la Mer
La Mer The Lifting Face Serum
La Mer The Eye Concentrate

Eep! I personally can’t afford it but I’d be all over this like white on rice if I won the lotto! The items are housed in a pearlized hat box.

Dear Santa,

Please grace the Muse’s Christmas with a La Mer Luxury Essential Gift Set! I’ve been good all year! Honest!

xoxo
the Muse

The La Mer Luxury Essentials Gift Set is available at Bergdorf and Neimans.

The Creme de La Creme $1,390 USD

I’ll take my jar of Creme de la Mer super size please!

Phew, that’s 16.5oz of cream! How many of these do you think I’d need to fill up my bath tub?

If you have some spare change hanging around you can get the La Mer Creme de La Creme Gift Set at Bergdorf, Neimans, and Saks! Tell ‘em the Muse sent you!

The Luxe Keepsake Box $1,200 USD

If you’re dishing out for La Mer you might as well have a super posh box to stash it away in! The Luxe Keepsake Box was designed by David Linley a British furniture designer. Each set is numbered and limited edition. If I ever got my hands on one I’d ruin it by drooling all over it! This is obviously one for the beauty vault! I better go buy more lotto tickets!

This one is available exclusively from Bergdorf and www.lamer.com

The Connoisseur Collection $395 USD

Here’s another one I seriously have my eye on!

Includes:
Creme de La Mer
La Mer The Eye Concentrate

The Connoisseur Collection comes housed in a pearlized leather box! I think I may indulge in this one, the temptation is to great to resist!

If you’re wanting this collection it’s available exclusively at Saks.

Well, I guess we better start getting our jumbo pencils and paper out and start our lists to Santa…I know mine has increased by a few items after seeing these gift sets!

I’ve forsaken Shu!

Bad Muse, Bad!

Although I simply adore Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils I recently cheated on them with Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil….what….Jill Stuart is way more girly and kawaii looking! Can’t help a girl for wanting to indulge!

After careful weighting in of my obscene collection of cleansing oils, both cheap and inexpensive, I deem Jill Stuart the best cleansing oil I ever did try!

I’ve been using this for a few months now and I see myself quickly replacing it with a new bottle as soon as I’m done. At around 2,800 yen per 200ML it’s actually not badly priced when compared to other costly brands I’ve tried such as Shu and RMK. Granted it’s not budget priced but it does exactly what it says it does, while having beautiful packaging, and smelling nice!’

What more could a girl want?

The cleansing oil works in a similiar fashion as all good cleansing oils. Simply pump two or three squirts into your dry hands and apply to dry skin by slowly massaging in to break up makeup, rinse with warm or cool water, and Bob’s your Uncle! Your face is left beautifully moist and makeup free!

Now any good cleansing can do this for you however it’s rare I’ve come across such a sweet smelling cleanser or one that washes away so well without leaving bit of a residue behind. Almost all cleansing oils I’ve tried always have a teeny tiny bit of a residue that I have to use toner to get off afterwards however Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil washes clean the first time! Aside from RMK which carries a cool, minty fragrance, Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil also happens to be the first of it’s kind that carries a delightfully fruity, sweet smell. I know many of you dislike scented skincare but I personally love it especially when it carries such a flattering scent as this.

Although the bottle is plastic it still manages to keep a nice elegant feel to it and it looks rather lovely on my bathroom vanity sitting with my other pretty bits and bobs!

Maybe I’m bias because it’s pink or maybe because it smells so pretty! Whatever the reason I’m currently loving Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil and making it my holy grail cleansing oil from now on!

The Muse likey and suggests picking one up online if you can find it at a decent price! Do see my Japanese Cosmetic Buying Guide to see if you can locate Jill Stuart Cleansing Online for a good price!

Jill Stuart Illuminance Palettes Review

Jill Stuart Perfume Review

Jill Stuart Holiday 2007 Review

MuseTV Presents: Spotlight on Jill Stuart and the Muse’s Jill Stuart Collection

An Introduction to Japanese Cosmetics Part Deux

Shu Uemura White Recovery Ex Cleansing Oil Review

Mandom Cleansing Express Moist Cleansing Lotion Review

I’ve had Lush Skin Nanny for a while now but since I got it in the Summer, I was unable to use it as it’s really thick and isn’t great for warmer, humid weather wear.

The weather is still pretty warm here but I decided to bust out and begin using Skin Nanny. I really hate doing skin care reviews after only a few days of use but I’m so excited about Skin Nanny I really wanted to share my experiences with you so far.

I’ve said it before but it’s important that I re-mention what sort of skin I have. I have a combination skin type that’s oily in the Summer and pretty dry in the Winter. At the moment I’m experiencing oily skin on my forehead, dry skin between my eye brows, and pretty normal skin on the rest of my face.

It deserves to be mentioned that I really don’t think you can get away with using Skin Nanny for a day time moisturizer. It’s very heavy and very thick which makes it ideal for replenishing moisture during the night however for day use I think it might be a bit too much. Unless you have severely dry skin on your face I’m doubtful this will work for anything else but a night cream. Personally I’ll be using Skin Nanny as a night cream because even come Winter when my skin is drier this is still very thick for day time use.

Here’s the description from Lush UK:

Anti-ageing Skin-Protection The natural way to protect your skin from wrinkliness Lots of hype and humbug gets written about skincare. We can`t be bothered with all that; we stick to the facts. If you are going out in the sun and want to look after your skin, you`ve got to choose a moisturiser with some protection. In Skin Nanny we`ve made a rich, effective cream which you`ve got to have if you`re the latter side of 30. It`s got the AHAs that exist naturally in fruit. We use freshly squeezed apple juice, not synthetics. It`s all part of our tradition is herbalists, the holistic approach to keeping your skin bright by using the whole fruit. Starflower oil moisturises and hydrates your skin; it has omega 6 oils and nutritious fatty acids (a lot nicer than they sound). Skin Nanny`s vitamins C and E come naturally with almond and hibiscus oils to penetrate your skin and smoothe wrinkles (for a while). We give it an emollient jojoba, camellia and candalilia wax complex to revive your skin immediately. All in all, we are delighted to have Skin Nanny taking care of our faces. The older you are the more you will appreciate it and the sooner you start, the happier you`ll be in future.

Now I’m really excited to add this to my night time skin regime. I’ve been trying to find a good anti-aging moisturizer so Skin Nanny couldn’t come out at a better time considering that Lush pretty much makes up 95% of my skincare already. My normal night cream is Philosophy When Hope is Not Enough and I’ll be happily replacing that with Skin Nanny!

As I mentioned about the moisturizer is extremely thick and creamy which means it doesn’t absorb fully on contact with the skin. It does take a fair bit of work on your part to get this nice and smoothed onto the skin however after it’s on it feels rather wonderful and you can feel it working to create a good layer of moisture. Come morning my skin feels amazing! The formula contains SPF as well which is always an added bonus if you decide to wear this out and about.

Lush has ALWAYS been very good to my skin and I give it 100% credit for how great my skin looks today so I have no doubts in my mind that this will protect my skin and keep it younger looking for years to come.

Strangely enough, one of the greater things about this moisturizer was the fact that it helped improve the dryness under my eyes considerably. Although I haven’t stopped using my normal eye cream I do like the results of smoothing this over my face and under my eyes and come morning I’m left with smoother, softer skin under my eyes which in turn makes applying concealer easier minus creasing or caking due to dryness!

It’s honestly a very, very heavy moisturizer so please prior to purchasing do ask for a small sample to take home and try or you can purchase a sample pot for $5 USD which you can later bring back to receive $5 off the larger size moisturizer of your choice!

Who I recommend try it:

• Anyone, old or young, who has dry skin and seeks heavy duty moisture!
• Women 25 and up who are looking for an anti-aging cream.
• Those who are seeking a good night cream that will replenish and renew moisture to the skin over night.

Honestly, I loved adding this to my skincare line up and I think it pure perfection for night wear. I’m happy Lush has finally broken into creating a moisturizer with anti-aging ingredients! Lush has kept my skin clear, blemish-free, and beautiful for a few years now and I look forward to it keeping my skin from aging as well now!

If you fit into any of the categories above I highly recommend and approve this one for purchase!

The Muse loves it!

Lush Skin Nanny Moisturizer is available now from Lush NA and Lush UK for $46.95 USD or £25.

Check your local country Lush website for further details if these moisturizers are available in your country!

Picking Apart my Best Feature: A Guide to what the Muse uses on her face from Lush

Lush Vanishing Cream Review

Lush Perfume

Simplifying your Haircare with Lush

Cracking Apart a Super-Size Lush Pud