Vine Vera Skincare Review*

*Sponsored Post courtesy of Vine Vera however all reviews, opinions and experiences are my own.

the recent move of the Blushing Basics household necessitated a need for new skincare. new climate = new skincare. i could make a long (read: extensive) list of skin care products i have used, tried, and have been completely underwhelmed by. as the author of this beauty blog i consider it my job to weed out the bad and underperforming and bring you some of my favorites. on any given day you will find 3-4 different face washes in the bathroom shower. i have morning favorites, evening favorites, post swim favorites, travel favorites and everything in between. occasionally i come across something interesting and i'll definitely share, whether it is a trending item, an amazing product or rather something slightly unconventional.

Vine Vera skincare fits all three categories. the idea behind this skincare collection is that it uses the powerful antioxidant Resveratrol to help restore and improve skin. you may have heard the use of Resveratrol before as it has been a buzzword in the 'health benefits of Red Wine' debate. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and research has found it to be an effective anti-aging treatment. with the  collection of Vine Vera focused on the benefits of Resveratrol the collection has names like Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet.

you may or may not know that as a lifestyle choice i am not a drinker however i wouldn't mind receiving the benefits of red wine through skincare, rather than a drink.

my first rule of skincare is that it be effective. fancy packaging, names and ingredients mean nothing if your product doesn't work. some of the benefits i found in Vine Vera were that i liked how moisturizing the Vine Vera products were. i live in a very dry climate which compounded with daily swimming means even drier skin. thankfully the Age Defying Eye Serum has my back in keep those crows feet at bay.

second, if i am going to spend a lot of money on a product i expect it to have nice packaging. i don't want to spend 30 dollars on a blush that comes in a flimsy compact and the same goes for skin care. if the pumps are going to break, leak or just not work, i don't want it. the Vine Vera products use the compressed air pump system which means not a drop goes wasted. additionally the packaging is über lux with products resting in their own individual cases.

last, i am a sucker for the unconventional. having 'tried it all' i am intrigued when an idea or solution i haven't heard of is introduced. i want to give everything a shot and the Resveratrol focused solution is definitely intriguing.

******

update 10/14/14

i just tried a new product line from Vine Vera which is the Vitamin C collection. this collection includes Vitamin C cleanser, Serum, Day Cream and Peel. the products are a Vitamin C based product infused with the Vine-Vera product of choice Reservatrol, as well as Vitamin A. the products leave your skin feeling so silky as smooth as well as refreshed. the scent of the products is one of my favorite components. it smells so light and delicious it is a dream.

the consistency of the day cream is smooth with a creamy color. it literally leaves your skin feeling like silk. the Vitamin C peel is a great treatment for improving the texture of your skin. it is an opaque formula with a great scent and works great at removing makeup and dirt from your skin. included in the set is also a cleanser and a Vitamin C serum that gets rave reviews.

for more information and updates about Vine Vera you can visit their twitter site here.

**update 8.1.15**

Vine Vera recently released a new line of products as pictured below. it is the Moscato Sensitive Skin line and perfect for anyone with skin sensitivities. included in the line are a Sensitive Skin Eye Cream, a Sensitive Skin Eye Serum, a Sensitive Skin Cleanser and a Sensitive Skin Cream. each one of the products is a great product on its own but when used as a complete line of products you will experience better results. for instructions on how to use the products visit the Vine Vera products instructions page here.

the Resveratrol Moscato Sensitive Skin products are designed to gently cleanse and condition your skin. using them as a part of your daily routine will help maintain your skin complexion. it will leave your skin feeling silky and rejuvenated while treating your skin with the delicacy it deserves. the formulations are non-greasy and lightweight, making it a comfortable product to wear daily.

which Vine Vera product line are you interested in?

xo,
kristie

NIVEA Touch of Frangipani escape

we've moved - and we're still moving. having made the trek from Colorado to Washington we have stayed with Tman's parents, my parents, hotels and beach houses. still working on our house hunt our final move is yet to come. for those of you who move often you know the challenges of living out of a suitcase, temporarily surviving off of the bare minimum of clothing, cosmetics and everything in between.

the question is how to create your own escape within the walls of your own home (or temporary residence). one thing that really roots me is consistently using the same products on the road as i would in my own home. the same pillows, the same soap, the same shampoo...you get the idea.

NIVEA invited me to join the Escape challenge in creating my own escape at home while using the new Touch of Frangipani body wash. i immediately headed to Pinterest for inspiration (natch) and searched for ideas on how to create my own escape. after drooling over household after household i noticed one commonality in all of these dream bathrooms, they each came decorated with their coordinating orchid of choice.

i decided to put my 1-800-Flowers gift card to use by purchasing my own orchid plant to place in my new home (whenever or wherever that is).

along with that i have been using my Touch of Frangipani NIVEA body wash to give me a 'scented escape' while showering. it is a hydrating shower gel with an enchanting tropical scent and moisturizing sunflower oil pearls. i love the way this product smells, feels and leaves my skin so hydrated. did i mention it is extremely dry here?!

i've been using the Touch of Frangipani for a few weeks now and will gladly keep this soap in my home bathroom as well as in a travel container for the road as a small reminder of my own personal home escape.

NIVEA wants you to join in the fun and enter for a chance to win a FREE 16.9 FL OZ bottle of NIVEA Touch of Frangipani simply by using the hashtag #NIVEAESCAPE and tweet why you want to try NIVEA. Additionally, one Blushing Basics reader will win their own NIVEA Escape package to include:

- One 16.9 FL OZ. bottle of NIVEA Touch of Frangipani
- A pair of Havaianas® Flip Flops
- $50 1-800-FLOWERS® Gift Card

simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below for your chance to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


xo,
kristie

*giveaway and prize pack courtesy of NIVEA via MXM PR however experiences, reviews and opinions are my own.

Fashion Monday: Poolside Style

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Jelly Beans but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JellysAreBack http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO”

beach bag: J.Crew sunglasses: c/o Sunglasses Shop

shoes: c/o Jelly Beans

necklace: c/o Hearts.com tshirt: Express

shorts: c/o Tractr

watch: Anne Klein bracelets: c/o Stella & Dot

keeping cool in the pool

this week's fashion post is coming a little bit early courtesy of Jelly Beans. indulge me for a moment while i reminisce the 80's filled with neon, slouchy shirts, scrunchies and jelly shoes. if you didn't have a pair of jelly shoes you were probably wishing you owned a pair. they were kind of a big deal. fast forward twenty years and consider what's trending in style: neon, slouchy shirts and most recently, jelly shoes.

that's right, they're back.

Jelly Beans has launched their brand new jelly shoe this month. it's cute, it's fun, it's functional and it's one of my favorite throwbacks yet. coming in a variety of colors (neons included!) you can affordably fashion your feet in summer's pragmatically precious shoes. with adult and child sizes available you can outfit the whole family.

with my newest wardrobe addition of clear Jelly Beans jelly shoes i had so much fun styling them for summer. perfect for the pool they keep you cute and comfortably safe from scorching hot poolside cement. i paired them with my black & white geometric swimsuit i recently scored at the Shade clearance sale, along with my Tractr ombre fray shorts which are incredibly comfortable, flattering, stretchy & white hot popular right now. to top it off, literally, was my Express slub tee and hearts.com Bone & Arrow necklace.

if you're interested in picking up a pair of Jelly Beans jelly shoes, head to the Jelly Beans website or make sure to follow their social channels for the latest news Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. one of my favorites perks of online shopping is that you can score FREE SHIPPING within the US from the Jelly Bean's site.

are you jealy?

xo,
kristie

Fashion Friday Beach Style

this week's Fashion Friday highlights my family's recent beach vacation. we packed up our car, along with four others, to caravan to Rockaway Beach Oregon for a week of beachside lounging. if you have ever been to the Oregon coast you know that it is breathtakingly gorgeous as well as breathtakingly windy and cool. while our beach attire doesn't seem typical (a sweatshirt to the beach?!) it was the perfect solution to a cool summer day at the beach, sandcastle building and all.

what we wore:

me
top: Volcom (similar here)
denim: c/o H&M (similar here)
sunglass: Ray-Bans c/o Sunglasses Shop

sissy boo
top: Gap Kids (similar here)
shorts: Target (similar here)

ollie
hoodie/shorts combo: Old Navy 

dog/Zelda

xo,
kristie

Eye Makeup Tutorial {Step by Step}

this is one of my favorite daily looks for spring/summer. it is a little makeup trick i learned from Laura Mercier. she recommends using a flesh toned eyeliner or light blue eyeliner for your lower lid to "perk" up your eyes. since i am consistently sleep deprived (thanks to my three gorgeous children) i can use all the "perking" up that i can get.

in addition to my blue eyeliner, i have also been incorporating Hard Candy's Eye'm Tired. this product claims to de-puff, brighten and firm, all of which sound incredibly appealing. i haven't scientifically tested this, but it does feel irresistably cool and refreshing once applied.

one of the reasons i love this so much? it is simple:

1. apply nude shadow to entire eyelid
2. line upper eyelid with black liquid liner
3. line lower eyelid with blue eyeliner on waterline and outer corner of eyelid

xo,

kristie

JAFRA Cosmetics Summer Color

i was recently sent the selection of JAFRA Cosmetics shown above and immediately fell in love with the color palette options. i've said it before and i'll say it again, there's nothing better than a colorful lip color in the summer. it is THE time to experiment and have fun because everything matches with a tan.

(a faux tan, of course)

JAFRA Cosmetics offers a line of lipsticks, glosses and lip color/liner duos to suit your mood. get your perfect summer pout glossed out with the variety of lip glosses shown below. available in a rainbow of colors, each one is lightly tinted making them versatile and not overpowering.

i'm a girl who likes to keep it simple but the one step i rarely if ever skip is a lipstick. i may not have a drop of makeup on my entire face but if i have left the house the first thing i do is reach into my purse for my lip color du jour.

lipstick + large sunnies = fake it till you make it the perfect combo

JAFRA Cosmetics can be purchased online at www.jafrausa.com where they provide a wide array of face, body, men, teen, baby, sun care, personal care items for any of your beauty needs. a one stop shop for those of you who like to kill two birds with one stone.

after testing yet another new lippie and quizzing Tman on whether he likes it or not, i decided to put together this list:

some things you'll never hear me say:

• i have too many lip colors to choose from.
• this bubble gum pink gloss looks just like the one i just bought.
• i wish i were a Kardashian.
• i ONLY stick with one brand of cosmetics.
• does this lipstick make me look fat?
• i'm SO over the whole lipstick thing.

because, well, obviously i'm not.

close up of the lipstick + liner duo

xo,
kristie

Beach Care Clean Routine [Sponsored Post]

this week the Blushing Basics household decided to take a summer vacation to the Oregon Coast. with warm sandy beaches and cool summer winds beckoning - who can resist? i'll admit that as a beauty blogger, one of my first thoughts when planning a vacation is what products i will bring along for my beauty and clean routine. beach vacations are particularly tricky because you want makeup but you don't want to look too made up and you want to be clean on the beach which ends up being a never ending battle between you and the sand.

my solution? a well organized bag of beauty products and my Cottonelle Fresh Care wipes.

after spending a long day soaking up the sun and searching for sand dollars and sea shells the family and i head back to the beach house for a quick clean up. the quaint vanity in the guest room is the perfect location to set out my thoughtfully planned beauty products - dry shampoo, makeup essentials, face wash/lotion/toner & my wet cloth dispenser.

keeping my products located all in one place keeps our family running like a well-oiled machine. everybody rinsed, wiped and changed for a quick turnaround to head out to the boardwalk for more fun. (i like to call that my #cottonelleroutine) we packed ourselves into a surrey for some sweet cruising around the beachside town.

but i'll admit, sometimes preparing for a family vacation is just as fun as taking the vacation (check out my Google + album highlighting the shopping trip here). prior to leaving town we hit up a family favorite - Target - for all of our vacation needs. there's something so satisfying with filling up the cart with items designated for vacation fun. included in that were also a few necessities like food, treats and clean routine items like our wet and dry Cottonelle products (let's be honest, you can't spend a week at a beach house without a good supply of t.p.).

before and after Target shopping cart

making off with our Target goods - vacation ready

so far this vacation - and our clean routine - has been a success. there are few things in life better than family, beach and lots of sun.

xo,

kristie

Fashion Friday Albion Fit Swimsuit + Giveaway

wearing my Albion Fit Gown Suit in charcoal

this week's fashion friday is brought to you by Albion Fit - my latest favorite destination for women's fitness and swimwear. their product quality is fantastic, their customer service superb, their fit is modest (enough) and their design is adorable.

it's kind of a big deal.

Albion's mission is to provide women with the most luxurious, flattering and hassle-free fitness and leisure apparel on the market. i would say they have succeeded. designing clothing that is not only fashionable but body conscious is not an easy task but they do it with ease. the design of their clothing is about function and fashion - taking you from the gym to lunch with friends all while looking like a hot dish.

below is my Albion Fit Gown Suit in charcoal. the ruffle detail and side ruching add to the style and sophisticated glamour of the suit. well constructed with quality fabric, reinforced seams and well-lined means it shows off your body without accenting every little imperfection.

hat: Roxy (similar here) dog: Zelda

with several unique bathing suits to choose from, you won't be wearing the same suit as every other woman when you hit the pool:

swim options offered by Albion Fit

their fitness wear is can be worn coordinated or as separates. either way is a win. i'm loving this outfit below so ridiculously much. (i'm secretly hoping Tman will catch a glimpse of this post - hint, hint):

i'm a little obsessed with this fitness wear by Albion Fit

no swim session is complete without a little sunscreen. Coppertone provides a wide variety of sunscreens with their Oil-Free Face lotion being one of my favorites. leaving virtually no 'sunscreen grease' it applies smooth and melts into your skin. rather than a greasy barrier your skin feels silky once applied. PLUS it won't clog your pores which is just as important for your body as well as your face during the hot summer months. 

check out the Coppertone website for coupons to make your sunscreen purchasing experience a little easier on your wallet.

pedicure: China Glaze Neons

Albion Fit has generously offered a promotional code for all Blushing Basics readers to save $15 on any purchase of $50 or more by using the code BLUSHING20 through July 21. in addition they have also offered to give away ONE GOWN SUIT to one lucky Blushing Basics reader.* follow the rafflecopter instructions below to enter.

*winner must be a US resident who has not won another Albion Fit giveaway in the last six months.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



xo,
kristie

AVON Introduces New Color

AVON calling.

coming soon to AVON are some new and exciting products, most notably the Mega Effects mascara written about here. new colors, new formulations and new ideas will soon be available for you to try.

the Mega Effects mascara has made such a wave primarily because of its new design. rather than the typical wand based application technique they have developed the 'Wonderbrush' that bends and adjusts to multiple angles fitting the natural shape of your lashes and coating them evenly. i had the chance last month to visit with some beauty bloggers in NYC and we discussed the upcoming release of the newly designed mascara. some thought it was all hype, smoke and mirrors, but according to one beauty blogger who has reviewed over 200 mascaras, this was the real deal. after having tried it myself i would definitely agree.

eyeshadow is a tough one to win me over on. when it comes to mascaras, lipsticks and liners i am a fair weather fan. however eyeshadow, foundation and concealers i am definitely preferential to certain brands and while those brands may be the 'cool kids' in town - there's a reason for that. they're pretty awesome. however, the new eyeshadows apply smoothly with good color payoff and little fall out making them a great option for those in the market for a good product at a very reasonable price.

the lipstick and gloss didn't blow me away, but without having tried them in my colors of choice i haven't completely discounted them either. i'll definitely be willing to give them another shot in new shades.

new eyeshadow

the Wonderbrush

xo,
kristie