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July 28, 2007
Denise gets her glow on with XEN-TAN
Living here in the desert southwest, it is wise to stay out of the blazing sun as much as possible. That said, I also believe in the aesthetic properties of having at least a hint of color on my skin. A good faux-tan coupled with a great outfit can even have the miraculous visual effect of shaving a few pounds off a lucky gal's figure! For these reasons, I have been an avid fan of self-tanners for years now. Fortunately, self-tanning formulas have come a long way over the years; we are no longer forced to walk around sporting the obvious fake-tan orange peel look. Recently I was lucky enough to be able to try some products from the Xen-Tan line, and let me tell you, I am hooked! Xen-Tan is a premium line of sunless tanners that is sold both online at www.xen-tan.com and at most Nordstrom stores. Be warned, however, that this is the prime example of an awesome product being hyped by a terrible website. The Xen-Tan website looks like something off of a bad infomercial, covered with blinking phone numbers and "CALL NOW!" solicitations. Don't let that deter you - the products themselves are great. If need be, steer clear of the glaring info-site and head over to your local Nordstrom (or even Nordstrom.com) to pick up a bottle or two. You won't be disappointed. Xen-Tan products have a really (honestly) pleasant cherry almond scent, no more of the yucky "developer" smell that we've come to accept with most other self-tanners. Their self-tanners are formulated with a high level of DHA, which is an active ingredient that reacts with amino acids in the skin to produce the golden color that we crave. Xen-Tan has specifically developed their products to have more of an olive undertone, rather than an orange or coppery color, which makes them so much more natural looking, even on fair skin like mine. Because of the technology involved, the color is super long-lasting, and then wears off evenly and naturally. My skin has never ended up looking scaly or blotchy as the color fades.
The first step in any self-tanning regimen is to exfoliate off any dead skin. This leaves a fresh, even surface and will ensure even development of the color. I usually just don my scrubby gloves and use my favorite body wash to exfoliate in the shower. Xen Tan offers a Body Scrub ($18.00), which is a gentle exfoliant designed to leave your skin smooth and prepped for tanning. I am not a huge fan of this product; I found the green gel to be a bit too astringent smelling, and the granules too small to be a very effective exfoliant. I think that you're better off with your favorite body scrub or, like me, my trusty little scrubby shower gloves. Xen Tan does have a really nice natural Body Sponge ($4.00), however, that I enjoy using on a daily basis in the shower.
My favorite product from the line is the Dark Mousse ($29.00). I've gotta tell you, the first time I used the Dark Mousse, I freaked out a little bit at first. This light foamy mousse dries SO fast, and I was just positive that I hadn't rubbed it in evenly enough, or covered my skin uniformly. I was so sure that I was going to end up looking like a blotchy mess. Because of the advanced Xen-Tan formula, though, that wasn't the case! As long as you don't completely skip a spot, Xen-Tan comes out looking even and great. I was so relieved! And talk about no drying time - this product dries in less than a minute, and leaves a subtle instant color on your skin, so it's great to apply and go.
Tan Extender ($28.00) is a great product to compliment the Dark Mousse, and also perfect to ease any self-tanning novices into the routine. It is a very moisturizing white lotion containing a moderate concentration of self-tanner. It also smells great! The color takes a couple of hours to develop, and always comes out even and beautiful. I really like using Tan Extender because, in addition to the fantastic self-tanning qualities, it is an awesome moisturizer for my skin.
For that sun-kissed look on faces, shoulder blades, or wherever you need an instant bronzing touch up, Xen-Tan's Perfect Bronze Compact ($28.00) delivers a sheer, natural looking, just-back-from-vacation look with just a few brush strokes. It blends easily and leaves my face with a nice, matte glow.
THIS JUST IN! The folks at Xen-Tan have been hard at work developing their latest and greatest product, a gradual self-tanner called Transform ($14.00) which they plan to release very soon. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of Transform, and I love it! The citrus-melon smell is so fresh and clean; this product has literally no hint of unpleasant self-tanner development smell at all. Transform is packed with great ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E, so it leaves skin silky smooth and develops a natural looking tan over time. It seems to work a little bit more gradually and subtly than the Tan Extender does, so for those who are a bit self-tanner shy, this would be an ideal product.
If you are looking for a healthy, natural summer glow, I highly recommend that you check out the Xen-Tan line. Then go forth and enjoy the summer, you golden goddess, you!
- Denise
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Posted by heather at 9:42 PM
July 27, 2007
Chanel English Rose limited edition collection - a Nordstrom exclusive
We love exclusives, special collections, and pink, and they all come together in these three lovely products from Chanel's limited edition English Rose collection, available at Nordstrom.
Who can resist perfectly pink nails and a pretty pink pout to match? The 145 Rose Blossom shade of Le Vernis Nail Colour is just the right shade of not-too-pale pink, whether you are sporting some summer color (real or faux) or not. We're in love with the click top case of Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour, not to mention how head-over-heels we are for the 107 Rose Blossom shade of pink.
Our favorite of the collection is definitely the Poudre Universelle Compacte Natural Finish Pressed Powder in 507 Rose Blossom. It's the perfect pale pink with a hint of shimmer - just the slightest touch - that looks amazing on cheeks and brow bone. We just feel more polished wearing this powder.
Visit your local Nordstrom now to see this new collection at the Chanel counter.
Posted by heather at 10:14 PM
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