Bringing the Spa Home with Clarisonic and Embryolisse

The Clarisonic display at Sephora, 42nd Street, NYC.

SEPHORA, 42ND ST. NYC: Earlier this year, we were doing a photo shoot in Midtown and stopped by Sephora on our way to Times Square.  They have a really large selection of all things Clarisonic so we went over to the display and saw this cool attachment for the PLUS. If you're not too familiar with the Clarisonic Line of sonic cleansing systems, the PLUS has interchangeable heads for both your face and body.

Clarisonic's Body Brush Extension Handle turns the PLUS into a back brush! Pair it with Embryolisse Soap Free Cleanser and Lait Creme Body Lotion for a full spa treatment.

Clarisonic PLUS
I've had my Clarisonic PLUS for about three years now and I wouldn't be without it. I even take it with me camping! When you snap on the facial brush head, the unit senses this and automatically selects those settings. Pop on the body brush-head and it goes into a 2 minute cycle for the bath or shower.

The Clarisonic PLUS with both the facial and body brush heads.

Sonic Cleansing All Over
The Body Brush Extension Handle just makes the PLUS that much better. Now I can more comfortably reach down to the small of my back, knees, legs and feet. The PLUS easily snaps into the cradle which is angled to more effectively access your back. If you're like me and have acne on your shoulders and back, this brush attachment is a great way to treat it. The handle of the extension is comfortable and easy to grip even with soapy hands.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Moussant (Sans Savon) & Lait-Creme Riche Corps
My Clarisonic PLUS came with several tubes of gentle cleansers which are perfect for traveling. At home, I prefer to use Embryolisse Lait-Creme Soap Free Cleanser.
Since it is soap free, it does not dry your skin or leave a film. Rich in sweet almond oil and shea butter, I just squeeze a little on my wet skin and begin massaging with my PLUS.  This is a multi-tasking cleanser as I've also used it on my face and as a shampoo. It's even gentle enough for use on babies.

Moisturizing After your Spa Treatment
The icing on the cake is going to be your moisturizer. My favorite by far is Embryolisse Lait-Creme Riche Corps.  I love the delicate fragrance of sandalwood which is a signature note of this French line. It contains shea butter, oils of sandalwood, cork and barley with vitamin E.  It is SO rich, a little goes a long way especially on moist, freshly cleansed skin. I've been to several day spas and enjoy what they do but you can treat yourself at home EVERYDAY to a facial and body scrub with Clarisonic and Embryolisse!

Body Brush/Attachments & Cleansers-Moisturizers c/o Clarisonic & Embryolisse respectively. 

Crabtree & Evelyn: Gardeners Set

Going on vacation?  Take this little hand pampering spa along with you!

Vacation time is just the right time for a little TLC.  We often spend a lot of time and effort maintaining our face and neck.  What about your hands?  This very useful Gardeners Set from Crabtree & Evelyn was a very special anniversary gift but would also make an excellent splurge for yourself!  This is true even if you're not into gardening.

These products are the most deliciously scented creams and scrubs, reminding me of another old revered English fragrance house, Pecksniff's of Brighton.


Here are the elements included in the Gardeners Set:

Hand Recovery - This smaller 0.9 oz tube holds a very concentrated exfoliant that scrubs away dead, dry surface skin cells.  It's oil based so it does not strip the skin of its natural moisture.  In fact the FIRST ingredient is Macadamia Seed Oil.

Hand Therapy - A very rich, yet light cream which features as its main ingredient, Macadamia Nut Oil.  Also includes extracts of Rosemary, Sage and Cucumber.

Hand Scrub with Pumice - This larger tube is more useful for lifting embedded dirt from the skin.  Remember, this is a gardener's gift set so effective soil removal is going to be essential.  The second ingredient is volcanic Pumice but it also contains a good amount of honey and aloe vera.  

Nail & Cuticle Therapy - One of the most welcome additions to the set is this special cream for nails and cuticles.  The main ingredients in this product are glycerin and shea butter.  A little goes a long way and the recommendation is to apply it after gently pushing the cuticles back with an orange stick.


Where to Buy?
You can order these wonderful products online from Crabtree & Evelyn or try Harmon's Beauty Supply Store which has begun carrying select items.

The lovely woven Crabtree & Evelyn tote can be used for garden tools or a trip to the beach! Scarf  by Oscar de la Renta. Garden Tools by Liberty of London

Clarisonic & Opal: Spa Pleasures at Home

The Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System and the Opal Skin Infusion System make the perfect pair for your "home-spa".

Clarisonic & Opal: Spring Skin Detox is my article on the Clarisonic Skincare Line. It was published at Gavethat.com so click on the link to read the full review. One of the nicest things you can do for yourself is take a vacation away from the everyday. Now that may not be too easy but considering that stress can elicit a whole host of unhealthy symptoms, we should take time for ourselves.

I have gone away to some wonderful spas for European facials and herbal body wraps. They are wonderful for both mind and body. However for a bit more than you would pay for a visit, you can invest in your own home spa essentials such as pictured above.

The Clarisonic Plus Skin Cleansing System offers interchangeable heads for your face and body. It is completely immersible and does and incredible job cleansing your skin, much in the way the Sonicare toothbrush cleans your teeth. It is the same technology after all. The Opal is the newest addition to the Clarisonic line and offers a very effective skin infusion system to plump up fine lines and wrinkles. The target areas for the Opal are the eyes but it is just as effective around the mouth, neck and forehead. When used in tandem, you have a complete system that will give you spa results at home. In fact the Clarisonic Skincare brush is already used in some of the top retreats in the world. Now you can have these same spa pleasures at home for yourself!