Beauty Trends
Every issue, we give you the lowdown on fabulous fragrances and luxurious lotions, beauty must-haves and everything in between
WATER WORKS
Products that do double duty are always a good thing. With Urban Hydration’s Micellar Water ($14.99), you can remove your makeup and clean your skin while also giving it an added boost. Various formulations help address specific skin needs: the Bright & Balanced Aloe Vera Leaf option to hydrate skin and improve the appearance of age spots and wrinkles; Brighten & Glow Peach & Papaya to exfoliate and brighten skin; Moisture Boost Kiwi & Pomegranate to hydrate and repair skin; Apple & Banana to firm and strengthen skin; or Lemon & Berries to detoxify and plump your skin. Find the clean beauty Urban Hydration line—which includes a range of fruit- and plant-based skin- and hair-care products—at local Vitamin Shoppe and Target stores.
A PIECE OF PARADISE
For 14 years, Cape Coral-based Paradise Handmade Soap Co. has been using the fragrances of Florida as inspiration for its bar soaps ($7 each). With names like Florida Sunshine, Captiva Blue, Sanibel Breeze and Florida Tangerine Grapefruit, the handcrafted soaps made with olive oil and blends of other natural oils bring a little bit of the Sunshine State into your bathing routine. The company sells its smells-like-a-vacation soaps plus a line of soy candles at the Lakes Park, Cape Coral, Sanibel and Captiva farmers markets and through its website (paradisehandmadesoap.com).
HYDRATION HELPER
You might be wary of oil-based face serums, but they actually make it easier for your skin to absorb all their good-for-you ingredients. The Althea Cell Regenerating Hydration Oil ($29.99) from Fort Myers-based Everyday Pure features a blend of botanical oils (like jojoba, rose hip and chia seed) that helps rejuvenate skin at the cellular level. This oil-based formulation forms a natural lipid layer on the skin, which helps lock in moisture and allows all the vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants to work their restorative and rehydrating magic. Pick it up at the Franklin Shops in downtown Fort Myers (239-333-3130, thefranklinshops.com) or through the company’s website (edplife.com).
AN ASSIST FROM AUSTRALIA
We may not be able to travel Down Under at this point, but we can bring a bit of Australia to our beauty routines with products from the Sand & Sky line. This A-Beauty brand incorporates Australian botanicals such as pink clay (to detoxify skin) and emu apple (for a gorgeous glow) into products like its Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask ($50), Australian Emu Apple Dreamy Glow Drops ($50) and Australian Pink Clay Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment ($43). Grab the Aussie goodies stateside at Ulta Beauty’s Southwest Florida locations at Bell Tower (239-334-0659, ulta.com), Cypress Woods Shopping Center (239-766-4107) and Gulf Coast Town Center (239-766-4283) or at the Ulta stores at Coconut Point in Estero (239-992-0361) and Coralwood Center in Cape Coral (239-458-3522).
SCENTS OF THE SEA
Give the gift of escape this holiday season to your favorite guy through the nautical-inspired scents in the Tommy Bahama Maritime Coffret ($65). The three-piece men’s cologne set features travel-sized bottles of sea air-inspired Maritime (with top notes of citrusy bergamot, sweet lavender, fresh pink pepper and clary sage), the woodsy Maritime Deep Blue (with top notes of cardamom, bergamot, juniper oil and rosemary) and the new Maritime Journey, which features a blend of crisp apples, notes of cilantro, a mixture of florals and a woodsy base. The colognes are also available in other sizes ($65 to $102). Find the fragrances at the Tommy Bahama store at Coconut Point in Estero (239-947-2203, tommybahama.com) or the company’s several Naples locations.