Notes From My Vanity: Summer Beauty Must Haves? Maybe.

Summer is fast approaching- a fact to which I am most keenly aware of due to the packages that have been arriving at my door daily bursting with warm weather beauty wonders. Sad but true- I still write March instead of May when typing dates, and the other day I dated a check 3/20/2007. Oops.

Here are four picks from recent arrivals that are strong contenders for summertime spots on my vanity:

1- Caudalie Beauty Elixir: When I posted a picture on Instagram of my Caudalie package, several trusted beauty fanatics commented that the Beauty Elixir was a must-have, and I get it. Unlike many spritzes, it isn't overly floral. Rather, it has this energizing burst of mint that triggers my "time to attack the day" reflex. When I know I have a particularly long day ahead, it is my insurance policy to hold makeup in place. However, even if the long day is not the kind that necessitates a full face of makeup (i.e. mom stuff, writing and a workout), I still find myself reaching for this. A luxurious little radiance boost is often just the thing I need to keep my sanity while trying to change a squirmy, shrieking toddler's diaper while on a conference call. 

2- Chantecaille Ultra Sun Protection Broad Spectrum SPF50 Primer: This smells more amazing than any SPF product I have ever put on my face- which makes sense given that the ingredient list boasts cherry blossom, lemon balm and white tea extracts. The older I get, the more involved my skincare routine gets and the less energy I have to keep up with it all- so I love that I knock out the SPF step while applying my primer. It does leave the skin on the shiny side- but no complaints here- I have never been one to shy away from a dewy finish.

3- Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil: You slap Oribe's name on anything and chances are I will like it. But this in particular has won my heart because, over the past 3 weeks when I was long overdue for a haircut, it totally covered for me by keeping my ends from looking like fried pieces of straw. I also used it every day on our recent beach vacation to smooth back the baby hairs along my hairline- it didn't leave my roots even the slightest bit greasy.

4- Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Kiss Me Coral: Okay, so I can't find anything about this product anywhere online, but somehow it appeared in my beauty closet on the "to test" shelf recently so, always one to follow my own orders, I tested it.  It's a very wearable coral (often times I can't pull off the orange element of the whole coral equation) and the formula feels substantial without being heavy. A perfectly pretty beach day gloss option- subtle, not sticky and just sparkly enough to glisten in the sun without looking, well, silly.