My time is extremely limited these days--life throws us under the bus sometimes when it comes to timing. Yes it's a very happy time but there are also a lot of other things going on that are not so happy. I'm trying to stay afloat, so unfortunately my post frequency is suffering--but I hope you'll appreciate that I'm trying to balance. :)

I so very much wanted to share this with you in a beauty video, but I have this unfortunately-located blemish that looks like a cold sore (it's not, I swear!) and it has me feeling really self-conscious as of late, so I'm opting for a good old standard post this time around.

Estēe Lauder Advanced Night Repair $52-$80

I am absolutely, head over heels in love with a new-to-me beauty product. After I heard a recommendation online for it, I had to investigate. Estēe Lauder's Advanced Night Repair serum is more of what someone would think to be an anti-aging, anti-oxidant, protective serum. But it repairs damage wonderfully. And what's even more amazing (and why I purchased it) is it is nothing short of a miracle worker when it comes to healing acne. I'm talking huge, weeping, inflamed, red, open acne blemishes.

I swear to you, on my own life, that I put this on my face and overnight the redness in my healing blemishes was completely gone. It had transformed from angry and red to just a pale pink. And my skin looked healthier in those areas. I had a couple of stubborn spots on my chin for at least two weeks that refused to heal up and with one night of this stuff and it was almost gone. I'm a complete convert for life.

I also did a fair amount of investigation into the technology behind it, and it looks like it helps your DNA Polymerases (enzymes) repair damaged DNA that happens from free radicals (which cause the oxidation behind the word anti-oxidant). Pretty neat stuff from a biological perspective. Coming from a complete serum-skeptic: I'm sold. For life.

 

Avon Infinite Moment for Him $20

Another thing I've been loving is a bit more indirect. Since I'm one of Avon's select handful of brand ambassadors for 2012 (yay!), I got to treat HB to one of their men's fragrances, Infinite Moment for Him. And it smells so delicious! It smells like a mix between Aqua di Gio and John Varvatos Vintage colognes combined.

Obviously I don't wear it myself, but I love when he does and I was so pleasantly surprised that an affordable fragrance could smell so deliciously expensive and layered. Again, another misconception turned on its head for me this month!

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain $32

The last thing I'll talk about caught me unpleasantly by surprise. There has been a lot of hype about the release of Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain, and I must say it is an innovative product. It attempts to be the first lipstick-stain-lip gloss hybrid. And it is, but for me, it's all wrong.

It has a funny texture that unfortunately does still feel like one of those long-wearing 12-hour lip stains from the drugstore. It has a weird scent. It feels sticky and like it sits on your lips. Wouldn't recommend shelling out the $35 bucks a pop it costs to experience this product.

Disclaimer: I am a brand ambassador for Avon and am thusly compensated. All opinions are my own and I would never endorse a product I didn't actually use and love.