Darphin The Revitalizing Oil

Darphin's newest product, The Revitalizing Oil ($50), is a luxurious multi-purpose oil for the skin, body and hair. This exceptionally healing blend of 4 essential oils and 9 plant oils is fantastic on dry, wind burned skin. I also love to use it to pamper my hands and feet.

Ylang-ylang, rosewood, jasmine and lavender create the heady floral scent. It's strong enough for me to pass it off as a light perfume. Raspberry seed, evening primrose, tamanu, rose hip, sunflower, apricot kernel, sweet almond, argan, and jojoba oils provide tons of omega fatty acids to protect and strengthen the skin barrier.

It feels richer than most oils I've tried but it absorbs well if you wait a few extra minutes. For best results use it after a shower or bath and a few drops for the face and neck is plenty. And, if you're already familiar with their other face oils, you'll know that the price of this one is a total bargain.

$50 for a 50 ml (1.7 oz) bottle. Available at www.darphin.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

Recchiuti Confections Merry Christmas Box

If you love Recchiuti Confections (and who doesn't?!), now is the perfect time to get their elegant chocolates at a lower price. I would stock up on their S'mores Bites, Dragee Sampler and Pate de Fruits if I were you. Valid through this weekend only, use the promo code MERRY to shave 20% off.

The new Merry Christmas Box ($45) would make a splashy hostess gift. The 16-piece truffle assortment includes cult favorites like their Burnt Caramel Truffle as well as Piedmont Hazelnut and Rose Caramel. If you really want to spoil someone special the Very Merry Christmas Box ($85) is a deluxe version with 32 pieces. 

Shop now at www.recchiuti.com. 

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

Clarins Super Restorative Day & Night Creams

Clarins fans can look forward to the new formula of their popular Super Restorative Day SPF 20 cream ($122). Featuring organic harungana leaf to revive hormone-depleted fibroblasts, the plant extract is touted as a powerful ingredient that's even more powerful than retinol. In fact, harungana is referred to as the "healing tree" in Madagascar. 

The cream is designed for mature skin but I feel younger folks can benefit from it. It takes only a minute to soak in and it's a solid day cream to protect yourself from the onslaught of wind and freezing temps.

The Super Restorative Night ($130) version is a bit heavier but I prefer its soothing texture. It works quickly to soften my parched skin and this particular formula contains organic Montpellier rock-rose extract to fade age spots. Results are quite promising as clinical tests showed a 32% reduction after a month. 

Available at www.clarinsusa.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

SK-II Cellumination AuraBright

Cult Japanese skincare brand SK-II is back with a new product. Featuring their proprietary Soft Aura Bright complex, the Cellumination AuraBright Illuminating Essence is designed to improve brightness and skin texture while reducing age spots. Powerful ingredients like Pitera, ume extract, Pixel-White, niacinamide and De-Melano P3C are selected to boost luminosity, clarity and radiance.

Using 1-2 droppers of product, I layer it on before my serum and moisturizer at night. It adds an unexpectedly rich layer of moisture and my face feels baby soft. I also get an instant glow upon application and when I use it consistently the radiance sustains itself wonderfully. I saw initial results after a week but I expect to see more after another month.

Available in 1 fl oz ($160) and 1.6 fl oz ($235) sizes. Available at all SK-II counters and www.sk-ii.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

Aftelier Organic Honeysuckle Face Elixir

Artisan parfumeur Mandy Aftel never ceases to amaze me with her thoughtful, passionate creations. On top her extensive perfume collection she also has a small curated selection of skin and body care products. The Aftelier Organic Honeysuckle Face Elixir is the newest addition and it is just sublime. 

Voluptuous, lush, and intoxicating, it features a rare honeysuckle absolute from Italy. The ripe fruit notes are definitely sweet but remain balanced. It also has hints of jasmine, which makes me want to bathe myself with it all the more. If Mandy also made this as a body oil I'd be in serious trouble. 

Crafted with organic rice bran, sweet almond, apricot kernel, camellia, grapeseed, squalene and rosehip seed oils, the lightweight formula absorbs instantly. A few drops is all you need for this gorgeous beauty treatment. It's like wearing a luxurious veil of perfume, except it also has exceptionally healing skincare benefits. I can't stop smelling my hands after using it at bedtime and its precious fragrance lulls me into a web of beautiful dreams. 

Available for $65 (15 ml) at www.aftelier.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

Eminence Holiday Gift Sets

Eminence is offering two lovely holiday kits for gift-giving. Featuring a few of their popular treatments from their expansive skincare line, these limited edition sets are a wonderful value. Each gift also includes an entry code to win a trip to the Bacara Resort & Spa. 

The Body Retreat Gift Set ($40) contains a full-size bottle of the fruity Apricot Body Oil (8.2 fl oz) and a tube of the nourishing Coconut Sugar Scrub (4 fl oz). I'm a huge fan of both items and these are perfect for an at-home spa experience. 

Banish stressed, puffy eyes with the Eye Rescue Duo Gift Set ($70). It includes the creamy and hydrating Wild Plum Eye Cream (0.5 fl oz) and the refreshing Cucumber Eye Gel (0.5 fl oz). These travel-friendly options are also great for reviving dry skin after a long flight. I like to use the cucumber gel for daytime while the wild plum is perfect for evening.

To find a local spa retailer, to go eminenceorganics.com.

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

Dolce & Gabbana Lift Foundation & Primer

The lightweight Lift Foundation Perfect Reveal Lift Foundation ($72) from Dolce & Gabbana features the same Gold-Flavo-Silk Tricomplex as their Aurealux skincare line. The anti-aging blend of gold silk sericin, Italian olive oil and vitamin B3 helps restore moisture, smooth skin texture and increase radiance immediately and over time. After 4 weeks of usage you can expect to see a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

The natural-looking coverage is medium to full so I use just a little over a half pump. A small amount goes a long way and the long-lasting formula is also fairly water resistant. I got splashed with light rain as I was testing this product and my makeup still looked good afterward. I still have some color so Natural Glow 100 is a perfect match for me while Creamy 80 would be great when I get paler in the winter. The difference between the two shades is subtle so I can get away with mixing in a bit of Creamy 80 for more radiance. 

The Primer Sheer Radiance Make Up Base ($64) is also infused with gold silk sericin and olive oil extracts to provide all-day hydration as well as a smooth canvas for perfect makeup application. It has the look and smell of my favorite sunscreen and the creamy texture allows you to use it alone as a light daytime moisturizer. It includes a UV protection of SPF 30 and one pump is plenty for the entire face. As a bonus, when I use this primer I don't need to use as much liquid foundation.

Available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and Nordstrom. 

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.