Beauty Products

Gardenia and Rain

/in , /by


A few weeks ago I went into Bath and Body Works and smelled a candle called White Gardenia. I love it! I am addicted to floral scents and this hit the spot for me! I miss the scent called “Flower Shop” that they had last summer but this is wonderful too!

So that got me thinking that a body care line. I emailed their customer service team and they said that they would share my comment about this. Well, I a few weeks later I was walking by and saw their new body care line called Gardenia and Rain.

I am not saying that they took my idea into consideration but I was very pleased to see that they were already working on it and that my wish was honored! I always purchase the body cream just to see how it “wears” on me. I do love it!






It has a very light floral scent to it. You won’t smell like a walking taffy bar! I hate that! I am not in high school anymore so I have no desire to smell like candy. I believe that most of their scents cater to the younger ladies so this was a nice change. 
Gardenia and Fresh Rain Spring Bouquet Gift Set

Another item that I love is the Rainforest Gardenia. It smells wonderful! Every time I burn my candle I can smell it all over the house! So fragrant!!! I would encourage anyone to go and try out these scents if you love florals. 
(photos Mrs. Shockley)

A French Beauty Secret ~ 2

/in , /by

I am finishing up the last few chapters in The French Beauty Solution and it has been a wonderful book! I have been sharing different tips and educational information from this book for the last several months.

This is a fabulous tip that I read a few weeks ago that I wanted to share.

Take a tip from chic Parisians and spray a cotton handkerchief with your favorite fragrance and keep it in your handbag. Everything will smell divine each time you open your bag. You can also place a scented handkerchief inside your leather gloves to scent them as well. And take another tip from Marilyn Monroe, who famously kept her Chanel No. 5 in the fridge in The Seven Year Itch. Perfume should never be stored in the bathroom or on a shelf near a window, as heat and humidity affect the potency of the scent. ~ Mathilde Thomas 

What a fabulous tip! To read more about this book check out my other blog posts here and here.

My Kate Spade tote, see here if you are interested. I sprayed my Valentino handkerchief with my bottle of Philosophy Amazing Grace. Wonderful!







(photo Mrs. Shockley)

A French Beauty Secret

/2 Comments/in , /by


I saw this quick facial scrub tip from The French Beauty Solution. I am still reading this book and as I said before it has been a great book! You should really pick up a copy. It is very educational but moving right along here is the quick tip…

For an anytime scrub, simply mix one tablespoon of baking soda with water until you have a paste, rub it gently on, then rinse with warm water. This is an instant way to get rid of dead skin cells and give your skin that special glow. ~ Mathilde Thomas 







Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash


My Nail Regime

/2 Comments/in , /by

Every Sunday evening after all the weekend chores are done I began to settle down and plan out my week. I get my clothes ready for work the next day and then I start on my nail regime.

I remove all the old polish, file them down, push back my cuticles and just clean them up a bit. Then I put on a calcium polish and let it dry in my nails.

Then I add my nail color for the week. I love neutral colors so I will probably us a pink blush, gray, dark pink, lavender and lately I have been wearing red. Once I put on my color for the week I then polish on my top coat and Voila.

My nails are set for the week and they look clean, manicured and lovely.

My favorite colors for the last several weeks. I really like Revlon’s Sheer Petal.
I always make sure I put on a calcium or nail hardener as my base coat. 




The finished product. If you find that you don’t like colors try a sheer pink.
It brightens your nails very nicely. 




(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

About Acne ~ The French Beauty Solution

/in , /by


I am continuing my reading of the French Beauty Solution and I am now in Chapter 6 which discusses “Taking Care of your Face and Neck”. I got right into this chapter because it was so informative about skin descriptions.

One section that stuck out to me was the snippet about acne. It blasted away all the myths I was told in high school. Here is what is said…

“Acne is not caused by eating chocolate or french fries. That’s a relief. But for women who suddenly develop acne as adults, it can be devastating to have such visible skin problems. Acne is an inflammatory disease that is caused by genetics, your fluctuating hormone levels, and the P. acnes bacteria. These hormonal changes affect how often your skin cells turn over; if they don’t turn over as they should- becoming stickier and oilier instead- pores get clogged and pimples and blackheads form. 


It’s not a good idea to treat acne yourself, especially if it suddenly develops, as this may be an indication of a hormonal imbalance that warrants medical attention from a physician, either your dermatologist or endocrinologist. Over the counter acne products are usually targeted to teens that tend to have oilier and less fragile skin than adults, and they can cause irritation and make your skin look even worse. Your dermatologist can devise the right treatment plan and check your hormone levels too”.  ~Mathilde Thomas 


I thought this information was so fantastic and right on time. I have noticed some changes in my skin too. I would encourage anyone to pick up this book. It is wonderful…

Photo by Chi on Unsplash

Oil Cleansers ~ Are they Good?

/in , /by


For the last few weeks, I have been reading the French Beauty Solution. It has been a wonderful book and I have learned a lot. I have been discussing certain chapters from the book see here and here.

In the newest chapter the author Mathilde is talking about natural oils and that they are great for your skin. I have always felt that using an oil cleanser would make my skin worse or cause it to break out. But Mathilde doesn’t believe so. She said that one of the fallacies of skincare is that oily skin or skin prone to breakouts should never be touched with oil.

“When you use the right kind of oil on your skin and keep it properly hydrated, oil production in your sebaceous glands actually decreases. When choosing an effective oil-based cleanser, moisturizer, or serum, realize that there are two kinds of oils to use: plant based oils that are therapeutic and the base of your products; and essential oils, which are distilled essences of plants (herbs, flowers, trees, roots, etc. ) that are also therapeutic as well as highly concentrated and so should be used sparingly.”


I will now be thinking twice about oil based cleansers and will be paying a visit to Sephora very soon.



Dermatologist Tips

/in , /by

I am still reading The French Beauty Solution. It is such a great reference book. I have really enjoyed learning about my skin and about sunblock.

I really didn’t know how important sunblock was until recently. Now, that I am in my 30’s my overall health has been at the top of my list. I am in Chapter 4 of the book. In this section Mathilde is discussing dermatologist visits. Are they needed?

Well, according to Dr. Waldorf, you should see a dermatologist for any of the following:

* For a baseline, healthy checkup at any age. Your doctor will photograph your entire body and use this in the future for comparison to see if any moles or spots are growing or changing. Given how prevalent skin cancer is, you can’t be too safe. Some women go to medi-spas to have moles removed, but this can be risky as the people working there are often not medically trained and can’t tell the difference between skin cancer and benign mole. The same risks go for at-home devices. When it comes to your skin, it’s always good to trust a professional.

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash



* If you have any moles, spots, or splotches that don’t heal, change shape or color, or appear suddenly and don’t go away no matter what you try. A normal pimple doesn’t last for months, and scrubbing at it won’t make it go away and can make it much worse. 


* If you suddenly develop any skin condition such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, painful irritation, or rashes.


* If the texture of your skin changes dramatically. This can be due to fluctuating hormone levels. 


* If you start losing a lot of hair on your head and growing it on your face. This, too, might be caused by hormonal changes.


* If you just want advice about more intensive skin care treatments, especially to treat sun damage.




This book has been so helpful to me. I hope you can pick up a copy of your own and start educating yourself on the importance of skincare. I am looking forward to Chapter 5. I will be reading about skincare ingredients, natural oils, and perfume. 




To read more about my entries on this book see here and here.







Text by Mathilde Thomas