Visiting with the Fresh team is like a day of sugar kisses. It does wonders for your face and spirits! Last Thursday, Jawn Marques, Creative Director of Fresh, and Alyson O'Brien, Account Executive (and Best Things in Beauty guest contributor) joined product specialist Alison Kauffman at Neiman Marcus, Tysons Galleria, for a day of beauty. I had looked forward to the event for at least a month. I made an appointment for my friend Berry too. Fresh products are so universally appealing, I knew she would have fun.Jawn was doing mini-facials and makeup applications, with a hand and arm treatment thrown in too for pampering. Berry went first, and his mini-facial turned her dry, reactive skin into a glowing wonder. Jawn usually exfoliates with Sugar Face Polish ($55), but he does so much more. He cleanses, tones, exfoliates, treats (always a mask and a serum after), and moisturizes - using many Fresh products that he custom-selects for his client based on her or her skin condition.
Berry started out a little dry. Her skin showed her recent travel and the ravages of winter and retinol, but by the time he finished with her, her face was radiant. For makeup, he gave her a golden bronze look on her eyes, and because her skin looked so good by the time he had finished the facial, he used almost no foundation on her peaches and cream complexion. On her lips? Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($22.50), of course! I think he also used a lip gloss with her lip treatment, but I got carried away chatting and missed that detail. The results? Jawn and Berry posed for me when he had finished. Her hair got a little flattened under the headband he had used to keep it out of the way, but otherwise, she looked fabulous.
The whole time he was working, I had three things going on: 1) talking with Jawn and Berry, 2) talking with Alyson O'Brien (shown immediately above on the left; she wrote a guest post for Best Things in Beauty here), and 3) talking with Alison Kauffman (at right above) - all without leaving my comfy chair. So I missed a few details. What I know is that Berry and I both hopped out of Jawn's chair with a naturally pretty look. While Jawn was working with me, Berry shopped Fresh's wonderful fragrances and soaps - a treat one should never miss.When it was my turn, Jawn used the wonderful new Black Tea Age Delay Face Serum ($80) on me (among many other products). I had wanted this serum since its winter introduction, and I finally purchased one Thursday. The serum is a concentrated blend of potent antioxidants and peptides that firms, restores, and refines the complexion for smoother, younger-looking skin. The secret to this powerhouse formula is black tea extract. Packed with polyphenols, potent antioxidants that defend against the most aggressive free radicals, black tea extract protects the integrity of the cell membrane to prevent lines and wrinkles from forming. Its high melanin content also has a brightening effect on the skin for a radiant glow. I know I'm going to love it. I love everything from Fresh I've ever bought.
Jawn used
the Fresh Imperial Bedroom Face Palette ($55) on my eyes. This palette is a little hard to find, but Neiman Marcus had it. This subtly sultry collection from Fresh captures the behind-the-curtain, forbidden sensuality of imperial aristocracy. The palette includes luminous shades of lightly gilded Eye Lusters (Pale Moonlight and Gilded Satin), an opalescent Satin Liner (called Black Chemise, but to my eye it has traces of deep blue and green in it), a warm shimmering Satin Luster for the cheeks (Chantilly Lace), and a seductive Crown Rubies Lip Shine. The colors have an elegant brilliance that remains discreet on the skin for a masterful expression of sheer sophistication.All fives shades were customer-blended by Alina Roytberg, co-founder of Fresh, who was inspired by the unmatched charm, romance, and over-indulgence of the British aristocracy of the early 1800s This pleasure-seeking period was all about excess and style, sophistication and lust. "I imagined a luring bedroom setting where a sensuous, shimmering beauty is lit only by candlelight and surrounded by plush fabrics and rich colors" said Alina. While history may be the inspiration for this opulent collection, the result is modern and dramatic. I loved it! I came home with that too.
I swatched the shades so that you could see how pretty they are. My photo was taken outdoors in the last snatch of sunlight we had today, and I applied each shade with my fingers. I started with Chantilly Lace at the top. Below (top to bottom) are Pale Moonlight, Gilded Satin, Black Chemise, and Crown Rubies. John mixed the Lip Shine in with the Stain Liner and used it on my eyes. These colors all have an elegant glow, perfect for those of us who like a radiant, natural look. He used Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 on my lips, as he had with Berry.
Skip forward to t
he end of my session, and here I am posing with Jawn. Isn't that a silly, self-satisfied smile on my face? I went straight from Neiman Marcus to physical therapy, and everyone in the room complimented me on my appearance! I was sure they wouldn't recognize me with makeup on. Normally, I have no incentive to dress up for torture. Because we were running late, I didn't have time to get close-up photos of his masterful work on my eyes. It was one of those times when I didn't want to wash off my makeup when it was time to go to sleep.I have a lot more to tell you about Fresh. Click on this link for a quick description of Jawn's last visit. Stay tuned in the coming week for more about Jawn Marques and celebrity beauty.
Photo at top courtesy of Fresh; palette photo courtesy of beauty.com