Coastal Salt & Soul Heavenly Hand Cream Allure special projects editor and self-proclaimed
creature of habit, challenges herself to snap out of her beauty rutwith an Allure Beauty Box subscription. Come back monthly to find out
how she uses the items in the box—the ones that earn a permanent placein her medicine cabinet, and the ones that don’t quite make the cut.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I am beginning topanic because I’ve barely made a dent in my shopping list. For me,procrastination has become a time-honored holiday tradition that’s upthere with tuning in to the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story onTBS, or pretending to eat pickled herring at the stroke of midnight on
New Year's Eve to appease my father. When the December Allure Beauty
Box arrived, it was a welcome distraction from my daunting shopping
list, and I readily dug in. What I found, however, was that in
addition to some necessary goodies to help me brace for the bitterly
cold months ahead, the box also contained some unexpected gift ideas
for the friends and family on my list.Coastal Salt & Soul Heavenly Hand Cream
Whipping winds and subzero temperatures have done a number on my poor
fingers. Add compulsive hand-washing to the mix (it’s cold and flu
season, people!), and my winter-worn hands were seeming like they were
here to stay. That is, until a glimmer of hope arrived in the December
box: a dainty tube ofCoastal Salt & Soul Heavenly Hand Cream
© 2015 | Kristina Sherk Photography | www.Kristinasherk.com
. Its nongreasy formula delivered a dose of much-needed moisture to my
parched palms without leaving behind a slick residue on my keyboard
and a trail of typos. The distinctive scent, however, was what truly
set this hand cream apart. This is going to sound awfully specific, so
bear with me. But, you know that inexplicable smell in the housewares
section of Anthropologie that makes you linger there even though you
came in specifically to find a dress for the bridal shower you’re
attending in just a few short hours? That is exactly how I’d describe
Ocean Gardenia’s sweet, yet citrusy fragrance. I didn't get a chance
to try the other scents—Blushing Peony and Mediterranean Citrus—but
now I want to get my baby-soft hands on those, too.
Verdict: This deeply moisturizing hand cream is a trick I definitely
want to have up my sleeve this winter. But it’s way too good to keep
to myself, and honestly, it’s a versatile gift that works for just
about everyone on my list. (As a bonus, its pretty packaging means I
can scrap the wrapping paper and scotch tape: A simple satin bow will
suffice.)Tula Advanced Neck Cream
Some grandmothers pass down family recipes. My grandmother’s lasting
legacy was this invaluable beauty tip: “Always do to your neck exactly
what you do to your face.” At the time, I dismissed it with an eye
roll, but now I’m hanging my head in shame for ignoring her. And I
should have known better. With barely a crease on her face, only the
white-knuckled passengers in her car might have been able to guess
that she was a senior citizen. While I may have brushed off her sage
advice for years, it's found its way into my current skin-care
routine: my three-times-a-week retinol treatment that I slather from
hairline to décolletage and top off with a thin layer of ultracreamy
moisturizer. These two heavy-hitting treatments work wonders on my
face but ravage my wallet.Tula Advanced Neck Cream
was a welcome addition. Packed with peptides, it helps to restore
firmness and smooth crepey skin just as well as my normal p.m.
process, but at $80 for a 1.7-ounce jar compared with $170 for 1 ounce
of Crème de La Mer, it’s practically a steal.
Verdict: In terms of its benefits, it’s neck and neck with my usual
anti-aging creams, but it charges into the lead with its price tag. A
firmer neck feels a lot better when you have a fuller wallet.