We Were On a Break

Let's stay together! Also, Cindy Crawford's new Meaningful Beauty Bodycare System

Hello, Gorgeous!

I've missed you. I hope late summer was kind to you, and that early autumn is everything you hoped it would be.

How I spent my summer

As for me, suffice it to say it's been an extremely tough few weeks. Yes, I did go away for a bit, and thank God, me and my family are doing fine…but…well…It's been a time. So much so that I'm working on a new book about it. I'll keep you posted about that in the coming months. In the meanwhile, let’s talk beauty. And body. And beauty for your bod.

Cindy Crawford Meaningful Beauty Bodycare System

I’ve been consistently impressed with Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty line - and that’s saying a lot. I generally don’t love celebrity lines since there’s frequently a whole lot of slapping a famous name on a generic, low quality, or white label brand and pretending that it’s fancy. That’s never been the case with Meaningful Beauty. The line was developed by supermodel Crawford along with her go-to skincare guru cosmetic specialist Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh.

First off, there are a whole bunch of products in this new line. You can start off with a five-piece kit for about $75, or you can buy products individually.

The collection includes Sunless Radiance Drops ($34), Firming and Tightening Body Hydration Treatment ($84), Brightening and Smoothing Luxe Body Cleanser ($44), Targeted Hydration Body Stick ($34), and Contouring and Lifting Neck and Jawline Serum ($78). I was faced with the dilemma of trying the entire line simultaneously and seeing if I noticed an overall difference, or trying the line piece by piece.

I decided to go all in, here’s what I discovered.

While I liked all the products, I didn’t really need all of them. Like all products in the Meaningful Beauty line, the bodycare products rely on the skin-healing powers of an antioxidant-rich enzyme derived from a rare melon grown exclusively in the South of France. Since I’ve never tried any sort of concentrated form of said melon outside of Meaningful Beauty products, I can’t tell you firsthand whether it’s truly skincare magic or effective smoke and mirrors.

My favorite product in the Meaningful Beauty bodycare collection is the body stick. It goes on solid and then morphs into something with a decidedly serum-like feel. And if you do use the body moisturizer, I’d recommend concentrating on areas that could use extra firming (like the backs of your arms). Slathering all over can feel a bit tight. Overall, I love this line. I just can’t see ever committing to using all the products on an ongoing basis. You can check out the entire line here.

Incidentally, if you’re looking for a more affordable body treat, eos Shea Better 24H Moisture Body Lotion costs about $11 and works better than most products I’ve ever used that claim to target crepiness. And looking at Target’s website, there were nearly a million bottles purchased in the last month alone. My current fave is Coconut Waters which smells fresh but not cloying and softens even my overworked and overwashed hands for hours (maybe even days).

How was the end of your summer and has your skin bounced back from too much sun? Let’s meet in the comments to discuss!

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋