Introducing LabGrab™ by Silk Therapeutics—Clean Silk Skincare

By Emily on March 9, 2017

One of my favorite things about blogging is the ability to use my voice to promote small businesses that I believe in, and today I’m excited to share a new product line from one of my favorite small businesses—LabGrab™ by Silk Therapeutics. My skin has been in love with the clean, silk-based skincare for over a year, so when Silk Therapeutics reached out to me to help announce LabGrab, I was happy to collaborate.

For those unacquainted, Silk Therapeutics is a local Massachusetts skincare company founded by two friends and silk scientists on a mission to produce clean skincare that works to improve your skin. With a surprising lack of regulation in the skincare industry, Silk Therapeutics set out to create products that offer the benefits of liquid silk, while being free from harsh chemicals like phthalates, parabens, and fragrances—making Silk Therapeutics the cleanest performance-based skincare on the market today. All of the Silk Therapeutics products are non-GMO and made with pure natural silk that’s cruelty free and never tested on animals.

As you might expect, developing, testing, and producing a line of products made with pure liquid silk can be pricey. But with any concentrated formula, a little goes a long way—one jar of my favorite Silk Renewing Peel lasts me about six months. That being said, the team at Silk Therapeutics found that they were spending a lot of time and money developing multiple product formulas for which, ultimately only one was chosen to go to market. This left batches of extra products just sitting in their lab.

Rather than let extra product go to waste, Silk Therapeutics’ General Manager Rachel Dow suggested to “grab them from the lab” so that others could try them at a more affordable price. And so, the affordable limited-edition LabGrab™ product line was born. Focusing on passing the cost savings over to customers, Silk Therapeutics opted for simple glass bottles and locally-sourced recyclable packaging for the LabGrab line of products.

The inaugural LabGrab line includes five limited-edition products: LabGrab Gel Exfoliator, LabGrab Facial Cleanser, LabGrab Fine Lines Serum, LabGrab Serum – Hydrate/Radiance, LabGrab Cream – Eye Renewal. I had the opportunity to try out the LabGrab Fine Lines Serum and can confidently say that it’s amazing.

The concentrated formula made with antioxidants helps reduce the appearance of fine lines while firming and brightening the skin. Comprised of only liquid silk and 7 additional ingredients (Water, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Fibroin (Silk), Populus Tremuloides (Aspen) Bark Extract, Sodium Anisate, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, and Neroli Essential Oil), one drop of the serum is all you need for optimal results.

Since I started using the LabGrab Serum, the fine lines I started to develop (thanks to my 30s) are less noticeable and my skin, despite fighting the flu last week, looks brighter. The formula glides on smoothly and feels good alone or under moisturizer. It must be working because just yesterday, one of my coworkers complimented my skin!

I’m so excited about the launch of LabGrab™ by Silk Therapeutics and encourage you to try it for yourself! The limited-edition LabGrab product line launches today on HSN—check it out!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Silk Therapeutics, but all opinions and brand enthusiasm are my own.

Silk Therapeutics Silk Renewing Peel Review

By Emily on March 10, 2016

I’ve somehow reached the age of 31 without starting any sort of skincare anti-aging regimen. A combination of denial that I’m getting older and acne prone skin has resulted in me trying something new and breaking out before ditching it a few weeks later.

A few months ago I noticed that my skin was looking more pallid and dull than normal despite eating right, sleeping well, and drinking enough water. Since I’m not getting any younger, I decided to get serious about my skincare for the new year. So when Silk Therapeutics reached out to me with an offer to test out their Silk Renewing Peel, I was excited to give it a shot.

I’ve been using the Silk Renewing Peel once a week as part of my new skin care regimen. A big believer in controlled experiments, I left the rest of my skin routine the same. The mantra of Silk Therapeutics is “authentically clean” meaning that all of their products are made with minimal ingredients and free of harsh chemicals. Each product in Silk Therapeutics’s line of clean skincare is formulated to contain only what is necessary and effective, including pure liquid silk, which provides anti-aging benefits.

Silk Therapeutics Silk Renewing Peel

What it Does: Silk Renewing Peel is designed to transform the skin by gently yet effectively exfoliating the outermost layer to reveal a brighter, more vibrant complexion.

Skin Types: The formula is hypoallergenic and designed to be used for all skin types.

Ingredients: Water, Silk, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Lemongrass Essential Oil.

Look and Feel: Lightweight, gel-like consistency that spreads evenly.

Smell: Lemongrass aroma but not overly scented. I’m very sensitive to smells so this was a huge plus for me.

Packaging: Two sizes, 1.0 oz and 1.7 oz, containing a small applicator to scoop the product out of the container.

Treatment and Use: Use a dime sized amount on my face and neck once a week, leaving it on for 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water. There are approximately 90-120 treatment applications in the jar.

Silk Renewing Peel Results

I first tried the Silk Renewing Peel on New Year’s Eve Day in an almost metamorphic way of leaving 2015 behind. The application was simple—spread a small amount over makeup free face, wait 10 mins, and rinse off. The cool gel slid on with a fresh, light lemongrass scent. I’m sensitive to smells and was not at all bothered by the scent.

Nervous about my sensitive skin, I left the peel on only for 5 minutes during the first use. The peel tingled slightly but did not irritate my skin. I’ve used products with glycolic acid before and knew that a slight tingling was normal during the first use. Immediately after rinsing the Silk Renewing Peel, I noticed that my skin was softer and smoother.

Caught up in New Year’s Eve celebrations, I completely forgot that I had used the peel. When I saw a photo of myself the next day, I was amazed (see photo below). My skin looked bright and radiant, better than it had looked in years! My formerly dull and dry skin was glowing, not just in that photo but in every picture.

Photo of my glowing skin

Since that day I’ve been using the Silk Renewing Peel once a week for the past 3 months. I can honestly say that my skin has never looked better. Despite a lack of sun and dry winter air, my skin has remained bright and soft. I was so impressed with the Skin Renewing Peel that I brought some for my mom to try when I went to visit her. Needless to say, she loves it too!

Not only is the Silk Renewing Peel amazing, but Silk Therapeutics is too. The company is a Boston based startup, founded by Dr. Greg Altman (CEO) and Dr. Rebecca Horan (COO). The mission of the Silk Therapeutics is to create a line of safe, effective silk-based products that reimagine the ways we treat and enhance skin, without any added risks. All of the Silk Therapeutic products are chemical-free and are safe for those that are pregnant or undergoing medical treatments for cancer (few skincare products are). If you’re looking for a gentle yet effective anti-aging treatment that will brighten your complexion, I highly recommend Silk Renewing Peel by Silk Therapeutics.

Note: I received the Silk Renewing Peel for free in exchange for an honest review of the product. All opinions are my own.

A “Whittl” Manicure and Pedicure

By Emily on October 14, 2015

When you’re busy, self care often falls by the wayside. Between work and travel and a myriad of other activities, little things like getting your hair trimmed, eyebrows waxed, or a quick manicure can seem like a chore. At least that’s how it feels to me. Most of my life is organized online, so like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, if an appointment doesn’t fit in an app on my iPhone, it’s like it was never there at all.

That’s where Whittl comes in. Whittl is an app that puts hundreds of salons, spas, and barber shops in your neighborhood right at your fingertips. It removes the barriers to self care, such as setting an appointment and looking under your couch cushions for tip money, so that you can have a seamless experience. The app lets you book and pay for appointments, including tip, right through your phone. With a quick touch of a button, you can see available services nearby, book an appointment, and pay for it all from the app or Whittl website. The best part about Whittl is that it never closes—if you wake up in the morning with an invitation to fabulous party that same night, you can easily book and pay for an appointment through Whittl.

In preparation of an upcoming trip to Los Angeles (and because my nails were in desperate need of some professional loving), I used Whittl to book a manicure and pedicure at nearby Paradise Nail and Spa on the swanky Newbury Street in Boston. The entire experience was easy, from launching the app and inputting my payment information to tipping the manicurist. Whittl also includes Yelp and Whittl user reviews, a map so you can see where you’re going, and the salon hours and contact information.

My manicure and pedicure at Paradise Nail and Spa was great and just what I needed. When I arrived, the friendly husband and wife salon owners greeted me and provided all-at-once manicure/pedicure experience. I left an hour later polished and relaxed and ready to take on the day—thanks Whittl! Whittl just launched in Boston and participating salons and spas are growing by the day.

The days of calling salons to book appointments and fumbling for cash with wet nails are over for me. If you’re the kind of person who is too busy to deal with calling for appointments and desperately (or not so desperately) need some self care, check out Whittl!

I received a manicure and pedicure free of charge, courtesy of Whittle, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 tips that might change your life

By Emily on June 6, 2013

[Subtitle: 5 Things You Probably Already Know About That I’m Just Catching On To]

1. Coconut oil for everything

Coconut oil is my new favorite everything product. I can’t even call it a beauty product because it does more than just beauty stuff, but mostly I love it for its face and body capabilities. I use this coconut oil on dry hair as a hair mask (then wash it out), on my body as a lotion after a shower, as an eye/face makeup remover (remove your contacts first), as a shaving cream, for dry hands, rashes, sunburn, etc. Oh, you can cook with it too! Need more info about coconut oil? This lady found 101 uses for it and here are 28 science-verified health benefits of coconut oil.

Image Source

2. Baby powder for everything else

For anything that doesn’t need to be greased up, this organic baby powder is your answer. It works in place of dry shampoo (even in dark hair, just use sparingly and brush through), for sweaty armpits, sweaty feet, to get sand off of your body at the beach, and that’s probably about it. I do love it as a dry shampoo though.

3. Bobby pins go crinkled side down

I told this to a girlfriend recently and she gave me an embarrassed look and said, “OMG am I the only woman on Earth who never knew this and everyone is laughing at the pointy parts of my booby pins sticking up?!” The answer is no, I’m the only one laughing, which is why I’m telling you now.

The crinkled side and bent part of the booby pin are designed to go down, toward your scalp. The crinkles are supposed to keep the pins from slipping, ersomething. Try it, it works. Kate, the hair guru, even said so.

4. Lipstick doubles as blush

Especially after a long day of work when you’re looking particularly haggard and need to meet friends for Happy Hour. Rub some lipstick on your pointer finger to heat it up and then rub it onto your cheeks. It’s much more dignified than swiping lipstick on like war paint, which also totally works.

5. Contact lens containers for travel

I have a love/hate relationship with rules. I love to follow them but I hate stupid rules that are enacted because one idiot decided he wanted to wreak havoc on the airlines. I refuse to check my luggage if I’m just traveling for a few days and think buying mini airline sized containers for my lotions and potions is a rip off.

Instead I use contact lens cases (most bottles of solution come with a free case) for my face lotion, hair serum, and any other small quantity of liquid or gel that you need some of but less than 3 oz of on a short trip. Label with a sharpie on the top or bottom of the case. Toss at the end of your trip when your quantity is used up and voila, less to bring home!

Have these changed your life yet?

Sassy in Sequins

Boston Lifestyle & Travel Blog