I have always been a fan of Kate Somerville’s products so it’s no surprise that my favorite sunless tanner is Somerville 360 Tanning Towelettes... 

Each towelette is paraben-free and has a really nice self-tanning formula that leaves my skin with a lovely sun kissed glow. Surprisingly, the towelettes make application quick and easy. The tan typically takes a couple hours to develop and I have yet to have any serious mishaps with streaks. As long as you wipe the towelette over the entire surface of your skin, you are good to go!

Just as body lotions are formulated slightly differently than face lotions, sunless tanners vary as well. That’s why I’ve started using Kate Somerville Self Tanning Face Pads. The pads have built-in exfoliators to ensure streak-free coverage and peptides that smooth out the surface of your skin. I absolutely love them!

Typically, I use the body and face tanners once a week depending on my weekend plans. If I want to be extra tan for an event, I’ll apply a second layer the night before. Using the towelettes and face pads have just become part of my weekly beauty routine now that my days of lounging poolside and tanning are long gone... 

Both the face and body Somerville 360 products are must-haves for me. Especially as hemlines rise and bikinis become more and more of a reality as summer nears. Since I know many of you are getting ready for warmer temps as well, I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway!

Do you want to win a pack of Kate Somerville 360 Tanning Towelettes + Face Self Tanning Pads?

Then tweet (or pin) yourself tan! Here’s how…

1. Tweet or Pin. Tweet (or pin either of the above images) the following phrase: Hey @LaurenConrad, I’m Loving the new #LCGiveaway! http://bit.ly/LCgetglowing
2. Comment. Leave one comment below with your Twitter handle or the link to your Pinterest boards. 
3. Wait. I’ll announce the 5 winners on May 1st!

Good luck!

UPDATE: We have our winners! Congrats to Nichole Handshy, Alison Candance and Christine Stirrat!

And a very special thanks to everyone over at Kate Somerville for making this giveaway possible. Thank you!

XO Lauren

The Small Print:

• You must be a registered LaurenConrad.com member to enter. Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
• This contest is open to residents of the USA only.
• Winners will be contacted via private message to their LaurenConrad.com inbox and by email. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in your place.
• Limit one comment per entry. Multiple comment entries will not be considered.
• This giveaway ends at midnight PST on May 1st 2012.
• This is not a sponsored giveaway in any way.

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Photos: Sephora

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Every girl has a few tried and true items she must have with her at all times. No questions asked. If you were to take a peek into my bag, these are the three things you’d find:

1. Lip balm. I might be addicted…or is that an old wives’ tale? (More on this later.)
2. Red lipstick. You never know where the day will take you! (Click here for more about my favorite lip products.)
3. Loose face powder. It’s the worst when you need it and don’t have it.

What three things do you keep on-hand at all times?

XO Lauren



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My all-time favorite liquid liner is mark Get In Line Waterproof Eyeliner. What would I do without it? I discovered this liner during the years I spent as the brand’s spokesperson. What felt like a quick fling turned into something more. I think it’s safe to say my relationship with this liner is a serious one. Honestly, it’s difficult to imagine my lids bare (unless I’m at the gym or the beach).

If you’re on the hunt for liquid eyeliner, I recommend giving this Get In Line Eyeliner a try! Trust me, you will probably find yourself equally involved with this liner too—it’s simply perfection.

What’s your favorite eyeliner?

XO Lauren

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To say I love perfume would be an understatement. For me, it’s a must. A fabulous fragrance is like the icing on a cake. It’s the final touch. Perfume exudes luxury, but for a fraction of the cost. After one spritz of my favorite eau de toilette (as the French would say) I’m instantly elevated—feeling feminine and downright divine.

I love to change up my perfume selections based on the season. In cooler months, I prefer sophisticated scents that are more saturated. Whether it’s a hint of musk, a dash of lily, or a trace of jasmine, I like to think my fall and winter perfumes are a tad more elegant. For fall, I love Miss Dior Cherie. And for winter, Issey Miyake is my go-to. Both scents have a lot more body compared to all of the lighter fragrances I usually wear during the spring and summer season.

What’s your fall/winter scent?

XO Lauren

P.S. Don’t forget to share your tips on seasonal perfume in the Forum.

Photo: Dior

There are two hair products I absolutely cannot live without: Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner and Moroccan Oil. I use them ritually and am always happy with the results: lustrous, hydrated, and healthy hair.

I use the Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner after I wash my hair. It leaves it soft and smelling pretty yummy. Next, I apply a small amount of Moroccan Oil to the ends of my hair before blow drying it. The oil smoothes out my hair without weighing it down. Plus, it’s also great for flyaways too!

What are your must have hair products?

XO Lauren

P.S. Will I see you at my FNO event tonight?

Photo
*Affiliate links used

Almost all of the skin products I use are Kate Somerville. I’m a total Somerville devotee. It’s been a long relationship and I’m committed. This is not to say there aren’t other amazing products out there though. Anyway, here is a breakdown of my daily skincare regime along with some wallet friendly alternatives to the products I personally use… and you'll find out how to enter  for a chance to win the same exact Kate Somerville skincare products I use!

In the morning I use an oil free moisturizer and some SPF 30. I prefer Kate Somerville Oil Free Moisturizer, but based on your skin type you should be able to find a great alternative at your local drugstore that is perfect for you.

At night, I wash my face with Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash using a Clarisonic brush. A Clarisonic is a professional-grade skincare brush, which thoroughly cleans your skin. It’s excellent for removing makeup and clearing out your pores. Also, it allows your skincare products to absorb better because the brush cleanses your skin so well.

Once a week, I use ExfoliKate Gentle, which is an exfoliating treatment to keep my skin fresh. It’s on the expensive side, but it works wonders and doesn’t leave my skin feeling raw or over-dried (definitely worth it). A great budget-friendly alternative is Borba Age Defying Cleansing Treatment—it’s gentle and leaves your skin feeling peachy clean. Then, before bed I apply Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair Cream. It’s a restorative moisturizer that repairs and prevents wrinkles (thank goodness for recent innovations in beauty). Another excellent night cream is Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream. It’s less expensive and I’ve heard rave reviews about the stuff.

The last part of my skincare routine is something I like to do every other month: I get a facial. As you might have guessed, I get mine done at Kate Somerville. I highly recommend getting a facial if you can afford the luxury. It’s a lovely and relaxing experience, but it can get pricy. Thankfully, there are plenty of spa-worthy and wallet-friendly products on the market that are perfect for DIY at-home facials. (Maybe I’ll do a post about this?)

Anyway, now for the good stuff…

Want to win a beauty bag filled with all of my favorite Kate Somerville products?

The beauty bag will include the same exact Kate Somerville products I use: Gentle Daily Wash, ExfoliKate Gentle, Oil Free Moisturizer, Deep Tissue Repair Cream. And everything will come in a cute little Kate Somerville bag too!

Plus, one lucky winner will score a Clarisonic (value of $250) in addition to the beauty bag filled with my favorite Kate Somerville products! (I want to win this!)

Here’s how to enter:

1. Follow: You must be following me on Twitter, @LaurenConrad.
2. Comment: Leave 1 comment below with your Twitter handle & link to your favorite blog that I’ve posted.
3. Wait: Sit back and relax… I will announce the winners on Monday, September 5th.

Good luck!

XO Lauren

UPDATE: We have our winners! Congrats to LaurenConrad.com members Einna and Mahoor Yazdani! And our grand prize winner is LaurenConrad.com member Lauren Gillespie! Our team will be contacting you ladies today regarding your prizes! Congrats again and thanks to everyone who participated!

P.S. Here’s the small print about the giveaway…

• You must be a registered LaurenConrad.com member to enter. Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
• This contest is open to everyone (including international members).
• Winners will be contacted via private message to their LaurenConrad.com inbox and by email. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in your place.
• This giveaway ends at midnight PST on September 4th.
• Kate Somerville was kind enough to provide me with free products to giveaway to you guys! (Thanks so much to everyone at Kate Somerville for making this possible!!) This is not a sponsored giveaway in any way.

Bronzer is a touchy cosmetic—some are too brown and some are too orange, so I tend to stay in the middle. Simply put, it’s super important to find the perfect balance between brown and orange for your skin tone. I prefer Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Power in #64 Desert Bronze. It’s a warm shade that looks true to my skin tone and leaves a lovely natural radiance to my complexion. I always finish off my beauty routine with a few sweeps of this illuminating powder for a gorgeous glow.

You can pick up your own Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Power for $50 at Chanel.com.

Or, for only $28 (and a similar glow a la Chanel), try Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder.

What bronzer do you use?

XO Lauren

P.S. Click here to learn about more of my favorite beauty products!

Photo: chanel

I discovered Cle’ de Peau after a nasty sunburn left me with discolored skin. (Wear your sunscreen and floppy hats, ladies!) While a small tube will set you back a pretty penny, it’s proved well worth the splurge for me. Also, you only use a small amount at a time so one tube will last you a while. If you have the funds, I highly recommend treating yourself to this amazing concealer. I never leave home without out it and the coverage is insanely good.

Pick up your Cle’ de Peau at Barneys.com.

Or for a prettier price, I suggest checking out Secret Camouflage by Laura Mercier at Sephora.

What concealer do you use?

XO Lauren

To see more of my Beauty Essentials, click here!

Photo is from cassandravkennedy

My favorite mascara is a bargain at just around $7. Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Mascara is the best one I’ve found to date. I use both regular and waterproof depending on the occasion. It gives volume without clumping and it lasts until the tube is empty (unlike other brands that often dry up in just a few weeks). If you’re on the hunt for the perfect product to gloss your lashes with, I highly recommend giving Full N’ Soft a go!

What mascara do you use and why?

XO Lauren

Click here to check out more of my Beauty Essentials!

Photo: Maybelline

For day, I like the natural color of my lips and prefer not to fuss over applications all day long so I tend to gravitate towards balms. A few of my favorites are by Rosebud Perfume & Co. and Dior. They leave my lips feeling smooth rather than sticky (and they usually taste wonderful). Rosebud Lip Balm smells like strawberries and takes me straight back to my childhood while Dior Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm with SPF 10 has a lovely hint of roses.

As for night, sometimes a pop of color can be just what your look needs. I prefer to go with a bold red lip (Go big or go home!). When I wear a statement lip, I do have a few rules. The first: Crimson lips are reserved for girls’ nights. (If you have a man in your life, he probably wants to forgo the matching lips.) And my second bold lip law is keeping a strict 2-drink maximum. Nothing is worse than a hot mess with smudged lips, right?

XO Lauren

P.S. If you’re in the market for a rouge lipstick, Dior makes a great red. Also, learn how to achieve a rouge pout with my Perfect Red Lip tutorial.

To see more of my Beauty Essentials click here.

Photo: Sephora, Dior

To be honest, I am not committed to a particular blush. While a few of my favorites are Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in #55 In Love and NARS Blush in Amour, I don’t really stick to one brand over the other. 

I also alternate between powder and cream blushes depending on my mood. For daytime, I tend to stick to pale pink or a coral shade. As for nighttime, I sometimes go for a bolder hue like bright pink (take caution though… too much and you look crazy).

When deciding which blush to go with, I always take my lip color into consideration. If I will go with nude lip, I will try and choose a blush in the same family. And if I’m wearing a red lip, I will do the same. Since it’s hard to match the exact shade of a red lip, try dabbing a little of the lipstick on your finger and using it as a cream blush. I usually turn to this trick when I’m in a pinch and don’t have any blush on me. It works like a gem. But, be forewarned: a little bit goes a long way. 

So tell me, what blush do you use? I’m currently searching for a new coral based blush for summer… Any suggestions?