Repent With Sin-Care, A Line Of Skin Serums For Those Of Us A Little Less Than Perfect.

Despite my vanity, I've done all the things one ought not to when it comes to protecting my skin over the years. I've indulged in both smoke and drink, baked in the sun, ingested far too many sweets, rarely get a good night's sleep and live in a city known for smog. And yes, my skin is paying for it. Enter Sin-Care, a line of nine specialty booster serums from Australia, is here to help me - and you - atone.



The Sin-Care serums are made with natural ingredients tested for their efficacy and come in sleek, recyclable Italian glass 50 ml pump bottles. You don't need to change your present skin care regimen or buy a bunch of products, just use this along with your other products to help your skin repent for all that unintentional skin sinning. The packaging has a tongue-in-cheek retro pin-up girl look and the frosted glass bottles are made of recycled glass. Carried at the chicest of stores, they cost $80 each.

Full size boxes:


sample sized boxes:


above photos ©if it's hip, it's here

from their press release:
Also known as “extrinsic” aging, lifestyle factors both within and outside of our control can age skin as much as time itself. After years of studying the effects that certain habits and environments can have on skin, the company has launched the world’s first serum-only product line with a holistic, lifestyle-based approach.

Most anti-aging skin care products are designed to reduce the signs of chronological aging, also known as “intrinsic” aging. This refers to the slowing of collagen production, the breakdown of collagen and elastin, and a weakening of the skin’s underlying support structure. But these products can’t possibly know your secret indulgences (be they smoking, sugar, alcohol or sun), whether you live in a polluted city or in the desert, or what kind of stressors you may face – from over-exercise to lack of sleep. All of these external factors can produce fine lines and wrinkles, and dull the skin.

Pick your potion
Simply own up to your problem, select your Sin Care fix from a repertoire of nine precise, silky serums – and slip it into your existing skin care regimen. There’s no need to change the products you’re currently using. Choose from:

• PARTY GIRL – If you love evenings out with friends spent to the music of champagne corks, cocktail shakers doing their work, and the clink of glasses, this one is for you:


• URBAN RENEWAL – City life is exhilarating, except for the polluted air. Give skin a breather


• SUN GODDESS – For hard core ex-sun junkies AND everyone who drives, walks the dog or strolls out to the mailbox


• LINE REWIND – Neglected skin is older looking skin. Time for a do-over


• RELAXATION SENSATION – A spa in a bottle for stressed faces


• SLEEP DOCTOR – For those who work or frolic too hard


• SUGAR HIT – Have your cake and beautiful skin too


• SMOKER’S SECRET – Use it, just until you quit


• SKIN COACH – Replenish minerals after that triathlon, or brutal session with your very mean trainer


Saintly serums
Sinned against skin needs serious help. Sin-Care chose to deliver that in the form of serums, which are far more concentrated than most facial creams. Such creams are made of either “oil in water” or “water in oil” emulsions which sometimes contain as little of 5 -7% active ingredients. (A greater quantity would cause them to separate or disintegrate.) Serums, on the other hand, can accommodate a greater number of concentrated ingredients and a higher concentration of those actives, thus offering stronger anti-aging protection. In addition, serums can be layered or mixed with other skin care products to customize a beauty routine. They can be used on any skin type and are also gentle enough to use in the delicate area around the eyes, one of the spots that is highly susceptible to lifestyle aging.

Virtuous ingredients
Sin-Care serums are made from a cocktail of nutrients that include natural cosmeceuticals, vitamins, herbs, antioxidants and biotech ingredients like yeast and algae. They also contain hyaluronic acid from a vegetal source to help instantly diminish the appearance of wrinkles and moisturize the skin. All ingredients have been tested for their efficacy against the lifestyle factor in question.

Even if you’re zealously faithful when it comes to hydrating, using sunscreen, and always removing makeup before bed, you’re bound to commit a skin care sin from time to time. Thanks to Sin-Care, your skin no longer has to let the whole world know what you’ve been up to. For that, there’s always Facebook.



Sin-Care serums are available at NewBeauty in Fred Segal Santa Monica, Henri Bendel in New York City, Soft Surroundings stores, Beauty Collection Sherman Oaks, Amazon Prime, BeautySak.com, and other fine retailers across the U.S. For further information, visit here 

info and bottle photos courtesy of Sin Care

A Worldly Wardrobe: Beautiful Vintage Maps As Dresses and Shirts By Elisabeth Lecourt

above: “Coquille de Noix et Allumette”, Bird Eye View of San Francisco rep. 1846, Signed and sealed E.L. Elisabeth Lecourt, 2012, 841 x 594 x 30 mm, price on request

London artist Elisabeth Lecourt's Les robes géographiques is a series of sweet dresses and a few buttoned-down shirts that use actual vintage paper maps from all over the world in lieu of textiles.

PART TWO: Modern Mansion With Wrap Around Pool and Glass-Walled Garage For $36 Million. (50 pics)

Yesterday I shared with you 36 photos of the spectacular exterior landscaping, incredible wrap-around swimming pool and glass-walled garage at 1201 Laurel Way, a spec home designed by the boutique architecture firm of Whipple Russell that is on the market for $36 million. The home is so impressive and I have so many images, I had to break it into two posts.

PART ONE: Modern Mansion With Wrap Around Pool and Glass-Walled Garage For $36 Million. (36 Pics)

This jaw-dropping residence at 1201 Laurel Way in Beverly Hills is presently on the market (but not listed on the MLS), for a mere $36,000,000. To share with you the features and numerous photos (I have 86) of this enormous modern mansion, I simply had to break this up into two posts.

Today, in Part One, I will be posting photos of the spectacular view, exterior design, terraced landscaping, incredible wrap-around swimming pool and glass-walled garage. Tomorrow, come back to see Part Two featuring 50 photos of the interior living spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, dining, glass-walled wine storage stocked with Compliment wines, screening room and more.

While it's not an actual moat, the swimming pool of this incredible spec house actually does extend around more than half the exterior of this Whipple Russell architect designed modern mansion.



Modern gas fireplaces punctuate both the interior and exterior of the home and because of the incredible view, the house and its numerous decks and balconies are designed to face toward downtown Los Angeles.



I have so many photos for you, I'm going to break them up into sections, otherwise your head may explode.

The home from above and afar:



The curb view:



The security gate (looks like a garage door) on the right in the above pics opens to reveal a small upslope that takes you into the impressive courtyard and the glass-walled 3 car garage:




The home's entry as viewed from inside the courtyard:



The garage has glass walls that give you an incredible view of Los Angeles:



The spiral staircase encased in glass and takes you from the garage to the upper levels:


Or a glass-walled breezeway stretches to the home from the garage on the ground level:


The pool and built-in jacuzzi have a central point of entry with a main pool area outfitted with a built in outdoor grill, gas fireplaces, seating and even an outdoor tv.





And a view to die for, day or night:




The pool then extends from either side of the main swimming area as narrower swim lanes around much of the home:








There are multiple entry points to the pool around the home and in certain sections the wall of the pool is replaced with acrylic, and has built-in seating, so one has a view, even when submerged:


The upper level deck has another jacuzzi, glass deck walls and more incredible views:




There's even a zen garden and a putting green on the grounds:



The $36 million home, which has 6 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, is represented solely by Mauricio Umansky of The Agency.

Architectural Plans:
Main House, lower floor:

Main House, main floor:

Main House, upper floor:


Guest House, lower floor:

Guest House, upper floor:



Don't forget to come back tomorrow to see PART TWO, in which I will share with you the equally mind-blowing interior rooms, details and art as well as a link to an online brochure.