Get Rid Of Acne For Good

Filed Under Skin Care | 2 Comments

You may have heard of tea tree oil for acne, a little dab on a pesky pimple makes all your troubles go away. The problem with this remedy is that it dries up all the skin around the raised area and the scent is very strong. What you may not have heard of is nature’s way of healing your skin, straight from the ocean. On a recent trip to Antigua, a beautiful little island in the Caribbean, I noticed my skin becoming clearer and more beautiful by the day. Within a week my skin was glowing, a healthy radiant peach tone without a blemish in sight. What produced this gorgeous effect? Sea salt, the gift of the ocean for everything from a sore throat to cuts and scrapes.

If anyone has every told you to soak a swollen foot in Epsom salt, the reasons for this are some of the same reasons that sea salt works for acne. Salt draws out the impurities in your skin and reduces inflammation. The result is a reduction in the redness caused by pimples, the dirt clogging your pores is drawn out and your skin is naturally exfoliated.

To make this solution at home: mix two tablespoons finely ground organic sea salt with half a cup warm water in the blender (alternately, shake vigorously). Smooth this mixture on your face, rubbing lightly to exfoliate, and leave on for ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water, apply an alcohol free toner to remove any leftover residue, then moisturize. You will want to hydrate well after this treatment using a moisturizer that will not clog your pores and will leave your skin supple. Liz Earle’s Skin Repair Light is the perfect choice, it nourishes your skin beautifully without leaving any residue. If your skin is extremely oily try BioElement’s Beyond Hydration. This moisturizing gel is perfect for very oily skin since it is a gel and not a cream, it will leave your skin comfortable and light.

(Image Courtesy Ahava)

Winter Blues Got You Down?

Filed Under Awareness, Bath & Body, Fitness, Home, Makeup, Seasonal, Skin Care | 3 Comments

Every year come December, January, and February we repeat a cycle. It starts with gaining a few pounds during the holidays, followed by making goals for the new year (possibly involving weight loss). These New Year’s Resolutions make us feel clean and fresh and give us hope that whatever was left undone last year will be fulfilled in the blank slate that lies ahead. We then forget about our list of ambitions as we bask in the river of chocolate at Valentine’s Day. Heart Day is then over and we find ourselves in a lull, it is cold and dreary and we are waiting for Spring to lift our spirits.

How about lifting those winter blues by putting a new charge into your intentions for this year? Recommit to your New Year’s Resolutions or make up different ones that inspire you. No matter what you want for this year the beauty world has a solution that is sure to put a smile on your face!

Have Beautiful Skin All Year Long: Save time and get gorgeous skin with PCA Skin’s Purifying Mask. Quickly becoming one of my all time favorites, this mask detoxifies and exfoliates in one step! Bits of micro pumice buff your skin to a healthy glow while algae from the Red Sea, French Red Clay and Red Wine draw out impurities. You will see your skin brighten the first time you use it. Best Benefit: This mask does incredible work at clearing up breakouts.

Go To The Spa More Often: Keep this resolution by bring the spa to you with Liz Earle’s Energizing Body Scrub. Made with ground olive stones, this scrub smells and feels fantastic. What else would you expect from the woman who brought you the cleanser British Vogue calls one of the, “top must-have products of the last Millennium?”

Lose Weight: If your need for sweets is constantly getting in the way of your desire to shed pounds, try steering your sweet tooth in a new direction with Jaqua’s treats for the body. Whatever your craving this fantastic company has something for you: Cocoa Buttercream Frosting, Pina Colada, Peach Parfait, or their original scrumptious Buttercream Frosting.

Go Green: You already recycle and are loving your hybrid car, but you’d like to take it a step further. Smashbox and Pangea Organics are here to transform you into a eco-contributing beauty goddess. With every purchase from the new Green Room collection from Smashbox a tree will be planted in a developing country. Not only that, but all the packaging is either biodegradable or recyclable and you will love the collection. Taking biodegradable to a new level, the boxes used to package Pangea Organics can be planted in the ground to spout in your garden! Soak the boxes for one minute and nestle in the soil for plants of sweet basil and flowering Amaranth. The best in these two collections include Smashbox Bamboo Shadow Quad and Pangea’s Egyptian Basil and Mint collection.

Get Organized: If you love makeup as much as I do then I’m betting you need a place to store all those eyeshadows. What could be better than a train case as beautiful and fun as your most colorful shadow quad? Fluff has just what you are looking for and tons of choices, I personally couldn’t resist the Chelsea Girls Train Case.

Finally Get The Guest Room in Order: Every guest loves to be pampered. Make them feel special with the new creamy Jaqua hand soaps in Pink Buttercream Frosting and Pink Champagne (they look especially pretty too). Surround your visitors with yummy scents, the candles from Beyond The Basket do just the trick, try the Apricot & Honey!

Use My Gym Membership: Make your workout twice as effective with FitFlops, the flip flop that builds muscle while you walk. These shoes are so comfortable and they work your muscles no matter where you go.

(Images Courtesy Keith Levit Photography, Liz Earle, Pangea Organics)

Sephora’s Best

Filed Under Bath & Body, Blog, Hair, Makeup, Scents, Skin Care | Leave a Comment

Hot Deal at Sephora:

Get in on Sephora’s deal of the week, with any order at Sephora.com enter the code HOPE at the checkout and get a free deluxe sample of Philosophy Hope in a Jar. This moisturizer for all skin types was voted Best of Sephora 2007. Don’t miss you chance to try it for yourself!

Here are a few of my favorite picks from Sephora to have you looking your most beautiful:

Pop Beauty Lip Smoothie:

Plumps your lips fantastically and smooths every line, your lips will look and feel amazing! One of the best lip products out there.

Philosophy Shower For The Cure:

A must for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this tangerine scented three in one bath gel, body cleanser, and shampoo will save you time in the shower and 100% percent of all profits go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation!

Terax Hair Care Miele Hydrating Shampoo:

Smells like honey and makes your hair feel equally luxurious, if your hair needs hydrating this is what you want.

Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup:

Love the look of foundation but want the convenience and feel of a powder? This is one great product! It gives you the coverage of foundation, layers on as light or heavy as you want and it makes your skin glow! The perfect size to throw in your purse!

T3 Bespoke Labs Overnight Dryer:

Want something better than the wall dryer the hotel provides? This little beauty has a handle that folds up to make this the perfect size for your overnight. All the benefits of your regular size T3 in half the space!

Marc Jacobs Perfume:

So perfect, it’s already a classic. If you love gardenia this is a must for your collection.

(Images Courtesy Sephora)

Mary Kay, Making A Difference For Breast Cancer

Filed Under Awareness, Bath & Body, Blog, Makeup, Skin Care | Leave a Comment

Do you love the Mary Kay line? Is there an old favorite you’ve been wanting to stock up on or a possible new favorite you’ve been wanting to try? Mary Kay is a classic and when you love something, you just can’t get enough of it. If you are a woman who loves Mary Kay Cosmetics and Skin Care, now is the time to buy!

The whole month of October, Mary Kay Consultant Gwynn White will donate 10% of her profits to Breast Cancer Research! Breast Cancer has touched so many of our lives be it with a friend, relative or someone very near and dear to us. To make a difference and contribute to furthering research to eliminate breast cancer go to Gwynn’s site and snatch up all your favorites!

Don’t forget to check out Mary Kay’s Body Care Collection, like the Loofah Body Cleanser in Lotus and Bamboo, get clean and scrub your skin soft in one step! Save time, smell good and help end breast cancer!