Spring is here! That means that spring cleaning is around the corner but that doesn’t mean cleaning just the house. Our beauty tool boxes can be organized and cleaned out to make room for some newly improved tools and new and exciting additions. Toss those clunky old hair tools and make room for CHI Air!

The CHI Air hair tools use exceptionally high amounts of far infrared and negative ions which are produced by the tourmaline components. This technology helps to seal in the moisture your hair needs to stay static free and frizz free, while imparting your hair with healthy shine! We all deserve that shiny, bouncy, red carpet hair…don’t you think?

Want to win a Perricone MD Cold Plasma ($150 value) ?? Well, now you can enter to win one. Enter HERE! Event ends 4/4/2011.

Name: Macey

What is your Skin like: Like millions of people I would say I have a combination skin. My t-zone is oily (especially in the warmer months), and the rest of my skin is normal. I do have to watch what I use on my face because I do break out easily.

Skin concerns: I try my best to keep my skin clear and use preventative products. My forehead can get very oily and I get the occasional break out.

Morning:
Cleanser: Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser- This is my all time favorite cleanser. I love how gentle this product is, yet it is excellent for removing make-up. It is even good for removing my stubborn mascara.

Toner: SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner- helps balance my skin and leaves it with a fresh soothed feel.

Treatment: SkinMedica C + E Complex- helps me get my antioxidant defense without leaving a heavy feel on my skin like some other products can.

Hydrator: Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-Aging Mattifying Lotion- Fast absorbing, mattifying, helps minimize my pores, oil free, and anti-aging in one! I absolutely love this moisturizer and apparently my boyfriend does too because out of the tons and tons of products I have, this one always seems to come up missing and I always know who to go to when I need to find it!

Eye Cream: Caudalie Vinexpert Anti-Aging Serum & Lips- a hydrating serum that leaves my eye area tight, bright & smooth looking. This is your all in one eye product. Targets lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles.

SPF: La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid- If there is one thing I can not stand is a heavy sunscreen that leaves you with a white face. Since I love being outdoors, this sunscreen has become my best friend.

Night:
My night regimen is the same as my morning regimen with a few exceptions: I swap out my antioxidant for a retinol treatmnet, and my moisturizer & SPF for an anti-aging, nourishing lotion that repairs sun damage!

Treatment: SkinMedica Retinol Complex- very effective, yet non irritating. I love the consistency of this product and it has definitely cleared up my skin and evened out my tone.

Hydrator: Kinerase Lotion- it’s a light moisturizer but is very hydrating. This moisturizer does not clog my pores and absorbs well. Not to mention it is anti aging, helps even out skin tone, and works very well for those with sun damaged or sensitive skin.

What’s your regimen like? As comprehensive as mine? Tell us! We’d love to know!

You could win a Perricone MD Cold Plasma! Enter our latest giveaway now! Enter here. Event ends on 4/4/2011.

Imagine a skin care line that embodies a mind-body-soul philosophy to bring harmony to your skin. Ayurveda has been around for many centuries and it’s said that Indian sages lived to be over 100 years old through Ayurvedic practices. Ayurveda is a way of life –involving mind body harmony that is conducive to health, happiness and longevity. It’s said that external stimuli enhance the nervous system, and practices such as bath, massage, and meditation bring positive impact from the outside inward. Sundari (which means beautiful woman in Sanskrit) is a product line that combines holistic ayurvedic principles based on an ancient eastern philosophy with the finest quality ingredients from nature, delivering a healthy approach to wellness that result in outer radiance and inner serenity. Sundari products are formulated with organic ingredients and made with therapeutic-grade essential oils to address a wide array of needs ranging from oily skin and acne, to dry skin and aging. Ingredients such as neem, gotu kola, amla, and aloe vera gel are synthesized in potent formulas to provide firming, healing, nurturing, and supplifying results.

Here are some of our top-selling Sundari items:

The Sundari Gotu Kola and Boswellia Firming Eye Serum: An eye contour treatment designed to help prevent puffiness and reduce visible bags under the eyes, tighten the skin, and increase elasticity to the eye region. Calendula extract soothes sensitive skin around eyes.

Sundari Neem Night Cream: A powerful anti-aging cream that contains Neem Extract, combined with Jojoba Oil, Geranium Oil and Shea Butter serves to soften the skin bringing about a new, radiant appearance.

Sundari Gentle Gel Cleanser: A soothing gel cleanser that contains healing aloe and calming chamomile extract to soothe and refresh the skin.

What is your favorite Sundari product? How do you practice your own personal Ayurveda? Is it massage, meditation, yoga, or simply quiet “me” time? Share with us on our Facebook page, and stay tuned for an exciting GIVEAWAY featuring Sundari products!

For those of us that like to exfoliate, scrub, and slough off our skin on a regular basis, we often run the risk of overdoing it. The SkinCeuticals Epidermal repair has been specifically formulated for skin that has been compromised by in office peels or at-home blunders. It contains beta glucan and centella asiatica which provide a protective veil on the skin and help to repair and restore the skin barrier function while helping to stimulate collagen production.

The SkinCeuticals Epidermal repair will help with inflammation and will also help to soothe the skin to lessen irritation. If you use this product post-procedure it will help to protect, heal, soothe, and can also prevent scarring (but consult with your doctor before use).

It also makes a nice makeup base for us dry skin types because it contains dimethicone which helps to seal in moisture while preventing peeling and flaking.  This is also a great product to use if you have sunburn, windburn, rosacea, or if you are a retinol user. The Epidermal Repair will be a skin saver for anyone that may have overdone it with the peel or treatment, and wants to avoid looking red, scaly or blistered.

Oh, the price we pay for beauty! Tell us about your beauty blunders on our Facebook page or in the comments section below.

You could win a Perricone MD Cold Plasma! Enter our latest giveaway now! Enter here. Event ends on 4/4/2011.

Don’t surrender to wrinkles, fight back! StriVectin’s newest Wrinkle-Fighting Trio Kit is your best defense against aging. The set includes a three step plan of attack: StriVectin-SD Instant Retexturizing Scrub (.75 oz), StriVectin-HS Hydro-Thermal Deep Wrinkle Serum (.5 oz), and StriVectin SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles.

First, polish and prep your skin for treatment with the Instant Retexturizing Scrub. This scrub cleanses, smoothes and primes the skin for optimal absorption of treatment products. Skin texture is also improved with continued use.

Next, get to the root of the problem with Hydro-Thermal Deep Wrinkle Serum. This heat activated serum travels to the deepest layers of the skin where your wrinkles begin. The serum was developed to penetrate deeply into the skin helping to preserve the integrity of the Dermal Epidermal Junction. Over time the appearance of even the most pronounced wrinkles are lessened.

The final step in defense is StriVectin SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles. StriVectin SD is a powerful treatment product and hydrator in one that fights stretch marks and wrinkles. This re-engineered formula has 4x more peptides and patented NIA-114 technology. NIA-114 was discovered in skin cancer prevention research to help rebuild skin layers. StriVectin’s Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles has a proprietary complex of 8% NIA-114 and Peptide Actives which has been clinically proven to improve the appearance of wrinkles and stretch marks in as few as 2-8 weeks. The results speak for themselves!

The new StriVectin-SD Wrinkle Fighting Trio Kit is just in time for spring and a great gift idea for Mother’s Day! Hurry though, quantities are limited. This kit will only be available while supplies last.

We start our days and end our days with a refreshing cleanse. While there a million cleansers specific to different skin types, there are a few products which are star cleansers that are suitable for almost everyone. These are cleansers that no matter what your skin needs, can work efficiently and gently.

Here are some of the top contenders for this important daily step:

• Caudalie Cleansing Water – This cleanser removes dirt and makeup without needing to be rinsed off. It encapsulates dirt particles and sweeps them away. Great on the go, or for those with water sensitivities.
• Purlisse Pur Delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser – This gentle and non- irritating cleanser is made from a blend of soy milk, soy proteins, whole oat, and white tea. It’s a non-foaming cleanser which helps to balance the skin while removing make-up.
• iS Clinical Cleansing Complex – This cleanser helps to remove dead skin cells, refines the pores, helps to balance the skin, and can even be used for shaving. The ultimate multi-tasker!
• Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser – This cleanser just so happens to be created by the makers of the fabulous Clarisonic device. It is a non-foaming cleanser that contains aloe, cucumber, green tea, and vitamin E to help soothe the skin while providing antioxidant protection against future damage. It’s great for use along with your Clarisonic system or it can be used alone!

Do you have a favorite multi-tasking cleanser? We’d love to know!

You could win a Perricone MD Cold Plasma! Enter our latest giveaway now! Enter here. Event ends on 4/4/2011.

Who couldn’t use a little boost of radiance? Why not brighten your day and your complexion with Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum Collagen Booster?! The powerful Vitamin C complex will firm and smooth the texture of your skin while brightening overall tone.  The potent antioxidants in Truth Serum will protect your skin from the destructive effects of free radicals. This fabulous serum absorbs quickly and is suitable for all skin types, even those with sensitive skin will love it.

Don’t just take our word for it, listen to this happy testimonial:

Don’t forget to enter our Perricone MD Giveaway – Enter HERE! Event ends 4/4/2011.

1. “Never pop a zit, it will cause a scar and get infected“ – FACT.  By popping a zit you may end up forcing pus (thick yellow fluid) out of your pore. The problem is that this can cause a tear in the skin leaving you more susceptible to infection. The other risk is that while popping a zit you may end up forcing the fluid downward and inward, further spreading infection and causing more breakouts at a deeper level.
2.) “Don’t tweeze your eyebrows in the opposite direction”; it will cause your brows to grow back in the wrong direction” – FICTION. Eyebrow hairs should always be tweezed in the direction of the hair growth. Tweezing in the direction of the hair growth will maximize your results in removing not just the hair shaft but also the root! Tweezing against the direction of hair growth only lessens effectiveness.
3.) “Never shave your facial hair off; it will cause thicker hair to grow” - FICTION. Shaving facial gives the tip of the hair a more coarse prickly feeling especially when the hair grows back above the surface of the skin. Shaving however will NOT stimulate hair growth. If this was true, all balding men who shave their heads would suddenly have hair growth! Excess facial hair growth for women is usually related to a hormonal imbalance. While shaving may be quick and easy, stubble quickly returns and can leave that 5 O’Clock shadow. Instead consider waxing, cream depilatories, or laser removal.
4.) “Wearing make up causes bad skin” – Could be FACT, could be FICTION. Bad skin is not caused by wearing makeup. Skin issues such as wrinkles, scaling, redness, sun spotting, and overall poor skin condition are usually caused by environmental factors and lack of skin care regimen. However a combination of too much makeup and poor quality makeup can lead to clogged pores and break outs. Try to avoid liquid or cream foundations with mineral oil. Instead try mineral based or water-based foundations or foundations that say “non-comedogenic”.
5.) “Polishing your nails is bad for them and it will make them yellow” – FICTION. Applying polish and clear coat to your nails can help to strengthen your nails and prevent problems such as cracking, chipping or peeling. It is a good idea though from time to time to give your nails a break. Remove all base coats, polish and topcoats and give your nails a day or two to relax and breathe. Some polishes especially dark red polishes have a tendency to stain the top layers of the nail giving them a yellow appearance. While this can be frustrating it is easily remedied by removing all polish with an acetone based polish remover. Use a 3 way nail buffer to remove any surface ridges, smooth out the nail and then buff it back to a shine, follow with cuticle oil. Doing so should remove any of the yellow staining left behind by red polish. Try our SPARITUAL nail line- it’s vegan and free of chemicals!

Do you have any fact/fiction tips from mom? Do share! We’d love to know.

You could win a Perricone MD Cold Plasma! Enter our latest giveaway now! Enter here. Event ends on 4/4/2011.

At first glance, the beauty of this rare mineral is undeniable. The different shades of pink, red and white would make any girl swoon for a spa treatment. Not only is this crystalline salt pretty, it’s also really beneficial as a body treatment. This wonderful mineral can be used in a bath soak or as a body scrub. Loaded with more than 80 different purifying minerals, this salt covers the scale from helping to purge toxins and fluid build-up to helping to slow down the aging process.

Looking for your own piece of the ancient Himalayan Mountains salt beds? Bliss Fat Girl Scrub is 60% Himalayan Pink Salt and assists in diminishing lumps and bumps due to cellulite. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to enter our Perricone MD Cold Plasma Giveaway. You could win this amazing product! Enter HERE. Event ends on 4/4/2011.

Breakouts are not just a pesky problem for young adults. More and more women suffer from adult acne often caused by a hormonal imbalance. SkinCeuticals, a leader in the skincare industry has recently launched their BioMedic LHA product line to help combat breakouts while also addressing signs of aging.

SkinCeuticals LHA product line consists of LHA Solution, LHA Cleansing Gel, and LHA Serum. These products are formulated with a triple combination of exfoliating agents to efficiently remove excess residue and dead skin cells. LHA, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid decongests pores, smoothes irregularities, and brightens skin. By eliminating dead surface cells you are helping to minimize the appearance of fine lines and reduce breakouts.

What SkinCeuticals product can’t you live without? We’d love to hear you feedback!