Do you feel like every time you turn around those pesky roots are showing AGAIN? With the new Oscar Blandi Colore Pen you can extend the time in between salon visits. This purse-sized goodie isn’t just for root touch-ups, you can also add dimension to your hair by creating highlights and lowlights. The color dries quickly and lasts until you shampoo it out.

The Oscar Blandi Colore Pen is available in six different shades: Light Golden Blonde, Beige Blonde, Neutral Brown, Warm Reddish Brown, Dark Brown/Black, and Jet Black.

Here is Oscar Blandi himself with a more detailed overview of his creation:

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win skincare treasures from Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare! Enter now!

The holiday gift-giving season is upon us and we know that searching for the perfect gift among the numerous choices available can be stressful. Let us help narrow down your search with our top five picks for that special guy in your life.

The Jack Black First Class Five is perfect for the guy who is always on the go! This kit contains the All Over Wash, Beard Lube Conditioning Shave, Double-Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20, Eye Balm Minimizing Gel and the Intensive Therapy Lip Balm Natural Mint and Shea Butter. Everything his skin needs and all in a convenient travel bag.

Calvin Klein Eternity for Men Aqua Eau de Toilette Spray is perfect for the man that loves a bold, masculine fragrance. This fresh fragrance will have him smelling sensual and sexy! He will love it and so will you.

Anthony Logistics The Face Kit is the complete face for every man. Kick start his skincare regimen with this easy to use kit! This kit includes Glycolic Facial Cleanser for a deep cleanse, Deep Pore Cleansing Clay to help absorb excess oils and All Purpose Facial Moisturizer to keep the skin balanced while improving elasticity. Also includes two bonus Facial Scrub samples.

The Molton Brown The Heart of Darkness Limited Edition Kit is a spicy trio steeped in the aromas of Madagascan black peppercorn oil.  The collection contains the Re-charge black pepper body wash, Re-charge black pepper body hydrator, and Re-charge black pepper Eau de Toilette.

The Clarisonic Skin Care Brush System-Gray is a wonderful gift for the guy that has everything and is serious about his skincare routine. The Clarisonic is a great tool to prep the skin prior to shaving and since it’s waterproof, he can take it right into the shower with him.

For more suggestions, check out our Holiday Gift Guide! And tell us.. what’s under the Christmas tree for YOUR man? A new powertool? A snuggie?

If you are already a fan of Clarisonic then you may have heard the buzz surrounding the Clarisonic Opal Sonic Infusion System. The new Clarisonic Opal is designed for the delicate skin around the eye area and is the perfect compliment to the Clarisonic Skin Brush.

Here are some of the benefits reported in clinical studies:

• Visibly improves fine lines, under–eye puffiness and dark circles
• Immediately hydrates, leaving eye area feeling refreshed and energized
• Eye area looks younger and smoother
• Brighter appearance of eye area
• Skin is firmer with a noticeable improvement in elasticity
• Benefits improve with continued use

See the Clarisonic Opal in action backstage at New York Fashion Week 2010.

Have you tried the Clarisonic Opal? What do you think? We’d love to hear your Clarisonic stories!

Having trouble with breakouts? Want something to zap those pesky zits without breaking the bank? Here are our Top 5 picks to treat those blemishes.

1. Zeno Hot Spot Pink – This handy little device uses thermal-based ClearPoint™ technology to kill the blemish-causing bacteria on the skin.

2. SAMPAR Prodigal Pen Blemish Corrector – This pocket-sized pen is power packed with eight detoxifying, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory essential oils including sage, clove and lavender.

3. Bremenn Research Labs Emergency Zit Stick – With 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide, this concentrated spot treatment works instantly to heal blemishes and reduce any uncomfortable swelling and associated redness.

4. La Roche Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment – This powerful spot treatment battles troublesome zits with a one-two punch combining two of the most popular and effective blemish fighting ingredients on the market, Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide.

5. Ole Henriksen Roll On Blemish Attack – Combining Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic Acid and Zinc, this triple threat really does attack those blemishes without overdrying or irritating the skin in the process.

Like this blog and share it with your friends on Facebook! Or leave us a comment, questions, or feedback – if you have a question, one of our estheticians will respond to you directly when you supply your email address in your response, remember, email addresses are not posted with your comment.

Spices are not just for cooking, many skincare companies utilize spices, or the oils obtained from them, in the formulation of their products. Here are just a few with notable skincare benefits.

• Fennel – Fennel’s ability to decrease irritation and redness make it a great ingredient for sensitive skin. It also has the capability to tone and tighten making it a useful tool for mature skin and a great addition to an eye cream. The Obagi Nu-Derm Eye Cream contains fennel. With its ability to stimulate lymphatic drainage and reduce puffiness, Fennel is a useful firming agent.

• Cloves – These little evergreen tree buds have been used all over the world for centuries. Clove oil is an effective antimicrobial agent and is often added to acne treatment products such as the Boscia Clear Complexion Treatment. Additionally, cloves are rich in Vitamins A and C, two very effective antioxidants.

• Cinnamon – Individuals with oily or acne-prone skin will benefit from this yummy ingredient due to its antibacterial and naturally astringent properties. Korres Cinnamon and Natural Clay Deep Cleansing Mask is a great product that makes use of its benefits. Cinnamon is also well known for its warming effect and is commonly found in body products such as soaks and scrubs to help boost circulation. Melvita Cinnamon Orange Cream Soap and Kings and Queens Queen Isabella Cinnamon Orange Body Scrub are some of our favorites.

• Pepper – Pepper is a popular ingredient in body products due to its ability to boost circulation. Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Sugar Scrub also have analgesic properties and can be used to soothe muscle aches. Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel is another great muscle soother.

• Turmeric – This is a popular ingredient because of its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is also a powerful antioxidant and can help with the lightening of hyperpigmentation. For a more in-depth look on Turmeric, see our previous blog. [“Hot Ingredient – Turmeric”]

Like this blog and share it with your friends on Facebook! Or leave us a comment, questions, or feedback – if you have a question, one of our estheticians will respond to you directly when you supply your email address in your response, remember, email addresses are not posted with your comment.

Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend…your skin will love them too.  In addition to being a beautiful accessory, diamonds also provide two key skincare benefits;  illumination and exfoliation.

Diamond particles have the ability to provide a youthful radiance to the skin while diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by reflecting light and diffusing shadows.  The B. Kamins Therapeutic Diamond Radiance Deep Wrinkle Concentrate is a fantastic serum that uses the diamond’s illumination quality.

Diamonds are also a powerful tool for exfoliation due to their well-known strength.  They swiftly and effectively remove dead skin cells to visibly improve the texture and appearance of your skin.  Diamond particles are a key component in the BORBA HD Illuminating Plasma Crystals.

Do you ever feel like there is not enough blotting paper in the world to combat your oily, shiny skin? Do you walk outside on a hot, summer day and feel your makeup immediately start sliding off of your face? Do you walk outside on a cold, winter day and still experience the same problem? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, let me introduce you to your new best friend…Vichy Normaderm PRO Mat!

My own battle with excess oil and shine has been ongoing for as long as I can remember. Always on the search, it seemed like I was constantly spending time and money trying to find something that worked for me, but to no avail. Now, I have FINALLY found that product…thank you Vichy for creating the perfect product for me!

This oil-free moisturizer is my multitasking miracle! It absorbs quickly, works fantastic as a foundation base, instantly mattifies and keeps me shine-free for hours. Another great feature about this product is that it also contains an SPF 15. UV rays are another cause of excess oil production. As if we needed another reason to wear our sunscreen.

I can already hear you asking “How does it work?” Vichy Normaderm PRO Mat contains microspheres that provide that beautiful, instantly matte finish while the Vitamin CG (a stable precursor to Vitamin C) slowly releases throughout the day to actually regulate your body’s own sebum production. So not only does PRO Mat work as an anti-shine quick fix, it also provides long-term benefits.

These days more and more consumers are becoming increasingly cautious about the ingredients used in their skincare and cosmetic products and they are trying to stay away from chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, or synthetic fragrances, just to name a few.

Companies are certainly aware of this and many of them are jumping on the “green” bandwagon. You are probably seeing a lot more products on the market labeled with the terms “organic” and “natural” and you may be wondering, what is the difference between these two? Is there a difference? The short answer is yes, there is a difference between “organic” and “natural”.

To start with, there may be some confusion for the consumer as to how these terms are regulated.  In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government agency that regulates the labeling and safety requirements for the cosmetic industry. Yet, they do not have a sanctioned definition of either of these terms. While the term natural is not regulated by any agency, the term organic is. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the National Organic Program (NOP) which regulates what can be considered organic. That being said, the USDA does not have a separate category for cosmetics, they use the same standards used for the food industry.

There are also International organizations that certify organic products. ECOCERT is a worldwide organization working in over 80 countries and COSMEBIO is a French organization created specifically for cosmetics and skincare.

So, what does is actually take for a product to really be “organic”? To earn a certified organic label 95% of the ingredients used must be organic. For a product labeled “made with organic ingredients” the required percentage goes down to 70%.

Natural is a broader term usually used to indicate that a minimal amount of chemicals were used in either the process of making the product or the actual formula of the product. Typically, “natural” products are free of synthetic additives such as chemical preservatives, synthetic coloring or fragrance. However, seeing natural on the label is not a guarantee that any of these ingredients will not be in the product. If you are still uncertain, always check the ingredient listing.

With so many choices out there it can be overwhelming. How does the consumer know what they are getting? What’s the bottom line for all of you ingredient-savvy consumers? Read those labels!