The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Scrub

Slough off dry, scaly, skin  and take time to cleanse and revitalize.  The Body Shop’s Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Srub works on all skin types, particularly those with dry skin who need to exfoliate regularly.

How it works: Community Trade organic beeswax moisturizes and conditions skin while acting as a barrier to help seal in moisture. Community Trade shea butter moisturizes and softens skin. Salt grains gently exfoliate skin.

I have this product sitting in my shower and I absolutely love the way it leaves my skin feeling.  After one use, my skin feels velvety smooth!

Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion

Enhance your tan this summer with Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion.  This shimmering lotion is a veil of gold dust in a soft lotion formula. Midnight Cowboy contains the perfect amount of light reflecting micro-sparkles, but never looks too young, chunky, or dramatic . The beautiful sheen is subtle enough to wear to the beach, and glamorous for an evening out.

The light, paraben-free formula leaves skin soft with Aloe, Chamomile, and Avocado and Jojoba Oils. Vitamin E and Green Tea Extract serve as powerful antioxidants. The lotion dries down completely and does not leave a greasy residue.  The shimmer lotion has a subtle milk-and-honey scent. Worn alone, it’s a soft, delectable scent, but it’s not powerful enough to clash with your signature fragrance.

Sample, blend, brush, pat, spritz, swatch, critique, and photograph – our beauty blogging friends do it every week to bring you fab features! Here’s this week’s recommended reading.

Gaia shared her current – and eclectic – perfume lists at The Non-Blonde: Most Recently Worn, Top of Her Wishlist, and more. Find out what’s on her mind – and body.

Kari showed us that even gorgeous celebrities can have “bad look days.” Some of the photos are a hoot! Once you read Celebrity Makeup Gone Bad at Fab over Forty, you won’t feel so klutzy when you have a less-than-perfect day.

Be sure to check out my tips for melt-proofing your makeup with Anne at Beauty Xpose. I also recommended products for budge-proof glamour. It’s a must-read as the weather heats up.

Kelly found the holy grail for lashes, and she spilled her secret at Gouldylox Reviews. Enough said – go read!

Charlestongirl is smitten with Perricone MD’s new Cold Plasma Eye. Find out why she loves it (and why you may need it too) at Best Things in Beauty.

Marcia from Beauty Info Zone wrote a guest post at Prime Beauty. Cindy calls Marcia the “foundation queen,” so you’ll want to know why Marcia loves AeroMinerale Makeup Mist.

All week, Product Girl has been giving us a look at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale beauty specials. If you haven’t been to the store to see and pre-order these amazing value sets, you need to check them out now before they sell out. Nordstrom’s limited editions are always hot tickets.

Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Color Cheek Tint is a beauty blogger favorite. Jennifer reminded us all why we love it. Head over to Beauty in Real Life to find out why you need at least one of these portable perk-me-up sticks.

We hope you can kick back and enjoy your weekend with us!

Please don’t forget to enter my fabulous Sigma Brush giveaway contest underway at Makeup Artist Backstage. In the world of makeup artistry, brushes are the center of the galaxy! Wouldn’t you like to enter to win two amazing sets of brushes? They come with my stamp of approval!

Through the National Breast Cancer Foundation, AHAVA is helping to find a cure for breast cancer. AHAVA will make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in support of their mission to help fund research and promote education and early detection.

These bath salts are luxurious.  I’ve had the opportunity to indulge in this relaxing formula during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week in February.  AHAVA was backstage at Yigel Azrouel treating the models to a variety of skin treatments for dry hands, arms, legs, and feet.  I got to take home a sample of the bath salts and enjoyed every minute!

Now you can enjoy these fabulous bath salts from AHAVA and make a donation to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation and their mission.

If dry winter weather is not harsh enough on hands, try washing your hands multiple times per day and sanitizing in between clients!  My hands are the first thing my clients see.  If they are dry, chapped, or even cracked, it can be a turn-off for the people whose faces I apply makeup to!

Infectiguard™, www.infectiguard.com, a new line of skin-friendly lotion-formula hand sanitizers, offers these tips for beautiful hands year-round, even in the harshest of winters and the scariest of flu seasons.   Experts say it’s all about moisture, maintenance and protection.

• For the love of gloves: Let your hands live a sheltered life.  In winter, wear warm gloves when stepping out into the chilly air.  Always use rubber gloves for housework and dishwashing to protect against drying hot water, chemicals and detergents.   And at the gym, don a pair of training gloves.  These not only wick away sweat, but they cushion your palms and help prevent getting callouses from repeated use of the equipment.

• Washing: Especially during flu season, washing with soap and water is a necessary evil.   But not all soaps are created equal. Public restroom soaps – including those at your office – are the worst offenders in terms of chemical ingredients.  Consider bringing your own kinder, gentler supply.  An idea to try:  Apartment 5 “Soaps on the Go” soap sheets.

• Kill germs, not your hands: Hand sanitizers may be de rigueur, but traditional gel formulas don’t do your fingers any favors.  Try Infectiguard’s innovative lotion version.  Moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E make Infectiguard as soft on the skin as it is hard on germs.  You’d never know from the smooth results that the formula contains 62% alcohol – mandated by the Centers for Disease Control to kill bacteria.Cuticles: Perfectly groomed cuticles make your hands the picture of health.  But don’t try cutting yours at home – leave that to experts at the salon.  Instead, try mild manual exfoliation with a washcloth, or with a microexfoliant powder.  Then massage in plenty of cuticle oil.

• Moisturize and pamper: You simply can’t moisturize your hands too much, especially in winter.   Rub in a rich, shea butter-infused cream a few times a day.  And give your hard-working, computer-weary hands a delightful massage at the same time.  Place a dollop of cream on one palm, lace your fingers together and rub it in with the opposite thumb.   Repeat on the other side, and then massage cream onto the backs of the hands, working it up each individual finger.

• Manicures: Keep your nails pretty with a salon or at home manicure.  When your nails look good, you’ll have greater incentive to treat them right.

I recently received an email from a client who had a spray tan disaster.  Her event day was fast approaching so she decided to exfoliate all over to soften the orange glow.  The exfoliation left her skin uneven and splotchy.  Since her event day was right around the corner, I wanted to be careful with advising her.  The last thing I would want her to do is take drastic measures to even out her skin tone!

My suggestion?  Jergens Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Moisturizer UVA/UVB SPF 20.  This product, just $8.99, is complexion protection with a healthy glow.  The moisturizer illuminates skin by combining Erythrulose and DHA to gradually develop a healthy glow.  The one-of-a-kind moisturizer also shields from everyday sun exposure with broad-sprectrum UVA/UVB protection.  Because this product gently enhances skin tone over time, I thought this would be the perfect product suggestion to softly even her skin tone.

Dermatologist-tested, oil-free and non-comedogenic, this product carries the Skin Cancer Foundation seal, meaning the  highly regarded organization considers the formula an effective, powerful sunscreen.

Available in Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan, this product is ideal for use throughout the year!

WHERE TO FIND: Grocery, mass retailers and drugstores nationwide

PARISIENNE by Yves Sant Laurent is a perfume that captures the essence, sensuality, and romanticism of Paris.  A beautiful harmonious blend of floral and woody, PARISIENNE is simply sex in a bottle.

A note from the creators of PARISIENNE, Sophia Grojsman and Sophie Labbé:

“A grand floral with a woody structure, luminous even in its mystery, PARISIENNE is the perfume of ultra femininity, warmed by the touch of the man who embraced her.

THE TOP NOTE adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of bitter sharpness – the evocation of a certain impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity blackberry, symbol of an epicurean PARISIENNE.

THE FLORAL HEART beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, wich harmonizes perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by Kate Moss.  In contrast, the peony gives a breath of PARISIENNE youth and a hint of morning freshness.

THE BASE NOTE brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake.  First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.  And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this PARISIENNE knew a “night of love”.”

Kate Moss for PARISIENNE by Yves Saint Laurent:

After a long two weeks in NYC for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, upon entering my home, I dropped my bags and immediately grabbed my Imperial Body Balm from Kiehl’s.  During my stay, I visited their flagship store, opened in 1851 and located on Third Avenue between 13th and 14th.  The location still had many of its original decor– love vintage!

Their Imperial Body Balm is a rich formula and gives your body the royal treatment it deserves!

Key Ingredients:

• Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil
• Honey and Fruit Based Glycolic Acids
• Shea Butter
• Squalane

Benefits:

• Deeply hydrates and comforts very dry, lackluster skin with Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil, Shea Butter, and Squalane.

• Accelerates cell turnover with Honey and Fruit Glycolic Acids to reveal a new skin softness and radiance.

Shop Kiehl’s www.Kiehls.com

Makeup artists and other professionals in the beauty industry are always looking for quick yet efficient skin care– especially when working with clients! It is key, with any makeup application, to properly prep skin so makeup will appear luminous longer.

During a tour of The Plaza Beauty at the Plaza Hotel in NYC, I met with Margaux Levy, the creator of a 3-in-1 Microdermastick by Reversital.

Currently available online at Reversital.net and at select specialty retail stores throughout the U.S., this much talked about “3-in-1 MICRODERMASTICK®:

· ELIMINATES the need for three products, combining a cream, applicator and after-care product in 1 simple resurfacing stick.

· Instantly HYDRATES AND PROTECTS with bio-active moisturizers bonded to magnesium oxide crystals, producing a healthier, more luminous appearance.

· SIMPLIFIES the microdermabrasion process. No brushes, mitts, gloves, batteries, creams, serums, lotions required…AND NO APPOINTMENTS.

· PROMOTES collagen production by exfoliating dead skin cells, resulting in the elimination of hyper-pigmentation, uneven patches and ingrown hairs, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

· REDUCES inflammation with beneficial herbs.

For more information, please visit their site.

The latest in body care is from the Caress Skin Wear Collection – Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash. The scent is refreshing and the exfoliating beads help your skin look and feel refreshed. If you’re not a body wash person, this product comes in a handy bar soap form as well!

Enjoy!