Simple Sugars recently sent over a package of goodies for me to try, and boy am I glad they did! I received the Rose Body Scrub and the Green Tea Facial Scrub – both smell amazing!

It was hard to choose a favorite, but I really enjoyed the Rose Body Scrub the most. It smells like sweet roses and is the prettiest shade of blush. Simple Sugar products contain natural sugar and oils that help smooth rough skin. This scrub left my skin baby soft after my shower.

The Green Tea Facial scrub was also very nice. It smells so fresh – just like a shot of wheatgrass juice! Since it’s oil based, I would only recommend it for those with dry skin. It was too oily for my face so I used it as a body scrub and it worked perfectly.

I’m so happy I got to try Simple Sugars; the company’s creator and founder, Lani Lazzari was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and since then Simple Sugars has increased it’s retail presence and will (hopefully) soon be offered in more stores across the country.

Rose Body Scrub  5 oz. $11.95 & 8 oz. $16.95
Green Tea Facial Scrub 5 oz. $16.95

*Photo Courtesy of Simple Sugars

Spa Week is coming back this spring – Yay! Spas and salons nationwide are offering full-service treatments for a fraction of the normal price. Book your appointment between April 15^th – April 21^st and only pay $50! Choose from a wide selection of massages, facials, and even wellness treatments.  Here are my top picks from around the country!

Where: Luminique MedSpa by Dr. Fiorillo
350 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
212.647.0007
What: 50 Min Deep Tissue or Swedish Massage

Where: Skincare by Pevonia
6475 Southwest 40th Street
Miami, FL 33155
305.662.2083
What: Microdermabrasion Treatment including Facial and Organic Masque

Where: The Facial Center for Plastic Surgery
7700 San Felipe Street, Suite 420
Houston, TX 77063
866.920.FACE (3223)
What: Be Hair Free! Laser Hair Removal for Lip, Underarm or Bikini

Where: Clarins Spa at Nordstrom
55 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312.464.1515(x1427)
What: 50 Min Brightening Performer with Choice of Total Eye Lift OR Lip Contouring Treatment Add-on

Where: LifeSpa – Beachwood
3850 Richmond Road
Beachwood, OH 44122
216.292.6844
What: 60 Min Nail Pampering Package: Signature Manicure and Pedicure with Deep Hydration Therapy

Where: Body Massage Wellness Spa
1616 Welton Street
Denver, CO 80202
303.893.2543
What: 60 Min Detoxifying Body Contour Wrap with Reflexology Session

Where: Verabella Skin Therapy
301 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.278.4733
What: 50 Min The Instant Lift: A Non-Surgical FaceLift

This year I think I might indulge in an oxygen facial  or maybe even a lymphatic massage. Oxygen facials are supposed to do wonders for your skin – just the wake up call my face needs after this long and cold winter season. A lymphatic massage is a technique used to drain your lymph nodes. This helps the body get rid of unwanted toxins and excess fluid.

For a list of participating locations please visit spaweek.com - and remember always tip accordingly! Happy Spa Week!

I absolutely love, love, love Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel! It’s definitely one of my all-time cult favorites, but there is nothing more that I love than trying new things.

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Hydrating Gel is the latest oil-free hydrating gel to hit the market. It’s very similar to Clinique’s moisturizing gel, but with a few added extras. It has anti-aging benefits such as their new Tri-HA Cell Signaling Complex. It’s their latest breakthrough in the hunt for the fountain of youth. Basically what it does is helps your cells communicate with each other to help boost the natural production of hyaluronic acid in your skin. Okay so enough of the fancy scientific stuff – I love the lightweight oi-free texture, it’s lightly scented and cool to the touch. The only added ingredient I wished it had was SPF, but it works as a perfect nigh time moisturizer for oil-skinned girls!

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Hydrating Gel 1.7 oz. $65

(Photo courtesy of Estée Lauder)

For a limited time, get a free gift from Lancôme at Macy’s with a Lancôme purchase of $35 and if you spend $70 – you also get to choose an additional gift.

The 7 piece gift set includes:

• Cosmetic Bag: Choose pink or printed
• Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover
• Hypnôse Star Mascara
• Color Design Sensational Effects Lipcolor:  Choose Love It!, Wannabe or Pretty Burgundy
• Body Essential: Savon Fraîchelle Invigorating Body Cleansing Gel, Hydra Fraîchelle Invigorating Body Moisturizer or Exfoliant Fraîchelle Invigorating Body Scrub
• Moisturizer: Bienfait Multi-Vital -Rénergie, Lift Multi-Action or Absolue Premium BX

Make a Lancôme purchase of $70 and choose an additonal gift from the following options:

• Option 1: Créme Mousse Confort Comforting Creamy Foaming Cleanser for Dry Skin & Tonique Confort Comforting Rehydrating for Dry Skin
• Option 2: Créme Radiance Clarifying Cream-to-Foam Cleanser & Tonique Radiance Clarifying Exfoliating Cleanser
• Option 3: 3 Juicy Tubes Ultra Shiny Lip Glosses

If you live on the Tri-State area, visit my friend Karinna at the Lancôme counter at the Macy’s inside Livingston Mall! Offer ends February 25th or until supplies last. Great Valentine’s Day present!

 

What better way to show your sweetheart how much you love them than with a gift of beauty. This year a whole bunch of brands launched Valentine’s love inspired gifts ranging from eye shadow palettes to fragrance sets. Here are my top picks:

 

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum Set $110

Currently on of the most popular fragrances, this is sure to put a smile on her face! Features notes of bergamot, tea, freesia, jasmine, orange blossom, orchid, rose and patchouli. Set includes: Flowerbomb Bomblicious Body Crème (1.3 oz.), Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum Spray (1.7 oz.), Flowerbomb Bomblicious Shower Gel (1.7 oz.).

 

Smashbox Love Me Eye Shadow Palette – Admire Me $34

Smashbox got it right with this palette. First of all – it’s just so pretty to look at! The neutral colors blend together so effortlessly and these eyeshadow glide on so smoothly and evenly.

Lancome Blush in Love – Pommettes d’Amour $49

This dual sculpting blush add the perfect touch of color for the ultimate romantic makeup look. It’s designed to work well with all skin colors – Coral Effect adds a pop of bright color and Urban Ballet helps soften it so it looks radiant and natural.

Lipstick Queen Look of Love $39.75

This set offer a sheer tint of color for lips and cheeks. Use them separately or blend them together for a customize look.  Set includes: Saint Pinky Nude Lipstick, a romantic natural pink shade (.12 oz.), Oxymoron Honest Politician Lip Gloss, a natural shade (.28 oz.), Butterfly Ball Lipstick in Smitten, a sheer shade with a hint of turquoise – that make teeth appear whiter (.134 oz.).

Philosophy X’s and O’s Valentine’s Day Gift Set $24

The perfect gift box filled with Valentine’s Day inspired goodies. The set includes: Vanilla Cream Topping Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath (4 oz.), Vanilla Cream Topping Body Lotion (2 oz.), Cherry On Top High Gloss High Flavor Lip Shine (.5 oz.)

A little something for him:

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme Gift Set $88

The man in you life deserves some V-Day gift giving love too – it’s not all about the ladies you know! But in all honesty, this gift pleases both. Top notes of invigorating Italian lemon and mandarin orange alongside crushed green leaves, fresh lavender and a defiant punch of pink pepper. The set includes: Gucci Guilty Eau de Toilette (3 oz.), Gucci GuiltyDeodorant Stick (2.5 oz.),  Gucci Guilty On The Go Spray (.25 oz.).

(Photos courtesy of Viktor & Rolf, Smashbox, Lancome, Lipstick Queen, Gucci, Philosophy)

If you’re not exfoliating your – you should be!  Exfoliating helps smooth out chapped and bumpy lips. It also helps increase circulation, which makes your lips look plump and fuller. Follow these steps for sexier lips!

Easy Lip Scrub Recipe

• 1 tsp petroleum jelly
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 drop of argan oil
• 1 drop of peppermint oil (optional for fresh breath!)

Mix the sugar into the petroleum jelly then add in the drops of argan oil and peppermint oil. This can all be done in your hand. Apply it to your lips in a circular motion using your index finger. Rinse or let the ingredients soak in.

With its retro inspired packaging and clever one liners – Soap & Glory is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands. I am in love with their body products; they smell and feel so delightful!

The Righteous Butter – my new bff this winter! This thick, luscious body butter will leave your skin feeling super soft. Your skin will thank you for the extra dose of much needed moisture. It’s enriched with shea butter and aloe vera, two of my fav ingredients, because they actually work to rid your skin of dryness. Did I mention this stuff smells amazing? It’s scented with Soap & Glory’s original pink fragrance  – a blend of citrusy orange leaf and lemon, fruity strawberries and peaches, and fresh jasmine, gardenia, and summer rose. A modern scent your nose will approve of.

The Righteous Butter Body Lotion – also a favorite of mine, lives on my desk next to my OPI snow globe! It’s basically the “thinner twin sister” of the body butter. It features all the goodness of the body butter but in the form of a  lotion. I use it on my hands almost on a daily basis and on days that I’m running late, I always know that it will be there to save the day! Nothing is worse than wearing a skirt with dry ashy legs! Once the weather warms up a bit, I like to swap the body butter for the lotion.

The Righteous Butter 10.1 oz. $20 & The Righteous Butter Body Lotion 16.2 oz. $22

(Photo courtesy of Soap & Glory)

Pump Up Your Moisturizer

Once the temps start falling, you should choose moisturizers that are thicker than your daily body lotion or face cream. Swap your lotion for a body butter and swap your moisturizer for a creamier one. Look for added ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and urea – both are humectants that pull moisture from the air into your skin.

Don’t stop your summertime habits

Water intake and sunscreen use decreases during the winter for most. Drinking plenty of water helps your skin stay hydrated and wearing sunscreen year round helps protect you from the sun. The UV rays that bounce off of snow are just as damaging as summer rays.

Go easy on the hand sanitizer

Using hand sanitizers too often can strip the moisture from your hands. Instead of using the communal hand sanitizer at the office, you should bring your own.  Look for one that doesn’t contain alcohol and always apply hand cream afterwards.

Get a humidifier

Home heating systems can really dry out your skin. Humidifiers are great because they add moisture to the air. They’re fairly inexpensive and since humidifiers help decongest your sinuses; it can also help reduce under eye puffiness.

Always carry a lip balm

The cold wind is one of lip’s biggest enemies. It dries out lips and habits like licking your lips only makes matters worse. Use a lip balm made with beeswax to create a barrier to protect your lips from the harsh weather. You can also apply some on dry cuticles and chapped noses.

(Photo courtesy of Niderlander | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos)

 

Here it is – my last and final peel on The Skin Regime: Boot Camp for Beautiful Skin. For my grand finale, I decided to use the 70% glycolic solution. I was worried about how my skin would react to such a strong concentration of glycolic acid, but I’m glad to report that I didn’t end up like Nicolas Cage in Face/Off! I seriously recommend building your tolerance up before using the 70%. I feel like my first peel (30%) was more irritating than my last peel (70%) – go figure!

I removed all my makeup with a makeup removing wipe (I like to use the Biore wipes), then I thoroughly washed my face with a washcloth and Cetaphil cleanser. I dried my face and swiped my face with a cotton round dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Next I applied the medicated numbing spray; I made sure to cover every inch of my face and neck. I was so scared that it would burn! Finally I soaked another cotton round with 70% glycolic acid and went to work. I left the solution on for a full five minutes. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. It never got uncomfortable and I only felt a slight itching sensation after three minutes.

Once time was up, I rinsed and washed my face. I patted it dry and immediately applied my moisturizer. Two days have passed, and I only had a small amount of peeling in my chin and nose. I’ve been washing my face morning and night, so I think that’s helping remove the flakes.

I really enjoyed The Skin Regime: Boot Camp for Beautiful Skin. It was simple to do and very effective. My skin looks so much better now that when I first started. My skin is smoother, clearer, and more even-toned. It has helped keep my blemishes at bay and with the help from Cetaphil’s DermaControl line – my excess oil is also gone. I am visiting my parents for the holidays, and the first thing my mom said to me was how great my skin looked! I plan to do a maintenance peel ever so often to keep my skin looking and feeling great. I recommend this peel to anyone who wants beautiful skin!

For more information on The Skin Regime: Boot Camp to Beautiful Skin and on products I used please visit TheSkinRegime.com – there you can order the book and get product recommendations.

Click here to read the first 30 pages of The Skin Regime for free!

Here’s a great idea for a homemade Christmas gift – gingerbread body scrub. Kids can make this for their moms with a little help from dad or older siblings. You can even make it organic by using only organic ingredients. This scrub smells delicious and is just want you need to help de-stress from all the holiday madness! Enjoy!

Gingerbread Body scrub

• 1 cup sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tps ginger
• 2 tps nutmeg
• 2 tps cinnamon
• ¼ cup almond oil

Combine all ingredients and pour into a nice glass jar with an airtight lid. Tie a nice ribbon around the jar and attach instructions that read “Apply in a circular motion, rinse and pat dry”

(Photo courtesy of © Josefbosak | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos)