Smart Skin

As Spring Break 2K14 quickly approaches, many beauties are thinking about crop tops and bikini bods, in preparation for a sun bound adventure. A brainy beauty should also be thinking about her skin while prepping for Cabo (and year-round, actually)! 

SPF is a MUST MUST MUST my friends! Not go all Mommy on you, but this year's hot tan could mean some serious skin damage (or worse!) a few years from now, so lather up. Okay, lecture over.

What I'm excited about is Curel's Intensive Healing Cream, a fragrance free, immediate healing relief cream! This advanced ceramide therapy (aka: heaven in a jar) is for daily use and sensitive skin, so lather up before you strip down and after each long day, whether it is poolside or office bound. Think of this goo as a tall, ice cold drink of water for your thirsty skin. So, drink up and be safe, Spring Breakers!

Pure BIOBLISS

Like, OMG! It's the "new anti-aging advancement in skin care!"

Hallelujah! Woot woot! Yeeeeeee-haw! Wheeeeeeee!

I mean, come on- every new anti-aging product/system/treatment/etc makes this claim. And as mentioned in previous posts, I am a, shall we say, maturing woman (what? 30 is no 19 people!) and therefore increasingly down with experimenting with the latest wrinkle preventing lotions and potions. But I am also increasingly realizing that most all include fantastic, fancy ingredients that will indeed improve the look and feel of skin long term. So when it comes down to it, you really just have to find something that you love and that you feel works for you. Perhaps that something will be BIOBLISS.

The BIOBLISS System offers a range of products in order to prepare skin and extend the anti-aging effectiveness of its treatments:

Clean: This mild and refreshing cleanser includes calming cucumber extract, Aloe Vera and skin protecting antioxidant Vitamin E. Plus, it smells awesome and left my face feeling super clean.

Srub: I had no idea this was even an exfoliating scrub until after I used it (labels?! who needs em'!?) because it was so extremely gentle. Once I read the packaging (those blasted labels again!), I discovered that it's derived from coconut, olive, macadamia nut, sunflower and avocado. Nothing abrasive about any of those!

Lock It In Serum: This was my least fave of the bunch. Personally, it smelled funny and had a weird texture. And it's specially matched to the Anti-Wrinkle Treatment Patch, of which I did not receive a sample. HARRUMPH! (But my skin did feel super soft after using it.)

Hydrate Lotion: My oh my did my face feel soft and supple after using this! La-la-la-loved! I did feel though that it is better suited to fall/winter months, as it was a bit thick for the current hot and humid Michigan climate. At $60 a pop it's an investment, but definitely a splurge-worthy pick!

To learn more about BIOBLISS, these and other products visit www.biobliss.com

Caldrea's Subtle Sophistication

Pleasant surprise of the week! Caldrea, a company created and known for their chic and better smelling home care products, also has mighty fine aromatherapy body lotions. 

Luxurious and soothing, each selection and is hydrating and wonderfully scented. Each also features shea for deep hydration and chia seed oil to help maintain skin's protection and fight free radicals. 

No. 3 Coconut Fig Leaf was my personal fave for its fresh yet exotic essence. No. 1 Aloe Water Apricot and No. 2 Tea Olive Lime are perfect springtime selections with their light, feminine fragrance and skin softening properties. 

Each one made me feel fantastically indulgent and like I was whisked away to some wildly elegant spa. Obviously, me likey!And  me highly recommend! 

Powerful Winter Lotion Potion

Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer is fling-flanging fantastic!

You know, dear readers, how picky I am when it comes to lotions— searching, searching, searching for that great smelling, affordable, hydrating holy grail— and Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer is QUITE the contender!

It goes on smoothly, absorbs quickly with no sort of greasy feeling and my skin felt soft and hydrated all day. Furthermore, since I started using it, I have seen a noticeable improvement in my usually dry, flaky winter skin. Yes indeed, my "Black Winter Tights Test" results were much improved since I began daily use. 

Beyond its sensational skin softening abilities, my favorite aspect is its wonderfully fresh scent. It’s not too flowery or too citrus-y … just clean and fresh, and lingers on the skin without being overpowering. 

Also, get this— after all my raving about it to my husband, he tried it too and even noticed a difference! Jergens will definitely be our new daily lotion stand-by. Consider us converted!

The Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer described above was provided to this author free of charge. The product can be found at drugstores nationwide. 

Burt's Bees Cocoa & Cupuacu Butters Body Lotion

This lotion is well labeled: Richly Replenishing!

Smells like vanilla, honey, and the beach.

Does not feel greasy, just makes your skin go "Ah."

I use mostly as a hand lotion at work, people always ask what smells so good :)

Skin is soft, I smell good, all is right with the world.
Thank you, Burt!

Dixie Bits-- Whippa Peel Double Dose: Lotion and Wash

Body Wash
I tend to be a bar-soap girl. This wash could really change things.
1st: The smell!!! Very tempting to drink the bottle... It's coconut goodness. If there were a perfume, I would wear it. If there were a dessert, I would eat it.
2nd: The feel. Cleans, but leaves skin soft & smooth. Love it. Works pretty well with a wash cloth, outstanding with one of those bath pouf-things.

Lotion
You MUST buy this so you can smell it.
Really wonderful.
Super moisturizing, but not at all greasy. AH-MAZE-ING!

Backstory:
Dixie Lincoln-Nichols, owner of bath & body line Dixie Bits learned the beauty benefits of coconut oil as a young girl growing up in Trinidad.  Using coconuts plucked straight off the trees in her backyard, Dixie’s grandmother showed her how to extract the precious oil right in the kitchen!

Years later, Dixie applied this knowledge when she created her own line beauty, Dixie Bits.   Coconut Oil acts as a wonderful skin softener, wrinkle reducer, hair conditioner and anti-oxidant among other things.  Watch as Dixie and her grandmother demonstrates the age-old technique of extracting coconut oil right in Dixie’s NYC kitchen!

EOS wants you to win their hand lotion!

Skin you'll love is only a "like" away!

Once a week for four weeks between April 4th and May 2nd, eos will be giving away 5,000 eos 97% natural hand lotions.

EOS is giving women the opportunity to win free samples of their all-new hand lotions by by taking part in a month long sweepstakes hosted on facebook.

How to enter.

1. ‘Like’ eos on facebook: facebook.com/eos

2. Click on the ‘Giveaway’ tab.

3. Submit your contact info and choose your desired lotion fragrance. You will be automatically entered into each subsequent giveaway (there will be four in total) until either you win a hand lotion or the giveaway ends.

About eos hand lotion:

eos everyday hand lotion is 97% natural, stylish, and portable.

Available in both original and cucumber scents, just a dab keeps hands soft and smooth, naturally.

Lucky winners will receive a full-sized eos hand lotion. The lotions are also available at Walmart, Walgreens, and Rite Aid for only $3.99.

twitter: #eosgiveaway @eosproducts

facebook: facebook.com/eos

After Sun Soothing Lotion

From RENEE:

OK, so I've only been on the board a few times, but I'm a big sun and water gal and this Aloe enriched lotion is in fact very soothing after a day at the beach. I tried using it as just my daily lotion, but it didn't quite feel like enough moisture. It does have a nice cocoa butter beachy scent to give you that bronzed blissed-out feel and I would say a good productg to have in the beach bag for after the shower to wash off the sand and salt.

Lovely Body Lotion by Glowology

From RENEE:


OK, first off, this lotion smells phenomenally yummy. That alone is enough for me to want to purchase a few gallons. It's incredibly creamy and smooth without being greasy and does in fact leave a lovely, healthy glow and sensual softness to my autumn dried skin. I will absolutely purchase it for myself and likely as gifts for girlfriends for Christmas.

C.O. Bigelow: All-in-1 Protective Lotion...

All-in-1 Protective Day Lotion SPF 25 (Light-Weight Formula) - Normal to Oily Skin Light lotion. Doesn't cause zits, UVA/UVB protection, anti-oxidants. All VERY good in my book! Pump tube, dispenses easily. Clean, beachy smell. Me likes!

skyn ICELAND: the Fundamentals Kit

The Fundamentals Kit contains:

Glacial Face Wash 

The Antidote Quenching Daily Lotion

Icelandic Relief Eye Cream

I've been using the system every night for the last 2 weeks.

• The Face Wash is awesome (especially when I use with my Clarisonic brush), cleans & cools without making my skin dry. It smells like soil and the ocean, which sounds weird but is oddly calming.
  
• The Lotion is good, cooling, & doesn't make me break out. It is not super-hydrating if you have serious dry or winter skin, but works well for us oily girls, & I bet it will be my go-to in the summer.
• The Eye Cream is lovely. It is like gelationized heavy cream, smooth & gentle. Does not burn my eyes or cause those oh-so-lovely lower lid bumps. I look more alert, and I think the dark circles have lightened!

The kit would/will be great for traveling as well!

Primer + SPF: Alison Raffaele

Alison Raffaele
Primer: Acne Response Formula with spf 15

Not really sure if this qualifies as lotion/potion or make up, although it is technically a pre-foundation... I don't wear foundation, so I'm putting it here!

I was dubious, all this face-primer. Does anyone really have time for yet another step in the morning routine? However, this is worth it!

A couple of squirts of this smooth cream leaves my face feeling soft & protected. It feels like silky velvet, so nice! And it has zit-killers & anti-oxidants! What more does a girl need?

After a couple of weeks, I have noticed improvement in my skin texture & complexion. It's like magic. Thank you Alison!

P.S.: Free of nasty junk & environmentally responsible! Not animal tested:)