How would you like to save hundreds of dollars in beauty products every year? Many expensive salon products are made out of the same fruits, vegetables, and oils that you use to prepare your favorite dishes. If you are looking to improve the appearance of your hair, nails, face, and skin, The Beauty Cookbook: 200 Recipes to Make Your Kitchen Your Spa – For Your Face, Your Body, and Your Hair by Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman may be your next “must read.”

This every day at-home spa guide features inexpensive recipes, beauty treatments, and tips for head-to-toe beauty. Douglas and Pearlman are the best selling authors of The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets; in this new book they offer beauty tips to adhere to in these eco-conscious, economically challenged times.

Anything from fresh lemon juice to olive oil can help you achieve smoother, fresher more vibrant skin and hair – all in the convenience of your own home. Here’s a tip from a Victoria’s Secret model on how to restore hair after it is scorched and ironed; mix one tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon and one teaspoon of olive oil, and slather your hair with it, focusing on putting more product on split ends. Leave on over night and wake up to restored, glossy, and super shiny hair. Be sure to sleep on an old pillow case when doing this, the oil residue will wreck your linens.

Women who have kids probably always have some spare Cheerios lying around the house – so why not use them for a facial treatment? Just grab a handful of the cereal, a teaspoon of honey, and few drops of fresh lemon. Blend the Cheerios until they are a fine powder, and once refined, mix in the honey and add the drops of lemon, and voila you have the perfect ingredients for a facial scrub. Apply the mixture to your face, and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water, and feel smoother, more vibrant skin.

So, before leaving the house to buy expensive salon products, look in your pantry, fridge, and medicine cabinet first – you may already have the right mixture for an at-home facial, hair treatment, or moisturizer.

Want more tips that have been created and culled from Pearlman and Douglas? Beauty Chat will be giving away The Beauty Cookbook to one lucky winner. To enter to win this ultimate at-home guide, just leave a comment below with one of your “secret” beauty tips for your skin, hair, nails, or face. One of my useful tricks is to apply baby powder to my roots when I don’t have time to wash my hair. The powder absorbs the oils, and immediately makes my hair appear fresher. Share some of yours with me! A winner will be announced on April 12th.

And there’s still time to enter to win a basket of beauty goodies too! Be sure to check out our survey and giveaway!

Photo Credit: Amazon and Cheerios

After taking a hiatus from the Beauty Chat buzz, I am back just in time for the New Year. Please don’t be mistaken by my leave of absence as being indicative of a fun-filled vaycay, adorned with tropical cocktails and extravagant timeshares. Rather, it was characterized by never-ending stress and long nights of studying for the most important test of my life to date – the LSAT. 

And one wee hour of the night, while buried in pages of prep material whose ink reeked of frustration and lengthy moments of “um,” I had a moment of clarity in the form of “Wow, I have really let myself go!” My Benefit compact stared back at me in sheer mockery as I noted the Groucho Marx brows, stress blemishes, and washed-out roots that blended into two-tone hair frenzy. What was a working, budget-dependent woman to do?  

Granted, it’s easy to become lax on the beauty regimen when deadlines are murkily approaching, and getting projects done become minute-by-minute momentous. Not to mention, having a not-so-glamorous economy as the nation’s backdrop can render your wallets even more conscientious.

Because I am a beauty advent, finding a balance between inner and outer beauty was in order!

So here are tricks and tips that me and my bank account live by, which just might do wonders for you too:

√ Let’s face it – your face is the first part of you that people see. Eyebrows are especially poignant. Rather trying to yank out that ingrown hair via tweezers, eyebrow threading is the way to go. I pay 12 big ones for brows and upper lip at my local hole-in-the-wall salon every two weeks.

√  Good skin provides the foundation of a solid beauty routine. The key to keeping my facial canvas fresh is a good exfoliator. St. Ives Apricot Scrub is more than decent and beyond reasonably priced. Once a week is good – twice at max – to give your skin a deep cleaning. For a light, dewy look on the go, I use Benefit “That Gal” Brightening Facial Primer, which I apply prior to my foundation or wear alone.  

√  ChapStick – Need I say more? And it’ll cost you all of $2.

√  I know many of you gals are addicted to the regular “mani and pedi.” However, when times are tough, a $25 to $40 sitting session can add up. If you can stand to lose the acrylics, stick to the one and only pedicure. Typically, a pedicure should run you about $20, not including tip or the “flower.” As for your hands, acrylics damage your cuticles and over time cause a brittle feel to your nails. So have a personal kit with clippers and cuticle oil (Sally Hansen’s Vitamin-E nail and cuticle oil), and take a couple minutes to groom them every so often.

Remember, staying active can provide a productive lifestyle; however, you don’t necessarily have to wear your chaos. You can maintain that busy, yet beauty-conscience broad in you without it costing you too much energy or money.  Don’t worry, though, a slip is totally warranted (ahem, unshaved legs). 

What are some of your thrifty, time-saving tips?

Photo Credit: TV.PopCrunch.com and Sephora

I’m a big fan of all things nail related. As a proud owner of strong nails that naturally grow quickly, I take great pride in having pretty finger and toenails. Whenever we get to try out a new nail product for Beauty Chat, I’m all over it. In this case, I was intrigued.

Barielle got its start making hoof conditioners for million-dollar racehorses, and over the course of their 30+ year history, ended up using an improved version of the formula to create a line of nail, hand and foot care products.

Personally, I liked the products I tried out. The Barielle Cuticle Replenisher with mango butter worked well and left my cuticles feeling soft and more smoothly shaped. It appeared to last a good while throughout the day and had a really nice smell to it, which wouldn’t make or break my decision on whether to buy the product, but was certainly an added bonus.

I also tried out the Barielle Shades nail polish in “Hidden Hideaway.” Don’t get me started on how much the name bugged me (aren’t most hideaway’s hidden!?!?) but the nail polish itself was great. I wasn’t particularly fond of the extremely strong scent that came with it, but found the polish to be thick and needed only one good coat to look nice and even. The polish lasted a good amount of time, about a week before starting to chip and peel, which I thought to be decent considering the fact that I did not use any sort of top coat over it.

A few of my fellow “Beauty Chatters” tried the products as well. Let’s take a look at what they thought:

Jacquie:
“I like the Barielle Nail Strengthener.  It is thick and absorbs quickly but I have not noticed a difference yet. The nail polish was okay, it dried quickly but it took several coats for full coverage and is really stinky, I had to open windows while applying.”

Dre:
“I was really pleased with the Barielle Ultra Speed Dry Manicure Extender.  I usually use a clear top coat polish on my nails and within a couple of days my color polish is chipped.  With this product I found my nail polish lasted days longer.”

Sara:
“The Total Foot Care Cream was intended for use two times a day, but I only applied it at night before I went to bed and then put socks on. I liked it because when I got up in the morning my feet would feel smooth and fresh. Over a couple days of use my feet felt smoother. I definitely want to try other products for foot care that Barielle offers. I loved the look of the Two Timing nail polish; it was a reddish, brown color, perfect for the holidays. The nail polish dried quickly, which is what I liked. I tend to become very impatient with nail polishes that take forever to dry. The polish didn’t stay on very long for me, but I do have a tendency to bite my nails. Overall, I was satisfied with both of the products I tried from Barielle.”

Now it’s time for you to tell us what you think about it! The first Beauty Chat visitor to post the correct answer to the following question in a comment below will win Barielle Nail Polish in 3 different shades (Date Night, Secret Encounter, and Misbehaving Mistress) and Barielle’s Nail Brightener-Natural Nail Enhancement.

What TV actress said the following quote?

“The ’80s were fabulous… There’s something that’s just so cute about that time. And not just yellow nail polish…”

Photo Credit: Barielle

We’d like to thank everyone who entered our two latest giveaways: Blistex and nubar.

The five lucky readers who will receive one sample/tube of Blistex Deep Renewal are Apple, Mary, Pat, Huguette E., and Hil’Lesha.

And the winner of the nubar Pastel Fever Collection and Skin Essentials 6 Pack is Sherry B.

Congrats to all!

Didn’t win? Don’t worry. There are many more great Beauty Chat giveaways in the future. Be sure to check back with us frequently for your chance to win!

Photo credits: Blistex and nubar

Nail polish is a cosmetics item that most women, and some men, can’t get enough of. Many of us paint away, unaware of the repercussions that the polish may have on our health. But, did you know that almost all nail lacquers contain Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Phthalate (DBP) — chemicals that are carcinogenic and can cause serious health effects?

In a time when people are trying to be more “green,” cosmetics companies are beginning to understand that consumers expect more from the brands that they buy from. nubar is a line that was created with the idea that providing healthy alternatives is a must.

Developed in 2000, nubar set their standards high and have abided by those strict commitments for nearly 10 years. The result? Some seriously safe and satisfying products. You will not find Formaldehyde, Toluene, or Phthalate in any of the company’s nail lacquers.

 Not only are the brand’s nail polishes made minus the toxins, they are also beautiful, fast-drying, and long-lasting. The ladies here at the Beauty Chat office have been sporting our favorite shades of nubar polish, and I speak on behalf of all of my fellow Chatters when I say that this stuff is pretty amazing. Jessica Simpson and Mischa Barton are said to also feel the same about nubar.

I am rough on my nails, and I was surprised that my polish was chip-free for about four days. That’s amazing to me because I play softball and my nail polish usually flakes off so badly that I skip painting my nails all together. Some of my co-workers, who don’t expose their nails the way I do, are still showing off a full set of perfectly painted fingernails! That blows me away. The fact that I painted my nails and then dried instantly was also a huge plus for me.

Beauty Chat loves nubar so much that we want our readers to experience the greatness that is their nail lacquers! One lucky reader will receive the Pastel Fever Collection; a package of eight gorgeous polishes (pictured above).

Additionally, that winner will also receive nubar’s Skin Essentials 6 Pack. These hand lotions are Paraben-free and smell delicious!

To enter, simply leave a comment. One winner will be chosen at random on Friday, October 31…otherwise known as Halloween =)

Photo credits: nubar

For some, going to the nail salon is a way to escape and relax for an hour or two.  I wish I had that time to spare.  My only free time is when the kids are sleeping, the house is clean, and it is not 10 pm. 

Neatly manicured hands and feet are nice, but what about those of us who just can’t find the time or money and don’t care for the smell of a nail salon?

Kiss Every Day French Nail Kit is the answer.  I know press-on nails seem so elementary school, but seriously, they look wonderful and only take a few minutes to apply. Find the right size, add a drop of glue, press down firmly, and you’re done.  They come in different sizes and styles, I prefer the short length because they look real and I don’t have to worry about poking one of my kids.

Take a look at the Kiss Web site for more great ideas for your fingers and even your toes.

Photo credit: Kissusa.com

Have you ever looked at your nails as you sit at your desk, typing away, and think “OMG!! They could use a good manicure!” If you are like me, there is little time for manicures. My friend and fellow Beauty Chatter, Stephanie, gave me a little tool she picked up at the Fashion Day Soirée…the Spiffer Manicure Pen.

Now, this is not your everyday pen; it is a multi-functional pen. Packed with manicure bliss, this handy device includes an emery board built into the pen cap, a cuticle pusher, and sharp point to clean under your nails. Now I can get a mini manicure right at my desk!

According to the Spiffer Web site: “This new patented multi function manicure pen is the ultimate portable, discreet, and always accessible fashion accessory. The cap of this high quality ball point writing pen has a built-in emery board, cuticle pusher, and nail cleaner. It is the ideal portable accessory for hangnail emergencies, quick grooming touch-ups, or just to fiddle with while on the phone. Approved for airline carry-on!”

Features and Benefits:
• Durable emery board lasts 20x longer than other emery boards
• Cuticle pusher with concave shape to offer more control
• Pointed tip for precision cuticle grooming or fingernail cleaning
• High quality ball point writing pen always available

I think this is a great little invention; every girl should have one! Check them out!

Photo Credit: Spiffer.com

If you were to ask me what part of my body I take care of the most, I would have to say my hands and nails. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve admired my mom’s hands. They’ve always been super-soft, with beautiful, long, manicured nails. But I had one little problem: I couldn’t stop biting my nails! No matter what my mom did, I’d always have chewed up nails.

It wasn’t until I was about 12 years old that I started to take care of my nails and hands. I remember taking an “elective” class in sixth grade that involved manicures and anything to do with beauty (it was an end-of-the-year class). There I was, ready for my makeover, when I noticed that all of my friends had much nicer hands. Imagine my embarrassment when it was my turn to get my nails painted! I decided right there to stop biting my nails and work on having beautiful hands.

Flash forward a couple of years and you’ll see me sitting at the nail salon, with acrylic nails. What happened to letting them grow out naturally, you ask? I caved; I couldn’t stop biting them and instead decided to cheat with acrylics. But what I didn’t know was that they were much worse for nails than my teeth ever were! It took a while, but I eventually stopped getting them put on and getting them refilled every two weeks.

I now take extra care of my hands, and it’s all worth it. I often get compliments on how soft my hands are or pretty my nails look. Getting compliment-worthy hands isn’t difficult. A couple of tips: hand cream and a coat of clear polish go a long way.

Every time I wash my hands, I make sure to lather on some hand cream to make sure they stay soft. I pay extra attention to my cuticles by rubbing them with the cream for a couple of minutes. If you have dry skin, look for an extra moisturizing cream and spend a little more time rubbing it in. If you think you don’t have time for this, you do! While I’m at work, editing away for PlasticSurgery.com, I’m still able to put on some hand cream while I read. Even at a stop light, I’ll quickly rub some on while I wait for the light to turn green. Just a couple of minutes is all you need!

Head down to your local nail salon for a relaxing manicure. Be sure to ask your manicurist for more tips on healthy hands and nails. After all, your hands are one of the first things that people notice, so make sure they’re always looking their best!

Photo credits: Photobucket and Kitokos Nails Beauty & Taning

When you’re getting ready for your date with that special guy, do you wear what makes you feel attractive or something that you know he likes on you? If you’re wearing something that you think he likes, it may be a good idea to check if he actually likes it first. Chances are he only says he likes it on you because you like it. Think about that hideous T-shirt your guy likes to wear, you told him it looks great on him but inside you’re wishing that the laundry monster eats it one day. Same goes with your guy and what you’re wearing.

According to the guys I talked to, here are some of the biggest offenders:

• Platform heels-That means your wedges! I know they’re in style right now and you love those extra inches, but some guys aren’t really into them. Embrace your petite size; it’s much sexier than trying to balance on those things.
• Lots of jewelry- Dangling earrings, three necklaces, six bracelets, four rings…sound like you? According to some guys, this makes you look like a Christmas tree. Avoid excess décor and stick to just one area instead. If you have a lot of jewelry that you really love, rotate it!
• Loads of makeup- I know you’ve all heard this one before. Men prefer a fresh face over a made up face. Let your natural beauty shine; otherwise, they’re in for a big surprise one day.
• Bermuda shorts- It’s summer time and these are a classic. I totally get it and even own a pair, but surprisingly, not many guys like them. Unless, however, they’re paired with stilettos. You get to wear your breezy shorts and still look sexy. Besides, heels always make our legs look amazing!
• Chipped nail polish- You may not think your guy notices your nails, but it’s actually one of the things they look at the most. Guys like to see that you take care of yourself, including your nails. So head to your manicurist and make them beautiful. (OK, maybe they don’t say they like your chipped nail polish, but they really don’t like the disheveled look.)
• Acrylic nails- This goes back to the natural look. You don’t want to end up like Will Smith’s date in an early episode of the “Fresh Prince” (she ends up removing her hair piece, color contacts, and press-on nails). Let your nails grow out, coat them with a clear or light shade of nail polish, and you’re all set.

Next time you go out shopping with your guy, ask him what he likes. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to let you know what he truly loves on you. Your guy is sure to appreciate being taken into account.

What other fashion styles do you know of that men don’t like? Tell us!

Photo credits: flickr.com and www.warnerbros.com

How many times have you happily traveled to your local beauty salon to get your nails done, only to be disappointed by a poorly applied coat of polish that easily chips away? If you’re like me, plenty of times!

In my quest to find an alternative to paying a manicurist for a less-than satisfactory result, I came across French Tip Dip. Ladies, let me tell you, after trying this product myself I assure you that this polish system works!

Created in 2004 by April Baxter, who also developed Innovative Beauty Inc. (which produces bubblegum scented polish remover) at the same time, French Tip Dip is a reliable way to attain a beautiful set of nails.

According to April, the creation of her two companies ensued as follows: “I was always into my nails but found it so expensive to have them done professionally all the time. I would get the French at a salon and it would still either chip off or wear down in a day or two. Tired of wasting my money I decided to go at it alone.

“I wanted to be more self-sufficient in my nail care instead of doing away with all that money. I would practice the French manicure often and figured that there had to be an easier way. I needed an applicator that would just make the line for me! I searched the internet and always found the same types of things, which never seemed practical. You can paint freehand, use time-consuming messy sticker guides, the white tip pen (which comes with sticker guides), press-ons, or get them done professionally. I went round and round in my head and started drawing.

“I finally found a design that could work for fingers and toes of different shapes and sizes. I headed to the craft store and made my prototype by cutting up a plastic spool. I had a CAD drawing produced, went for my patents, and the tool and polishes went into production.

“It has since grown into a product line currently containing the French Tip Dip system, 15 complimenting colors belonging to 3 collections, French Tip Dip’s Original Bubblegum Scented Moisturizing Remover, a high intensity nail resolution to get your nails in tip top shape, French Tip Dip embroidered mani/pedi towel, manicure tools, and gift sets. We are also working on making all of our polish ‘3 free’ (toluene, formaldehyde, and DBP), to ensure the safest product for the consumer and our environment.”

Here’s how the product works — using an applicator that has four different sizes appropriate for fingers and toes, the nails are manicured using the following steps:

1. Dip
2. Apply
3. Clear
4. Dry

It’s literally that easy! Of course practice is necessary, unless you’re a pro at painting nails. Personally, I have a shaky hand and needed to do a few slight touch-ups. But despite my lack of polish perfection, I still received many compliments after using French Tip Dip. And as I use it more and more, the results always improve.

In addition to providing consumers with fantastic products, Baxter also contributes to various charitable organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. “If I can spread a little across the board I feel I can touch more lives than committing to one organization or another, and that’s important to me,” she explained.

To buy a French Tip Dip kit for only $19.95, consisting of white, clear, and sheer polish, the French Tip Dip tool, two dipping jars, an orange wood stick, 2 files, and a nail polish corrector (all of which comes in a travel case), visit http://www.frenchtipdip.com.