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

In honor of this revolutionary day, I have come up with a list of actions to take to be a little more eco-friendly.

Walk more, drive less: Instead of driving short trips around the corner, such as to pick up milk and bread, take a stroll instead. Not only are you saving on gas and not polluting the environment, you’re also getting a mini work-out in the course of it. A few days ago, my roommate and I had to return a movie to the video store and we walked there instead – it only took us 20 minutes and it felt great to get some fresh air.

Recycle, Reuse, Reduce (and close the loop!): Not only should you do the obvious and save your cans and bottle, but find uses for other products lying around your house. I like using old pieces of clothing as cleaning rags.

Invest in eco-friendly fashion: Nowadays, you can purchase anything from dresses to handbags that are all made out of organic fabrics. Not only do some of the eco-friendly fashion lines use fabrics friendly to the environment, they also use minimal packaging and guarantee livable working situations where they manufacture their products. Here is a list of retailers who manufacture for the eco-friendly and socially conscious.

Switch to organic beauty products: In pursuit of becoming more environmentally friendly, a lot of beauty companies are going all-organic. You can get anything from nail polish to lip stick with all-natural ingredients.
Some companies to consider that offer organic beauty products:
Foxy Mineral Make-up: has a wide range of selections of eye shadows, lip glosses, and foundations, which contain no chemicals and oils that can oftentimes be bad for the environment.
Karma Organic: offers organic spa products, such as organic nail polish removers, nail polish colors, scrubs, lotions, and oils.

Cut the amount of time spent in the shower: Do you really need to take a 45 minute shower? The less time you spend in the shower, the more water you are saving; long, hot showers are not good for your skin anyway, it dries it out and strips away its natural oils.

Little by little, changing everyday habits and incorporating more natural products in our daily regimens is helping the environment, plus it’s good for your own personal beauty health.

What are you doing to become more eco-friendly?

Photo Credit: GenGreenLife and Karma Organic

For as long as I can recall, I have had an obsession with lip balm, lip-gloss, and anything else related to my lips. As an avid Carmex and Chapstick user, I’m always up for trying out new items. Which is why I was thrilled to check out the Kiss My Face SOS products, Sheer Organic Shine gloss and Sheer Organic Shimmer tints.

Coming in six shades in both the glosses and tints – Pear, Opal, Amethyst, Topaz, Ruby, Garnet – Sheer Organic Shimmer and Sheer Organic Shine are a great addition to your makeup bag.

These products are environmentally friendly; they’re 100% natural/91% organic, contain no parabens, SLS, phthalates, synthetic colors or flavors, and are not tested on animals. Plus, they contain vitamins A and E to repair and protect your lips. What more could you ask for?

My fellow Beauty Chatters also tried these awesome new glosses and tints, here’s what they had to say about them:

Dre: I used Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Shine and Sheer Organic Shimmer both in Opal.  I tried them both alone first, then used them on top of a darker shade of lip color.  I preferred them both used the second way (on top of a darker shade of lip color).  Both products helped condition my lips, leaving them feeling soft and smooth and not the least bit sticky.

Stephanie: I am a fan of the Sheer Organic Shimmer in Garnet. I love the color and how it gives my lips a refreshing feeling.

Jacquie: I tried Sheer Organic Shine in Garnet and Sheer Organic Shimmer in Ruby; both products feel wonderful on my lips.  They moisturize as well as cool and add a splash of color.  I was very happy to see that the color was not as bright as it appears in the tubes.  I will be getting more in different shades.

Sara: I tried the sheer organic shine (pearl) and I liked it since the color was subtle and gave a little shimmer (nothing too dramatic). I don’t like flashy lip glosses and so the color and texture of this one definitely fit my taste. I also liked how it gave my lips a cooling feeling after applying and the smell is nice too. =)

Elana: The Sheer Organic Shine lip-gloss by Kiss My Face is the next best thing to Chapstick as a nice moisturizer. The mineral color complements my skin tone (a lighter-skinned African-American), as it is a subtle shine on its own in addition to adding a sophisticated look when worn on top of my bright, red lipsticks. Using just as little as a teardrop will brighten up a person’s face! Plus, I don’t get the white crusty look on the side of my lips — which I tend to grossly get with other lip glosses — when hours have gone by. Five stars!

Beauty Chat is giving three lucky readers a chance to try out the Kiss My Face SOS products for themselves. Leave a comment below telling us how you keep your lips kissable and we’ll pick three winners on March 2nd!

Photos Credits: Kiss My Face and Makeup.com

Purely Clear offers a line that works for all skin types.

I don’t get too many blemishes a just a few here and there.  I do have blackheads, a bad T-Zone, and very dry cheeks.  This combo makes it difficult to finding products that will not send my pores into overload.

Purely Clear is different; it cleans without over drying or leaving an oily feeling.  The toner is a blend of oils that don’t dry out your skin and the Intensive Repair and Wrinkle Serum help to balance and moisturize.

To me, this product is a miracle worker.  You feel the difference in minutes, not days or weeks. My skin is more balanced, not dry or greasy.  The formulas are concentrated, so a little goes a long way and the small bottles last for months. 

I suggest that everyone check out the Web site and give it a try.  I have passed Purely Clear along to my mom and sister and they love it.  

Photo Credit: PurelyClear.com

According to the packaging, the perfume is comprised of 100% organic and vegan soy and coconut wax base, and are made with natural grain alcohol. They are in a super cute, convenient carrying case and are easy to apply…anywhere…anytime. They are also TSA approved, so there is no need for that pesky zip lock baggie.  Just throw it in your bag and go!

I recently had the opportunity to try 4 of Pacifica’s popular scents.  Here is what the Web site says about them:

• WAIKIKI PIKAKE- A blend of delicate sweet Hawaiian jasmine and sensuous velvety sandalwood is tribute to old Hawaii in honor of beloved Princess Kaiulani.
• MEDITERRANEAN FIG- An earthy and green combination of palm, cyclamen, sweet fig, moss, and clove set in a base of woody sandalwood. The edge of the earth meets the sea, in this sensual and full-bodied blend.
• MALIBU LEMON BLOSSOM- Dreaming of California, of perfect surf and lemon blossoms scenting the salty ocean air with their sweet perfume. This scent captures the free spirit of the Pacific Coast.
• AVALON JUNIPER- Tempered with the slight scent of earthy grapefruit and watery notes of heliotrope, this blend is a play between light and dark, fire and ice, and the realms of the spirit and physical worlds.

Since I am very particular about fragrance and could not try them all myself, I recruited a fellow Beauty Chatter and two male co-workers.  Here are our thoughts:

Jacquie- WAIKIKI PIKAKE: “Waikiki Pikake is a wonderful, soft smell that makes me feel like I am on vacation.  The small concentrated tub is the perfect size to keep in my purse for a quick splash of smell.  A little goes a long way and I did notice that the smell changes with each person.  The price is perfect and I can’t wait to try some of the other smells.”

William- AVALON JUNIPER: “It’s hard to paraphrase how I feel about this.  It smells like I was trying to set the mood with candles and lighting, but instead of lighting candles, I was wearing the perfume with cotton pants and wood bark in my pocket.  If I worked at a spa, it would be perfect!”

Ross- MEDITERRANEAN FIG:” I liked it only after I verified its effectiveness with other people.  I like it because it moisturizes my hands.  It is easy to use and I like it because I could put it in my pocket for emergency situations when needed the most.  However, it is not strong.”

Denice- MALIBU LEMON BLOSSOM-“Being four months pregnant, I can be very sensitive to scent.  Since this perfume has a lemon base, it actually eases my morning sickness and leaves me smelling fresh.  The tin is so cute and fits nicely in my purse or pocket!”

If you are looking for a fun, easy way to smell great all day, try these.  In fact, Pacifica is offering one lucky Beauty Chat reader the chance to try them out for free!  Just leave a comment and you will be entered in a random drawing to be held on Wednesday, October 1! Good Luck!

Photo credits:
Pacifica

http://www.giftsanddec.com

J.Lynne Cosmetics also offers hair and skin care products, along with their mineral makeup, for all over the face. With everything you need to keep your skin free of chemicals, synthetics, fragrances, and dyes, their various mineral products will leave you looking naturally beautiful. As the creator, namesake, and owner of J.Lynne, Jessica Lynne Miller has put a lot of time and heart into this thriving company.

I recently had the opportunity to try out some of these products; the Mineral Matte Priming Powder in Ivory/Light, Satin Pearls Mineral Eyeshadow in the Coffee Collection, Plush Velvet Mineral Eyeshadow in the Coastline Collection, and Ultra Intensity Mineral Eyeliner in the Smoulder Collection.

I had been looking for a good matte powder and was really excited to try this one out. It helped control shine on my forehead and didn’t cause any breakouts. With the ingredients being all-natural, my skin was able to breathe all day.

As for the eyeshadows, it took me a couple of applications to get the hang of it. I don’t normally use loose powder on my eyes, but I did like the way it turned out. The colors were great and they blended easily, which is a plus in my book. However, I’m still not sure how I feel about the eyeliner. This is also in powder form and I only used it a couple of times. If you are already using powder eyeliner, you will definitely like this one. It provided intense color (just as the name promises) and lasted all day.

Be sure to check out the J.Lynne Web site for more great products!

Photo credits: J.Lynne Cosmetics

My mom, a woman who looks amazing, and is extremely conscious of what she puts into her body as well as on to it, introduced me to a deodorant that does not contain any harmful chemicals, but still keeps me from stinking! The only thing I did not like about this deodorant is that it’s similar to a rock you just wet and rub; although, it did mean I had no smelly pits. I would put it on twice a day and sometimes three times just to be safe. I love the stuff, but putting it on two to three times a day is a bit much for me.

Recently I was given a little white tub of magic cream called Lavilin. This hypo-allergenic product is a cream deodorant made from natural ingredients including chamomile, arnica, and calendula oils. Bacteria and sweat are the major causes of underarm odor; Lavilin kills the bacteria putting a stop to odor. In addition to being made of safe components, this deodorant is also impressive in the fact that it has lasted me several months now.  I can’t believe how wonderful it is.

You only need to use Lavilin every five to seven days. You can shower, shave, swim, and sweat, and the cream continues to work. I know, I thought it was crazy, too. Even during the hot So Cal summers, I have not been stinky! 

As if that was not enough, Lavilin also makes a foot cream to prevent smelly feet — and it even works when I wear the little flats that I love (which unfortunately usually produce an odor).

If you worry about your body’s health and want to find a shortcut in your morning routine, then you should definitely try this stuff. I am truly impressed and surprised. 

Wondering where you can purchase Lavilin? Visit Micro Balanced Products. 

Photo Credit: Carolyn Leber Public Relations and Lavilin

One question and answer I found particularly interesting on the Nude web site was:

Why do we feed our skin chemicals we would never consider eating?

Nude is free from the chemicals you would rather your body didn’t absorb. Our first priority is to formulate without ingredients which are irritating to the skin or potentially harmful to the body and we have minimized our use of preservatives by using airless packaging. Where necessary, we have selected a safe, non-irritating, synthetic preservative because the natural option caused skin irritation.

We will choose organic ingredients wherever possible. However, some of the advanced ingredients we use, such as peptides from milk, simply aren’t available organically.

Nude has not conducted, or commissioned any animal testing on ingredients or products and we actively support the development of alternative ingredient testing methods through sponsorship of the UK charity FRAME.

I had the opportunity to try out some of these amazing products. I was given the Nude moisturizing body polish and the moisturizing body cream. My first reaction was that the packaging was a little masculine for me. Once I opened it and smelled it, I thought the same thing. It was not girly enough for me! Therefore, I enlisted the help of my fellow (male) co-worker, Charlie P. He tried them out for me, and these are his thoughts:

“I really liked this lotion; I first noticed the masculine design and the nice clean scent. I thought gardenias, and some of my co-workers thought honey suckle and star jasmines. This is important for a guy because we don’t want a bottle that looks like it belongs in a Victoria’s Secret magazine.

When I put it on I was a bit nervous because it seemed greasy… but it was not at all. It glided on and made my skin feel so nice and it did not leave residue. I also liked that all the ingredients are free trade and the bottle is 100% recyclable; this is a great thing, especially with the environmental concerns we are faced with in this generation.”

Such an amazing premise for a company to have, and the packaging on the products are fully recyclable — just return it to Nude and they will handle the rest. Try it out!

Photo Credit: Nude

• The product must be made up of at least 95 percent truly natural ingredients (or ingredients that are derived from natural sources)
• No ingredients with any potential suspected human health risks
• No processes that significantly or adversely alter the purity/effect of the natural ingredients
• Ingredients must come from a purposeful, renewable/plentiful source found in nature (flora, fauna, mineral)
• Processes must be minimal, and without synthetic/harsh chemicals or other dilution of purity
• Non-natural ingredients are acceptable only when a viable, natural alternative ingredient is unavailable, and only when there are absolutely no suspected potential human health risks

And it doesn’t stop there! The association, which is partially made up of experts from natural product manufacturers (including consumer faves like Burt’s Bees and Farmaesthetics), provides the full criteria at: www.naturalproductsassoc.org/certifiednatural. Because this group is the nation’s largest natural products, non-profit organization, representing more than 10,000 retailers and distributors, I think we can be confident that this program is an effective way of determining who’s natural – and who’s not. Start looking for the Natural Products Association Seal of Approval on the shelves within the coming year (keep in mind that it may take a while for every qualified product to receive its seal).

Who’s excited? I know I am! Let me know if this announcement will make a difference in the way you shop for personal care products.

Photo credits: Natural Products Association and Tractenberg & Co.

I have started to apply sunscreen every morning in these warmer months (I know this is something I should already be doing to avoid sun damage and skin cancer, and I am working on it!). In my quest for the perfect sunscreen, I found this company called Juice Beauty. I had actually seen a product by them in a Sephora sample kit and decided to look into them a little more.

Upon researching Juice Beauty, I found that they produce organic products. The one I zoned in on was the Mineral Medium Moisturizer with SPF 20. This is a tinted moisturizer made from a patent pending organic juice base. The formula uses over 60 active organic ingredients to create the 100% organic juice base. The total organic content of the product is 95%. That is amazing, seeing that most products that claim to be organic are really on about 5%.

This moisturizer is different from the normal type of sunscreen than I use. It is tinted, which took some getting used to. Also, the fragrance is also a bit strong, but after a while I became totally used to it. I had my co-workers also smell and sample the texture and there were some mixed reviews on the fragrance, but all in all, it went over pretty well.

Juice Beauty is the mastermind of 2 women, Melissa Jochim and Karen Behnke, who have been innovative in organic beauty solutions. They are both from California, and are on a mission to bring pleasurable organic beauty solutions to people world wide. They believe that a healthy lifestyle not only entails what we eat, but also what we put on our skin.

What do you think?

Be sure to check out Juice Beauty for more products beyond sunscreen!

Photo Credit:  Juice Beauty